Howard University’s Dr. Jorge Burmicky, assistant professor of Higher Education Leadership and Policy Studies in the School of Education, has been named as a recipient of the 2025 Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Public Scholarship Award. 

This prestigious national honor recognizes a scholar whose work significantly contributes to public understanding of higher education beyond traditional academic venues. Burmicky received the award in recognition of his acclaimed 2024 study, "Competencies for the College Presidency," which examines the evolving leadership skills necessary for today’s higher education executives and underscores his commitment to equity-minded and socially just leadership across institutional contexts. 

“Our research provides important insights for the presidential search process at universities like Howard,” said Burmicky. “The survey item most frequently rated as very relevant by sitting college presidents in our study was ‘behaving in a way that is trustworthy, consistent, and accountable.’ In other words, trust has emerged as the single most essential competency for effective college leadership today.” 

At Howard, Burmicky’s research explores presidential leadership in higher education with a focus on minority-serving institutions (MSIs), community colleges, and broadly accessible universities. His scholarship also examines policies and practices that advance the educational outcomes of men of color, particularly Latino men attending community colleges. 

His work has appeared in leading journals that includes The Journal of Higher Education, AERA Open, Journal of College Student Development, Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, Community College Review, International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, Education Policy Analysis Archives, Journal of Negro Education, and the Community College Journal of Research and Practice, among others. 

Burmicky currently serves on the editorial boards for the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education, Journal of Postsecondary Student Success, and the Journal of College Student Development. 

Reflecting on his recent study, Burmicky noted, “For a university like Howard, this underscores the importance of selecting a president who can authentically build and sustain trust with key stakeholders—faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external partners. That requires not only an appreciation for Howard’s mission and historic legacy but also a strategic vision for its future trajectory as a leading HBCU with R1 Carnegie classification.” 

Burmicky is a faculty affiliate with several research centers nationwide that includes NC State’s Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research; UT Austin’s Project MALES; Howard’s Center for HBCU Research, Leadership and Policy; the Center for Latino Achievement and Success in Education (CLASE) at the University of Georgia, and the University of Michigan's National Center for Institutional Diversity. He is also recognized nationally for bridging scholarly research with public impact. Burmicky's perspectives have been featured in USA Today, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, Higher Ed Dive, Diverse: Issues in Higher Education, and the NPR Education Symposium. 

His achievements have earned him several recent honors, including the 2025 Barbara K. Townsend Emerging Scholar Award from the Council for the Study of Community Colleges (CSCC); the 2025 Howard University Early Career Faculty Researcher Award; the 2024 Emerging Scholars recognition from Diverse: Issues in Higher Education; the 2024 Dr. V. Ray Cardozier Alumni Excellence Award, and an AAHHE Faculty Fellowship. 

Speaking about leadership development, Burmicky shared, “Something I’ve learned through my research on presidential leadership is that every leader needs a clear vision for the type of leader they aspire to become. If an emerging leader hopes to serve as the president of an HBCU, it’s important to intentionally seek out experiences that mirror those institutional contexts—such as working at universities with missions of access or serving diverse student populations.” 

When asked about how HBCUs can advance equity through leadership, Burmicky added, “Women — especially women of color — are uniquely well-positioned to lead today’s colleges and universities. Their leadership approaches often reflect the empathy, self-awareness, and equity orientation that are increasingly essential in higher education.” 

Prior to joining Howard, Burmicky served as the Assistant Director of Research at UT Austin’s Project MALES, a national initiative advancing equitable educational outcomes for men of color. He also worked for 12 years as a higher education and student affairs practitioner in admissions, residence life, student activities, and diversity and community engagement. 

A native of Caracas, Venezuela, Burmicky earned his Ph.D. in educational leadership and policy from the University of Texas at Austin. He is an active member of professional associations including ASHE, AERA, CSCC, AAHHE, NASPA, and ACPA. He currently resides in Washington, D.C., and is the proud father of two daughters, Naomi and Elena. 

Burmicky will be formally recognized during the ASHE Awards Ceremony at the organization’s annual conference in Denver Nov. 14.