David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State University in Baltimore is one of three winners of the 2023 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education. The award is presented by the McGraw Family Foundation and the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education.
President Wilson, who is the first president of a historically Black college or university to earn this distinguished honor, was selected for the overall transformation he has led at Morgan State, including historic advancement in retention and graduation rates and the university’s engagement with adult learners. He was also recognized for his vigorous national advocacy on behalf of HBCUs and support of degree attainment for Black students.
“It is an extreme honor to be recognized by the McGraw Family Foundation and the esteemed panel of judges for the consequential work we have devoted ourselves to at Morgan,” President Wilson said. “Without the dedicated team that we have in place and the commitment they have for our shared educational goals, this would not be possible, so I humbly accept this award on their behalf and on behalf of the students we serve. Morgan is undergoing an immense period of transformation and growth, and the important work that we’re engaged in has benefited from both. And while I am very appreciative of this acknowledgment for what we have accomplished thus far, there is still more work to be done for our students.”
Dr. Wilson became president of Morgan State University in 2010. Prior to becoming the twelfth president of Morgan State University, Dr. Wilson was chancellor of the University of Wisconsin Colleges and the University of Wisconsin-Extension. During a more than 30-year career in higher education, he has held administrative positions at Rutgers University, Kentucky State University, Radcliffe College, Auburn University, and Tuskegee University.
Dr. Wilson holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Tuskegee University in Alabama. He earned a second master’s degree and an educational doctorate from Harvard University.
