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Schwartz Named Bloomberg Professor

Harvard Graduate School of Education Academic Dean Robert Schwartz has been named the William Henry Bloomberg Professor. Schwartz, the first HGSE professor to receive the honor, will hold the chair for two years at which point it will continue its rotation through various Harvard schools.

The professorship was endowed by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a graduate of Harvard Business School, in memory of his late father, and supports a series of scholars and practitioners who teach and conduct research in the fields of philanthropic policy and practice, public service and volunteerism, and/or the effective leadership and management of nonprofit and public institutions.

“As someone who has spent most of his career as a practitioner in governmental, nonprofit, and foundation roles, it is a rare privilege to be given an academic chair,” said Schwartz. “I'm especially honored because the donor is Michael Bloomberg, who has provided such extraordinary leadership in restructuring New York's education system.”

The naming of Schwartz to this position represents a departure from the original terms of the professorship which did not include the Ed School as one of the faculties from which the chair could be appointed.

“The appointment of an Ed School professor to the Bloomberg chair is recognition of the school’s important role in the nonprofit and public sectors,” said Dean Kathleen McCartney. “It also reflects the tremendous work Bob has done leading the school's efforts to create new collaborations throughout Harvard and across the world of education.”

Schwartz has been a leader in developing programs that bring Harvard’s multidisciplinary strengths to bear on education leadership. Among these programs are the Public Education Leadership Project in conjunction with the Harvard Business School, and the Executive Leadership Program for Educators with the Business School and the Kennedy School of Government. He is currently leading the Ed School’s efforts to develop a new education leadership degree program.

Prior to joining the HGSE faculty, Schwartz held a wide variety of leadership positions in education and government including serving as president of Achieve, Inc., an independent, bipartisan, nonprofit organization created by governors and corporate leaders to help states improve their schools. He has also directed the education grantmaking program of The Pew Charitable Trusts, one of the nation's largest private philanthropies, and served as education advisor to the mayor of Boston and the governor of Massachusetts. Schwartz has written and spoken widely on topics such as standards-based reform, public-private partnerships, and the transition from high school to adulthood.

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