Nikias receives Academic Leadership Award, $500,000 dollar grant


By
 in ,

President C. L. Max Nikias was one of four recipients of the Academic Leadership Award from the Carnegie Corporation of New York on Thursday for his vision and commitment to the University and excellence in administration.

Founded by industrialist Andrew Carnegie in 1911, the Carnegie Corporation of New York pursues issues that Carnegie believed had great importance — primarily education.

“This award recognizes some exemplary leaders of those institutions, who embody the best qualities of leadership — not merely managerial skills, but institutional vision and an abiding commitment to high quality, diversity, curricular innovation and investment in their communities,” said Vartan Gregorian, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York, in a press release. “I am extremely proud to count this year’s recipients among the 20 college and university presidents the corporation has honored with the Academic Leadership Award over the past 10 years.”

This award is given every two years. Along with the award, the Carnegie Corporation of New York will provide $500,000 toward Nikias’s academic advances. These advances include his fundraising of $300 million last year for merit-based financial aid and construction projects, namely the Village at USC, investing in biomedical research and renowned faculty and expanding USC’s international outreach.

“I am deeply humbled to receive this prestigious recognition, which I accept on behalf of our entire university community,” said Nikias in a statement to USC News. “I take great pride in all that the Trojan Family has achieved together, be it through widening access for deserving students, recruiting transformative faculty or engaging with the communities that surround our two campuses.”

Nikias has been with USC since 1991, when he started as a professor of electrical engineering and classics and eventually moved up to dean, provost and, now,  president.

Nikias says he already plans to fund the USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative and the Global and Discovery Scholars program. NAI is a college preparation program for underprivileged high school and lower-grade school students, who, if they complete the program and decide to attend USC, receive 4.5-years worth of financial aid. Students meet from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. for specialized classes taught by their schools’ teachers. USC NAI works with students and families to make sure that they end up receiving a degree.

“This award reminds us that our work can make a lasting difference, and inspires us to remain focused on the responsibilities of a global research university,” Nikias said.

Ronald J. Daniels of Johns Hopkins University, Patricia A. McGuire of Trinity Washington University and Diana Natalicio of the University of Texas at El Paso also won the award.