Cathy N. Davidson, distinguished professor of English at the City University of New York Graduate Center, is the 2025 recipient of the Harold W. McGraw Jr. Prize in Education in the higher education category. First established in 1988, the award recognizes outstanding individuals whose accomplishments in education are making a difference in the lives of students in three areas: pre-K-12, higher education, and lifelong learning. Recipients of the McGraw Prize are awarded $50,000 to support their efforts towards building a better future for students.
Dr. Davidson has spent decades advancing digital literacy, learning science, and interdisciplinary innovation. At CUNY, she founded the Futures Initiative, a program dedicated to promoting equity, social mobility, and student-centered learning at every level of the university. She also serves as a senior advisor on transformation to the CUNY chancellor, focusing on student success and inclusive, career-connected learning across the system’s 26 campuses. In addition to her primary appointment in English, Dr. Davidson is affiliated with CUNY Graduate Center’s data analysis and visualization, digital humanities, and American studies programs.
Dr. Davidson also holds the title of R. F. DeVarney Professor Emerita of Interdisciplinary Studies at Duke University. Earlier in her career, she was Duke’s first vice provost for interdisciplinary studies, helping to launch over 60 cross-departmental programs and introducing an early model for integrating technology into undergraduate education.
Throughout her career, Dr. Davidson has authored some 20 books, including her most recent monograph, The New Education: How to Revolutionize Higher Education to Prepare Students for a World in Flux (Basic Books, 2017). In addition to her scholarly publications, she is the co-founder and co-director of HASTAC, the world’s first and oldest academic social network, with nearly 18,000 current members.
Dr. Davidson is a graduate of Elmhurst College in Illinois. She holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. from Binghamton University in New York.