Four education innovators honored with the 2025 Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education

Media contact:
Maggie Lindenberg, RW Jones Agency
maggie@rwjonesagency.com

Kat Stein, Executive Director of Communications, Penn GSE
215-898-9642, katstein@upenn.edu

PHILADELPHIA (Sept. 16, 2025) — Four leaders charting bold new paths in education will be celebrated as the 2025 recipients of the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education. Presented by the McGraw Family Foundation in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE), this distinguished award recognizes Rapelang Rabana, Joe Wolf, Dr. Cathy N. Davidson, and Dr. Frederic Bertley for their pioneering contributions that have advanced learning opportunities and impacted countless lives.

For more than 40 years, the McGraw Prize has championed leaders who have had a profound impact on our world, so that others might follow their example and extend that impact. Prizes are awarded in three categories: pre-K–12 learning, higher education, and lifelong learning. This year’s winners will receive an award of $50,000 and an iconic awards sculpture at a ceremony on November 13.

“This year’s class of McGraw Prize winners combines highly innovative approaches to learning with results that transform lives, said Harold McGraw III, former Chairman and CEO of The McGraw-Hill Companies. They meet the highest standards of educational excellence and are a tribute to my father’s dedication to literacy and educational opportunity.”

“The McGraw Prize honors those who push the boundaries of what’s possible in education,” said L. Michael Golden, Vice Dean of Innovative Programs & Partnerships at Penn GSE. “This year’s winners are true innovators—leaders who are rethinking how learning happens, redefining who gets to learn, and creating solutions that will shape the future for generations to come.”

The 2025 Winners

Pre-K-12 Education Prize: Rapelang Rabana and Joe Wolf are redefining what’s possible for children who are furthest from educational opportunity. As co-CEOs of Imagine Worldwide, they are delivering a massively scalable, evidence-based education technology solution to the global foundational learning crisis. Imagine’s solar-powered, offline tablets deliver personalized learning to Africa’s most marginalized children — because literacy and numeracy are the keys to unlocking a child’s potential. Under their visionary leadership, Imagine Worldwide has become a global leader in self-guided, tablet-based literacy and numeracy programs that are rigorously tested, grounded in evidence, and delivered in partnership with local communities and national governments. The results are transformational: nine randomized controlled trials across different countries, languages and contexts have shown substantial gains in learning outcomes, even in the absence of trained teachers, internet, or electricity. Together, these co-winners exemplify the bold innovation and impact that define the McGraw Prize. Learn more about Imagine Worldwide.

Higher Education Prize: Dr. Cathy N. Davidson has spent her career reimagining higher education for a rapidly changing world. A leading voice in digital literacy, learning science, and interdisciplinary innovation, she is known for translating research into action—and for helping institutions evolve to meet the needs of all students. At the Graduate Center of the City University of New York (CUNY), where she is a Distinguished Professor, she founded the Futures Initiative to promote equity, social mobility, and student-centered learning at every level of the university. She also serves as Senior Advisor on Transformation to the CUNY Chancellor, focusing on student success and inclusive, career-connected learning across CUNY’s 26 campuses. Her work reflects ideals the McGraw Prize was created to honor: bold thinking, equity-driven practice, and a lifelong commitment to transforming education for the public good.

Lifelong Learning Prize: By re-envisioning how science is shared, taught, and experienced, Dr. Frederic Bertley has ignited a lifelong love of STEM learning in millions. As president and CEO of the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus, Ohio, he has transformed a regional science museum into a globally recognized leader in STEM education. COSI now reaches more than one million learners annually through immersive exhibits, hands-on outreach, and Emmy Award–winning media programs that extend science education far beyond museum walls. Bertley exemplifies Harold W. McGraw Jr.’s belief that education is a lifelong pursuit—and a catalyst for individual and societal progress.

The Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Family Foundation selected Penn GSE as the home for the McGraw Prize in 2020. Penn GSE is recognized internationally for its cutting-edge initiatives, distinguished faculty and as a training ground for top educators and leaders. The partnership includes administering the annual prize in November, and ongoing programming with more than 100 past winners, including symposia and a webinar series.

Through a public nomination process, McGraw Prize awardees were submitted for consideration by their peers, with winners then selected during three rounds of judging, including a final round by an independent panel of esteemed leaders in the field. Past winners have included teachers, professors, superintendents, university presidents, non-profit leaders, entrepreneurs and public officials. Many continue to play major roles across the education landscape.

To learn more, visit McGrawPrize.com, sign up for our mailing list and follow us on LinkedIn.

ABOUT THE HAROLD W. MCGRAW, JR. FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Family Foundation, established by Harold W. McGraw, Jr., is a not-for-profit private foundation whose primary mission is focused on education, youth services, community health and medical research. Harold W. McGraw, Jr. was the Chairman and CEO of McGraw-Hill and dedicated his life to education and literacy.

ABOUT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA GRADUATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
Penn GSE is one of the nation’s leading and top-ranked research education schools. The school is notably entrepreneurial, launching innovative degree programs for practicing professionals and unique partnerships with local educators. It is also home to the Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition and centers such as Catalyst @ Penn GSE, a hub for global education innovation.