At the McGraw Center for Educational Leadership, we’re developing a global community of learning leaders across all educating sectors, advancing how we anticipate, plan, and focus our practices to meet today’s and future challenges.

Experience Transformation with the McGraw Center for Educational Leadership

In today’s dynamic educational landscape, leaders are confronted with unparalleled challenges. Whether you're navigating complex politics, improving student retention rates, or cultivating a thriving workforce, the demand for expert guidance and evidence-based solutions has never been more pressing.

In partnership with Penn GSE’s global network of leaders in higher education, corporate learning, and pre-K–12 schools, the McGraw Center for Educational Leadership is developing the tools, insights, and strategies to drive measurable improvements in the organizations you serve.

Join us today and become the changemaker you aspire to be.

We Are Driven by Four Foundational Principles

Informed Leadership
Rooted in data-driven research and real-world experiences, we aim to equip education leaders with the most up-to-date and effective approaches for confronting the challenges of educational leadership.

Pragmatic Solutions
We recognize your need for practical solutions, no matter whether they are in student retention, employee satisfaction, or navigating the intricacies of institutional dynamics.

Community of Scholars
We seek to foster a dynamic community of scholars and practitioners who share a passion for advancing educational leadership.

Inclusivity
Our support extends to anyone committed to enhancing educational outcomes across various contexts.

Elevate your leadership acumen, instigate enduring change, and contribute to the evolution of education on a global scale. The future of educational leadership commences with the McGraw Center.

Cheryl Logan Headshot

Cheryl Logan, Executive Director

Dr. Cheryl Logan has been named inaugural executive director of the McGraw Center for Educational Leadership. Logan is a former Chief Academic Officer at the School District of Philadelphia and is former superintendent of Omaha Public Schools – a district that serves more than 50,000 multicultural, multilingual students across nearly 100 schools.

“With her wealth of experience and expertise in the field of education, Dr. Logan is poised to play an instrumental role in the development of the next generation of education leaders,” said former Penn GSE Dean Pam Grossman. “We believe that her innovative and visionary approach will help shape the direction of the Center and ensure that it becomes a driving force for positive change in the field of education.”

Read more in the Penn GSE newsroom.

Steering Committee


Thank you to our thoughtful colleagues at Penn GSE who have agreed to participate on the Steering Committee for the McGraw Center for Educational Leadership’s inaugural year. We are thrilled to have their creativity and experience from across all sectors of the School’s executive programs. The members of the Steering Committee are:

Resources for Leaders for Dealing with Current Events

We are in challenging and polarizing times. As educational leaders, we are asked not only to manage our own emotional responses but also to help our students and colleagues as they struggle to understand, learn, and engage with others across differences.

To support these efforts, the following resources may be helpful. If appropriate, these may be shared with students and colleagues to guide them in understanding current events and processing their emotions.

Events

Crisis, Capacity, Cognition, & Collective Intelligence

Thursday, April 18, 2024 - 8:30am to 3:00pm

3440 Market Street, 5th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Please join the McGraw Center for Educational Leadership as we learn about crisis, capacity, cognition, and collective intelligence with experts and from each other. Guest speakers include:

  • Dr. Lynn Perry Wooten, President of Simmons University, expert on organizational development and transformation, and author of The Prepared Leader
  • Dr. Harris Eyre, Lead of the Brain Capital Alliance and a fellow in brain health at the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University
  • Practitioners’ Playbook Panel, Moderated by Dr. Cheryl Logan, Executive Director, McGraw Center for Educational Leadership
  • Dr. Mark Hoffman, Bucks County Intermediate Unit
  • Dr. Maria Hoover, Capital Area Intermediate Unit
 Explore strategies employed through case studies. Three weddings and three funerals: making the tough choices to preserve or redefine the mission and maintain independence or merge before time runs out.
 
 

Our Partners

The McGraw Center for Educational Leadership is made possible by a generous gift from the The Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Family Foundation, Inc. Already partners in celebrating and amplifying the profound impact of educators through the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education, Penn GSE and the McGraw Family Foundation recognized that the world needs more leaders who embody the spirit of the McGraw Prize.

Penn GSE’s Leadership Programs

The McGraw Center for Educational Leadership partners with the outstanding faculty, students, and alumni of Penn GSE’s prestigious doctoral and master’s degree programs in educational leadership.

“Our father was ahead of his time in that he was recognizing innovative leaders. Whether teacher, principal, or corporate educator, he saw the value in those who were doing things differently. He knew that powerful learning and change was rooted in the talents and abilities of education’s top leaders.”

 —Harold McGraw III

Contact Us

The McGraw Center for Educational Leadership
University of Pennsylvania
Graduate School of Education

3700 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
(215) 746-4232
mcgrawcenter@gse.upenn.edu