Joseph Batory’s (MA, ’70) was honored with the 2026 Lifetime Service Award from  Rowan University’s Alumni Association representing well over 100,000  graduates of Rowan University (formerly Glassboro State College) at an on-campus ceremony Friday evening, May 1. This award to Joseph Batory will also be highlighted at Rowan’s Golden Profs luncheon on campus on Saturday, May 30.

This  Rowan recognition documents Batory’s exemplary career as the superintendent of schools in the Upper Darby School District (PA) from 1984 to 1999. He had responsibility for 12,000+ students and  1000 staff with an annual budget approaching $100 million in a socioeconomically and racially and ethnically diverse school district.

During Batory’s tenure, six of the Upper Darby’s 12 schools were awarded the prestigious National Blue Ribbon of Excellence.   The school system won multiple awards from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania —–for its extensive program of business partnerships (90), its student substance abuse prevention initiatives, its comprehensive program in the arts, and its parent involvement programs. A very successful program of corporate sponsorship of scholarships for needy students for college education was also put in place.

Additionally, in Batory’s early years as a superintendent,  the Upper Darby School District’s Teacher Center was  created and it became the “cutting edge” model for professional development training of Upper Darby’s educators as well as teachers from many other area school districts. 

In terms of Batory’s leadership influence,  six different Upper Darby School District administrators who worked under his supervision eventually went on to become school superintendents.

When Batory retired, he was honored by the President of the United States, the US House of Representatives, both chambers of the Pennsylvania legislature, the Pennsylvania Music Educators’ Association, and the American Association of School Administrators with its Lifetime Distinguished Service Award. In addition, The Executive Educator magazine and IBM systems cited Joe as one of the Top 100 school leaders among the 300,000 school superintendents in North America. When he retired, one area newspaper termed him “a legend” and another newspaper summarized him as a “champion for children.”

Never forgetting his roots of growing up in poverty in Philadelphia, Batory has awarded scholarship assistance to 41 needy and promising Upper Darby High School grads over the past 37 years.

In 2019, Batory was honored as  the “Father and Founder” of the Upper Darby Arts and Education Foundation (UDAEF).   That foundation has now raised nearly $3 million over several decades, which has been given via 900+ mini grants to Upper Darby School District teachers for educational iniatives they could otherwise not afford. UDAEF sponsors main stage and children’s theatre for 26,000 community residents each summer as well as numerous music instruction programs for young people.

Batory is the author of an unusual autobiographical trilogy citing his many educational leadership adventures which was published 20+ years ago and has been circulated  worldwide. And as an op-ed writer after retirement as a school superintendent, more than 300 of his articles on politics, education and history have been  published by a variety of media outlets.

Finally,  Batory has received Rotary International’s highest award recognizing his “Meritorious Service” for   40+ years of his dedication to addressing a myriad of humanitarian and educational  needs as a Rotary leader in Upper Darby and in Philadelphia.

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