This summer, Syracuse University’s Chancellor Nancy Cantor was awarded the 2008 Carnegie Corporation Academic Leadership Award. The award is given to leaders of colleges and universities for their work at their respective institutions and in global academia.

The award also bestows each recipient a $500,000 grant to continue their academic vision.

‘With intellectual ferocity, creativity and sheer will … Cantor (has) created … an even deeper, more engaging academic experience aimed not just at sustaining … higher education, but transforming it to equip students for success in a global knowledge economy,’ said Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation, when announcing the award.

Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau of the University of California, Berkeley, was the second recipient.

Cantor wasn’t expecting to receive the award.

‘It’s particularly gratifying because the award came out of the blue,’ she said.

She went on to discuss how she is not the only recipient, and how the award was given to SU as an entity. The grant money will be used to further the mission of the university in several high-priority projects.

Cantor believes the award was given to her in part because of how the university’s excellence is also making a difference in the outside world.

‘It’s very important to be recognized on a national stage,’ she said. ‘It’s a wonderful award for all of us.’

adbrow03@syr.edu

Published on August 24, 2008 at 12:00 pm