With Illinois Campaign

School of Social Work

Celebrating the impact of your generosity

As one of the longest serving and highly ranked social work schools in the country, we strive to educate future social work leaders and to develop socially just solutions to critical problems facing communities and their most disadvantaged members. We carried this mission in mind throughout the With Illinois fundraising campaign.

With your fervent support, the School of Social Work has established a diverse array of new scholarships for students, supported our elite faculty in their creative approach to developing evidence-based solutions to real-world problems, awarded nearly $40,000 in emergency aid to students in need during these unprecedented times, and invested in the artistic representation of the social and restorative justice practices we champion as a community.

We are all more aware than ever of the vital needs that can be addressed by the social work profession. Our graduates are driving social change throughout the world and affecting lives for the better.

We are deeply grateful for your support and generosity.

Steve Anderson
Dean and Professor

With Illinois Impact

As we mark the end of the With Illinois Campaign, the School of Social Work has been transformed by donor support.

8698095 Dollars Raised

1032 Campaign Donors

34 New Scholarship Funds Created

194 First-Time Donors

490 Students Supported

With Illinois Highlights

Your support has helped us continue to elevate the values that make Illinois distinctive: a sense of boundless aspiration, collaboration, and a global perspective.

Social Justice Art Commissioning

As part of our 75th anniversary celebration, the School of Social Work commissioned a variety of artwork to communicate our school’s central value of diversity and commitment to social justice. We envisioned these works of art adorning the walls of our facility visually representing our ideals. In all, eight pieces were selected for display, funded by generous contributions from donors and campus grants, and were unveiled on April 1, 2022. Each piece represents and calls attention to social justice in unique, creative, beautiful, and thought-provoking ways. All are welcome to visit us and view our blossoming art gallery. Through additional donor-funded support inspired by the collection, we are already commissioning additional works and hope to continue doing so in perpetuity. Read more.

Student Support Fund

The global COVID-19 pandemic has had profound effects on our society. Unfortunately, our students in the School of Social Work experienced these effects firsthand, sometimes in deeply consequential ways. Many of our students and their families lost income streams, often placing students in a position between choosing to meet their basic needs or continuing with their education. Through a lifetime of generosity and over two decades of giving to U of I, Susan & Michael Haney established the Illinois School of Social Work Student Support Fund so that students will not have to choose between their education and their livelihoods. Read more.

Real World Impact

The faculty of the School of Social Work are steadfast in their commitment to engaging in collective and interdisciplinary research promoting social justice and developing solutions to real world problems. Examples of these solutions include using virtual reality to assist patients coping with health-related stress, a training program preparing students to provide trauma support in early childhood and special education settings, a study on improving community conditions and policies to reduce rates of child neglect and abuse rates, and a project aimed at reducing the number of children under the age of 13 from being wrongfully detained in detention centers. New and continued support from donors will ensure the longevity of our faculty’s search for solutions to our community’s problems. Read more.

New Scholarships Supporting Students

Thanks to the generosity of donors and friends, several new scholarships have been established to support our students. These scholarships include the Mark Brandt Memorial Scholarship, the Miranda J. Dresing Scholarship, the Jim and Joanna Dudley Scholarship, the Yvonne Gilmore Scholarship in Social Work, the Sue Keller Memorial Scholarship, the Michael C. Langendorf Memorial Scholarship, the Esther and Marvin Steinberg Memorial Scholarship, and the Mur and Henry Taylor Scholarship in Social Work. These scholarships will support students in a variety of ways including in their field placements, students focused on poverty, discrimination, and mental health, school social work, students who have experienced homelessness, and non-traditional students.

With Illinois Moments

Take a look at a few of the moments that have shaped the culture and character of the School of Social Work during the With Illinois Campaign.

Tara Powell - School of Social Work - Associate Professor Jenna Muller - grad student New paper about caregiver stress during the pandemic

Associate Professor Tara Powell and doctoral student Jenna Muller completed a research study exploring interventions to mitigate burnout and PTSD in medical professionals during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more.

Dr. Sondra J. Fogel (PhD, ’94) recently named The School of Social Work as a beneficiary in her estate and hopes to inspire others to take part in creating a “culture of giving.” Read more.

BHWELL students at their field placement. The BHWELL program is helping to address a shortage of behavioral health providers across Illinois, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Read more.

Dr. Terence Fitzgerald (MSW, ’97) has dedicated his career to challenging systems of oppression, particularly those that affect boys and men of color. As a professor, Dr. Fitzgerald trains students to follow in his footsteps. Read more.

A life-long friendship that began in the dorms led to the creation of the Mark Brandt Memorial Fund for Social Work. Mark Brandt (BS, ’86) leaves a legacy that will create a lasting impact for students during the field placement phase of their social work education. Read more.

Continue Your Support

Your continued support ensures the School of Social Work remains a place where progress and innovation can flourish. Find your passion and help us dream even bigger!

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See More Impact

Philanthropy has benefited students, faculty, and staff in many ways. Browse the list below to learn more about how the With Illinois Campaign’s impact can be felt across campus.