Distinguished Alumni Award Winner Profile

Philip G. Hubbard, 46BSEE, 49MS, 54PhD, one of Iowa's most revered leaders, has left an indelible mark on the University of Iowa.

Hubbard's UI involvement spans more than five decades, dating back to 1940, when he left Des Moines to study chemical engineering at Iowa. Since then, Hubbard has earned distinction for his accomplishments as a research engineer and professor of engineering, technological innovator, university administrator, and defender of students' interests.

Hubbard, a three-time UI graduate, joined Iowa's engineering faculty in 1954 and subsequently rose through the faculty ranks in mechanics and hydraulics. Hubbard was named dean of academics affairs in 1966, and six years later he was appointed vice president for student services, becoming the first African-American vice president at a Big Ten University.

A source of counsel to six UI presidents, Hubbard provided leadership and direction as the university grew from 6,000 to 28,000 students. As dean of academic affairs, he helped guide the UI through the tumultuous '60s. And, perhaps most important, Hubbard championed diversity long before it became a buzzword. He worked to open housing, jobs, and educational opportunities to minorities, and in 1986, he founded Opportunity at Iowa, a program to recruit and retain minority students and faculty members. Over the years, Hubbard has served on and chaired countless campus committees, university task forces, and state and national advisory groups.

A member of the Alumni Association and the Foundation's Presidents club, Hubbard retired from the UI in 1990. Today he volunteers as director of the Institute for Learning and Development, a nonprofit organization that helps cities establish education, health, and job training programs.