Kurt L. Schmoke became the eighth president of the University of Baltimore in July 2014, following a career in politics and law. Schmoke served as the mayor of the City of Baltimore, Maryland, for 12 years, from 1987 to 1999, and as the state’s attorney for Baltimore from 1982 to 1987.
During his tenure as mayor, Schmoke initiated a number of programs in the areas of housing, education, public health, and economic development. In 1992, President George H. W. Bush awarded him the National Literacy Award for his efforts to promote adult literacy, and in 1994 President William J. Clinton praised his programs to improve public housing and enhance community economic development. In addition, he was appointed assistant director, White House Domestic Policy Staff, under President Jimmy Carter, and served as an assistant United States attorney for the District of Maryland.
After completing three terms as mayor of Baltimore, Schmoke returned to the practice of law as a partner with the firm of Wilmer, Cutler and Pickering. He became actively involved in the American Bar Association and the National Bar Association and provided countless hours of pro bono legal services to charitable organizations. Schmoke was appointed dean of Howard University School of Law in 2003, serving in that capacity until 2012 when he was appointed general counsel for the university. During his tenure as dean, he focused on increasing bar passage rates and expanding the clinical law program to emphasize matters of environmental justice, fair housing, and civil rights. Schmoke also served Howard in the role of interim provost (fall 2013–June 2014).
Schmoke is a member of several boards and associations. He served on the board of trustees of Carnegie Corporation of New York from 2007 to 2017 and returned to the board in 2021. He was named vice chair in 2024. He earned his undergraduate degree in history from Yale University, pursued graduate studies as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford, and earned his JD degree from Harvard Law School.
