School of Social Work

Founded in 1920, the UNC School of Social Work is one of the best professional schools in the nation and one of the oldest professional schools at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Your support of the School of Social Work matters.

A gift to the School of Social Work is an investment in the well-being of families and communities in North Carolina and beyond. We need your help as we work to solve problems that threaten our society — substance use disorders, interpersonal violence, racism and social injustice, financial insecurity and more.

Cards

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Teaching and learning

Support the development of prepared, empowered and engaged social workers who are responsive to individuals, families, communities and systems across North Carolina and around the world.

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Research

Deepen and expand our substantive, methodological and translational areas of research expertise to support our school’s mission.

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Community engagement

Help build mutually beneficial partnerships to co-create and implement community-centered, evidence-informed policies and practices that improve the well-being of individuals, families and communities.

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Doctoral candidate awarded pair of university fellowships

Dicky Baruah, a fourth-year doctoral candidate at the UNC School of Social Work, was recently awarded a pair of fellowships that will help further their research.

Read Dicky Baruah's Story

Advancing equity, transforming systems and improving lives

The School of Social Work is committed to understanding social problems and to developing evidence-informed policies and practices that address those problems.

Research shows…

the School of Social Work was one of 20 Carolina graduate programs to rank in the top 10 in the country out of more than 80 programs offered by the University.

95%

enrollment increase since 2022

$1.4 MILLION

in service to the state through practicum hours each year

468

active student placements, including 30 counties in North Carolina for 2024-25 academic year

Support the School of Social Work

Your generous financial support is vital to our mission. We rely on private gifts, grants and other funding sources to ensure that we can continue to serve as one of the nation’s top schools of social work.

See Related Funds

The Hortense McClinton Legacy Scholarship

Provide support for students interested in pursuing a social work degree to do so with limited debt, which honors the first Black faculty member at Carolina.

The School of Social Work Scholarship Fund

Provide support for dozens of scholarship funds to help students. Some are designated for students who meet certain criteria — for example, a student who lives in a particular county or a student who is pursuing a particular career in social work.

The Social Work Unrestricted Fund

Provide flexible support for student scholarships, faculty research and community initiatives, ensuring the greatest impact where it's needed most.

The Louise Coggins Pathways Scholarship

This fund was established to provide scholarship support to Bachelor of Social Work students at the UNC School of Social Work.

Your support in action

See Related Stories

Portrait of Sarah McGlothlin against blue and yellow squiggle graphic.

Social & Behavioral Sciences

3 min read

A journey beyond Darwin

Sarah McGlothlin explores the human side of adaptation and care in the Galápagos.

Five people take a selfie outdoors under a patio umbrella at night.

Global Engagement & Diplomacy

4 min read

Q&A: Ebon Freeman-James

Alumna Ebon Freeman-James joined UNC School of Social Work faculty and staff on a journey to South Africa and Zambia.

Ilana Shtivelman in front of the UNC Veterans Resource Center.

Community Partnerships & Service

1 min read

Serving veterans through social work

Ilana Shtivelman's work at the Carolina Veterans Resource Center supports veterans and military affiliated populations.

Contact us

There are many ways to become a donor. You may choose to make an individual gift through our annual fund, pledge a monthly or yearly gift, create a planned estate gift or multiply the value of your gift through your employer’s matching-gift program. Contact any member of our development team and let us know what area of the School is most important to you!

Visit the School of Social Work Website

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Kandace Davis Farrar

Associate Dean of Advancement

kandace_farrar@unc.edu

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Keisha Frederick

Associate Director of Development

kmfreder@unc.edu

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Allison Zoller

Associate Director of Events and Volunteer Management

allison.zoller@unc.edu

“The essence of social work lies in our endeavor to understand differences and create space for them. Complex problems, challenging issues and inconvenient truths can be reconciled when social workers utilize their time and talents to build coalitions and amplify voices in pursuit of the common good.”

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Ramona Denby-Brinson, PhD

Dean, UNC School of Social Work