A former dean of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and federal secretary of health of Mexico, under his leadership, the University was invited to join the prestigious Association of American University (AAU), a national organization of leading research universities, entry into which is by invitation. Only 3 percent of the nation’s four-year institutions belong to the AAU.
During his tenure, UHealth, the University of Miami Health System, experienced a dramatic turnaround and initiated significant growth as South Florida’s only academic health system. Its Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center received a prestigious NCI designation from the National Cancer Institute, joining a highly select group as one of only two NCI-designated cancer centers in Florida, and one of just 71 across the nation.
During Frenk’s administration, Ever Brighter: The Campaign for Our Next Century, the University’s ambitious fundraising campaign, quietly launched in 2015 when he arrived, and raised more than $2 billion, well on its way to reaching its $2.5 billion goal by 2025. Major milestones during his nine years as president include the opening of the Frost Institute for Chemistry and Molecular Science and the Frost Institute for Data Science and Computing, both made possible by a historic $100 million gift from Dr. Phillip and Patricia Frost; the Knight Center for Music Innovation launched a new experience in music performance and audience outreach; and the 12-acre Lakeside Village student housing complex, which opened in August 2020.
As a global public health leader, Frenk also helped guide the University through the COVID-19 pandemic, his fourth pandemic. The University was one of only 30 percent of higher education institutions offering both in-person and remote instruction in fall 2020.
