Higher Ed Leaders by Viv Higher Education

Welcome to Higher Ed Leaders, hosted by Suzan Brinker, PhD, of Viv Higher Education, is the podcast for higher education professionals who believe colleges and universities are strongest when they are bold, adaptive, and built to last.

We are excited to bring you Season 3 of Higher Ed Leaders. This season continues our focus on entrepreneurial leadership, this time through founding and long-term impact stories. Across each episode, we explore how institutions, schools, programs, and major initiatives were first imagined, launched, and sustained. Through conversations with presidents, vice presidents, and senior leaders, the podcast digs into decision-making with imperfect information, prioritization, and knowing when to move forward or say no, all with an eye toward lasting impact in higher education.

Previous seasons include Season 2, which focused on The Entrepreneurial Campus, and Season 1, centered on Transforming and Innovating Higher Education.

Guest

Freeman Hrabowski III

Freeman A. Hrabowski, III is president emeritus of UMBC and a nationally recognized leader in STEM education, equity, and university transformation. A mathematician by training and former child leader in the Civil Rights Movement, he co-founded the nationally acclaimed Meyerhoff Scholars Program and helped position UMBC as a model for inclusive excellence in research and undergraduate education. His scholarship and leadership have shaped national conversations on minority participation in science, workforce development, and institutional culture, and he has authored multiple influential books on resilience, shared leadership, and student success. A member of the National Academy of Engineering and recipient of numerous prestigious honors, Dr. Hrabowski continues to advise leaders across education, government, and industry while championing opportunity, rigor, and hope.

Guest appearance on:

SEASON 3: Ep. 5 Building an R1 Without Leaving Students Behind with Freeman Hrabowski III, UMBC