Dr. Joby Taylor is Assistant Vice Provost at UMBC’s Shriver Center for Public Service and Community Engagement, where he has taught across humanities and social sciences. In 2017, he co-founded the Community Leadership Programs, and in 2021 he collaboratively launched Reimagining the Harbor as a Hub, promoting local and inclusive social change. He lives in Baltimore and enjoys leading others into the city to explore its rich history and emerging social change efforts.

This award is presented in recognition of Dr. Joby Taylor's visionary leadership and enduring commitment to advancing civic and community engagement at UMBC. Through your 26 years of service, Dr. Taylor has transformed the Shriver Center into a living model of institutionalized equity and collaboration, inspiring generations of students, faculty, and community partners to lead with purpose. From launching the UMBC Community Leadership Graduate Program to guiding the university’s Carnegie Community Engagement classification renewal, Dr. Taylor's work embodies the very spirit of transformational leadership. Dr. Taylor has created pathways for reflection, partnership, and justice—demonstrating how higher education can anchor positive change in Baltimore and beyond. Dr. Taylor's ability to weave vision into action continues to illuminate what it means to lead with humility, purpose, and hope.