Gift will help Community help Veterans

The gift from Blue Shield of California Foundation will provide much needed support to the Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative (LAVC) at the Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans and Military Families (CIR), a network of more than 400 organizations and stakeholders that meets monthly to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing the local military population. This collaborative model has been lauded by government and military officials across the country for its ability to use local data to drive impact.

Peter Long, president and CEO of Blue Shield of California Foundation, said there’s great value in a strong structure and that this gift was meant to secure that basis for the collaborative.

“A lot of people are doing work in the veterans sphere, but most are still not thinking about infrastructure,” Long said. “We decided the best way forward was to support the collaborative. The stronger the collaborative, the more good things will happen for veterans.”

Through its engaged members, the Los Angeles Veterans Collaborative develops systems and programs to bridge gaps in services across a number of areas, like health and behavioral health, homelessness, career advancement, families, higher education, legal and faith-based measures. This comprehensive approach has helped break down silos and reduce duplication of efforts that can occur with the multitude of service providers and organizations dedicated to veteran needs.

Last year, CIR conducted the first comprehensive study of a local veteran populations in both Los Angeles and Orange Counties, with the resulting data guiding new

...extraHighlighting the Friends and Donors of the USC School of Social Work

A gift of $200,000 will support local efforts to help transitioning veterans in Los Angeles County.

Inside this issue:

Barbara Solomon Endowed Scholarship Recipient ............................................... 2

Two Decades of Scholarship Support: The George H. Mayr Foundation ................. 3

Giving a hand up for Veterans .................... 3

Empowering Former Foster Youth: The Wendy and Barry Meyer Foster Care Alumni Scholarship ...........................4

Supporting The USC Social Work Initiative ..6

Why I Give Back: Faculty ........................... 7

Expanding Diversity in Social Work Education

The next two decades would find social workers on the front lines of the war on poverty, assisting veterans returning from Vietnam and, of course, fighting for the civil rights of African Americans. “The social work profession had begun to define institutional racism, it is really responsible even for the concept. The school was recognizing the need for more minority social workers in minority communities because most of the problems were coming out of those communities and most of the social workers were white,” recalled Barbara.

In the 1980s she became Dean of the Graduate School, the first African American to hold a deanship at the University of Southern California.

Around this time she was approached about establishing a scholarship to encourage more minority social workers. As Barbara was the pioneer who had introduced the concept of black empowerment as a framework for

When Barbara Solomon joined the faculty of the USC School of Social Work in 1961, the times… they were a-changing.

Social work pioneer,

Barbara Solomon

continued page 2continued page 2

July 2015

I see the need for African-American social workers as

greater now than ever.

Now I can go out into the community

and help others.”

Natasha Cole and her daughter, Maya

In 2014, Natasha Cole had a very difficult decision to make. She wanted to complete her final year of study to receive her Master of Social Work from USC. However, to do so would mean stepping away from her job for the past 12 years. Leaving steady employment is a daunting prospect for anyone to consider, but Natasha had an even greater reason for pause – her 8-year-old daughter whom she is raising on her own.

“When you’re 19 or 20 it’s not the same as when you’re a non-traditional student, and you’re stepping out on a lot of faith to pursue this degree,” said Natasha.

She needed an advanced degree to move to the next level in her social work career. “I want to work in a hospital but they won’t consider you without an MSW,” said Natasha. “I approached the scholarship office for the School of Social Work and told them I’m a career-changer, I’m a single mom, I need to leave my job to be able to finish the program and I need some additional resources to do that.”

As the focus of Natasha’s MSW study was to work with the aging African-American population, it was suggested that she apply for the Barbara Solomon Endowed Scholarship. “[With this scholarship] I was able to successfully complete my last year at USC,” she said. “I did my internships in South LA, Culver City and Inglewood helping older African-American adults gain access to services and address what services are lacking in these communities.”

This past May, Natasha received her degree and proudly became a member of the Class of 2015. The Barbara Solomon Endowed Scholarship is an opportunity for her to pay-it-forward. “Being able to receive a scholarship like this and complete my studies, now I can go out into the community and help others.”

Barbara Solomon Endowed Scholarship RecipientNatasha Cole

collaborative strategies. For example, the study found that more than half of post-9/11 veterans did not know where to go for help. In response and with the help of funds from this gift, the collaborative will pilot a text-to-chat program where veterans can reach out to other veterans about any transitional issues and get references on where to go for their specific needs.

Nathan Graeser, the USC center’s community liaison/analyst who administers the collaborative, said this program is emblematic of the collaborative’s goals and mission. “The LAVC is a mechanism for Los Angeles and is a model for other cities, as well,” he said. “We have coordinated access and support across multiple organizations. We have creative outreach. We have data and documented best practices and a network of providers that are trained and engaged to provide the services that are needed.”

Long said funding the collaborative is consistent with Blue Shield of California Foundation’s recent Joining Forces Impact Pledge to support veterans and military families in local communities, especially as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan draw down.

“There was a lot of worry that American interest would wane after the wars are over,” Long said. “What’s exciting to me is that the LAVC is not a short-term phenomenon. It’s becoming a vital institution of Los Angeles. We want to help them get to that place where they become part of the fabric of the city.”

Story by Claudia Bustamante

social work practice, it was felt it should be named the Barbara Solomon Scholarship. “I resisted at first because the scholarships I knew of in the university were named for people who were either rich or dead and I was neither of those!” she said.

She conceded on the name and, more importantly, concurred to speak with others about making a commitment. “The school felt that my support would help generate funding from the community, the goal being to increase the number of students committed to the kind of empowerment that had always been the focus of my research and teaching,” said Barbara.

Barbara has made a generous gift to the scholarship fund and feels its relevancy has never wavered. “We’re in a very different place now,” she said. “I think the social work profession can be a more powerful force. I see the need for African-American social workers, who understand the communities and can communicate with the residents, as even greater now than it has ever been.”

The Barbara Solomon Endowed Scholarship is awarded to African-American students pursuing an MSW at the USC School of Social Work with an express interest in working within the African-American community.

Story by Joanna Scott

Expanding Diversity in Social Work Educationcontinued from front page

continued from front page

Gift will help Community help Veterans

page 2

Barbara Solomon Endowed Scholarship RecipientNatasha Cole

Judith Wolfe made a gift to the Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans & Military Families (CIR) because she is passionate about what happens to veterans when they return home.

“I am aware of what they have gone through because I was a social worker,” said Judith (MSW ’87). “So my focus is to make sure that

they are not isolated because [in the military] they were in a group with a support system and then they come back and no one really understands.”

As a graduate of the USC School of Social Work she had an opportunity to work with veterans through her internships, spending a year with the Veterans Administration.

She became the head of an adult day care program at the Organization for the Need of the Elderly (ONE) in Reseda, California, where many of the seniors she helped had served in World War II or the Korean War. “I could see the connection of PTSD that no one knew about,” Judith said. “Their wives complained about how they had come back and were not motivated. Things that nobody realized were going on.” Many years later, she visited CIR at the USC School of Social Work and was extremely

impressed with how students are trained in military social work and the research being conducted to find out what veterans need and how to help them obtain services. She decided to make a substantial gift to CIR.

“Veterans can get artificial limbs through the federal government, but receiving

social services – transitioning services, mental health services, family services, homeless services – is the

piece that really needs to be addressed,” Judith said.

CIR is helping to get veterans and their families back into society and this, Judith believes, should be supported. “It’s not that we want to give handouts; we want to give a hand up,” she said. “I’m giving because I feel strongly that these young men and women need to be thanked for their service.” Story by Joanna Scott

Giving a Hand Up for Veterans

The George H. Mayr Foundation has been providing scholarships for MSW students at the USC School of Social Work for nearly a quarter of a century.

The foundation began making gifts to the school in 1991, and has continued its commitment, giving each year. To date, $331,000 has been received from the foundation to support social work students with financial need.

George Henry Mayr was a self-made businessman and entrepreneur who never fulfilled his dream of a college education as it had been beyond his family’s monetary means. Therefore, he decided to dedicate his good fortune to helping deserving young men and women take full advantage of their chance to succeed.

Since its establishment in 1949, the focus of the George H. Mayr Foundation has been to help students realize their educational ambitions at some of the finest institutions in California. The foundation provides over $1 million in annual financial assistance to needy students at colleges and universities throughout the state, and its lifetime giving to this cause has exceeded $20 million.

Scholarships from the George H. Mayr Foundation are granted to eligible students each year who demonstrate a need for financial aid.

Story by Joanna Scott

Two Decades of Scholarship Support

George Henry Mayr

These young men and women need to be thanked

for their service.

page 3

Wendy Smith Meyer and Barry Meyer are supporting current full-time Master of Social Work students who have been in foster care.

“Both of us care deeply about children in foster care and young people emerging from foster care because in almost every case their network of support is small, if it exists at all,” Wendy said. “They don’t have the kind of family backing to help with education or when difficult or unexpected things happen. We want to make attending the USC School of Social Work more of a possibility for them.”

In 2012, Wendy, associate dean for curriculum planning and assessment, and a member of the Board of Councilors for the USC School of Social, and her husband, Barry, established The Wendy and Barry Meyer Foster Care Alumni Scholarship.

For Wendy, the interest in foster care youth stems from her first field placement as an MSW student in child welfare. She then went on to write her dissertation on the child welfare scene in Los Angeles County. In 2006, she was asked to design a course for the School of Social Work on transition-age foster youth and recently wrote the book Youth Leaving Foster Care, which integrates research from multiple disciplines into practice, providing a new foundation for improving the lives of youth who have been in the foster care system.

She is also involved in a number of community projects and organizations, including serving on the board of directors for United Friends of the Children, an organization devoted to serving the needs of current and former foster youth by supporting their journeys to becoming successful, independent adults. Wendy helped design and implement a pilot program there in transitional living for emancipated foster youth.

“Foster care alumni are a vulnerable part of our population,” Wendy said. “Society is their parent, and I think we, as a society, have a responsibility to help them.”

Story by Maya Meinert

Just to know that there is some

sort of resource like this is extremely helpful.”

Johnnie-Renee Simon (MSW '15)

Empowering Former Foster Youth

Johnnie-Renée Simon was two years into her undergraduate studies in pre-med when she took a job at a foster family adoption agency to help with college expenses. The experience led her in a different direction. “I guess what I had previously gone through during my life just pushed me to go towards social work,” she said.

From the ages of 12 to 18, she was in foster care herself.

Putting herself through school has not been easy, but Johnnie-Renée was determined to do it. “There’s not much funding for foster youth, and there’s not many foster youth seeking out education, no less a master’s degree,” she said. “I don’t really know anybody, I don’t have any family, I didn’t have anyone to co-sign a loan for me.” Receiving The Wendy and Barry Meyer Foster Care Alumni Scholarship made it possible for her to receive her MSW from USC.

“USC has a really exceptional social work program,” Johnnie-Renée said. “I did my research and what I liked was the foundation year where they give you all the core elements and then you get to focus on the area that interests you in the second year. It helped me to really be able to go in-depth.”

Johnnie-Renée graduated from the USC School of Social Work this past May with a concentration in families and children and a sub-concentration in public child welfare. She plans to work with transition-age youth as her long-term career goal.

“It’s fortunate that this sort of scholarship exists because most foster youth are on their own, and it’s very stressful,” Johnnie-Renée said. “Just to know that there’s some sort of resource like this, some sort of organization that is on your side is extremely helpful.”

Wendy Smith Meyer

and Barry Meyer

We, as a society, have a responsibility to help them.

Wendy and Barry Meyer Foster Care Alumni Scholarship RecipientJohnnie-Renée Simon

page 4

Advocates CircleThe Advocates Circle is a philanthropic society for the USC School of Social Work offering exclusive benefits for donors who make a gift of $250 or more per year. As a member, you have the opportunity to become more involved with the school, and the school has the opportunity to recognize its generous donors.Initial membership is automatic once a qualifying donation is made and is renewed based on annual giving. Contributions that determine a donor’s giving level and subsequent benefits may be through a one-time gift, a matching gift or a recurring gift spread out over 12 monthly installments. Don’t miss out on a wonderful way to engage with us!

For more information on how to become a member of the Advocates Circle, please contact Sue Habuni, donor relations & stewardship officer, at (213) 821-6423 or sowkadvn@usc.edu. For information on giving level benefits, visit sowkweb.usc.edu/make-a-gift-advocates-circle.

The USC School of Social Work is pleased to welcome the following new members to the Advocates Circle from January 1 to June 30, 2015:

Friend

Amar T. ClevelandBarbara S. HitchcockHera KwonWilliam MaxwellDianne Rita Pales

Patron

Priscilla Eunkyun Baek

Collaborator

Cheryl Rode

We would like to thank the following donors who have renewed their membership with an annual gift between January 1 to June 30, 2015:

Friend

Frances S. and Fred CapleMichiko M. ChikahisaGary R. and Lucia Paula FurutaDr. Monika White and Roger GoodmanDorothy HutchinsonJames J. KellyAtsuko and Tadashi KowtaCheryl Macon-OliverHelen Miller MaxwellKristen and Tim Phillips

Patron

Areta and Clarence R. CrowellSonoko V. Kamidoi

Collaborator

Ronald David BrownHeather E. HalperinMichael Scott HurlburtSun Min JungShanti Kumar KhindukaAnthony MaddoxDr. Elaine PangNadine and Professor Emeritus Rino PattiRenee Smith-Maddox

Benefactor

Andrea and Bruce Rosenblum

Visionary

Elizabeth and Richard FullertonProfessor Esther and Bruce GilliesJohn Suh

Friend $250 per year

Patron $500 per year

Collaborator $1,000 per year

Benefactor $2,500 per year

Visionary $5,000 per year

Gavilán SocietyDonors with a cumulative giving level of $50,000 or greater will be inducted into the Gavilán Society. Membership in the Gavilán Society is for life, once the required giving level is realized.

Gavilán is Spanish for sparrowhawk, and is representative of the noble character of our graduates. Exclusive benefits of the Gavilán Society include:

• Custom-designed and crafted Gavilán Society lapel pin

• Recognition as a member of the Gavilán Society on our donor wall

• Naming opportunities

• Dinner with the dean of the School of Social Work

• Invitations to president-level events at USC

• Invitation to join USC Associates

Advocates Circle Members Advocates Circle Giving Levels

Wendy and Barry Meyer Foster Care Alumni Scholarship RecipientJohnnie-Renée Simon

page 5

Daniel Thomas, Teresa de Crescenzo and Joseph Wise

Supporting The USC Social Work Initiative

Throughout 2015 and 2016 the school is holding a series of gatherings for friends and donors to meet with school leadership and faculty to learn more about the school’s work, its vision for the future, and how they can participate in supporting these efforts.

A Special Celebration: Highlighting the School’s Commitment to Social InnovationOn June 20, Dean Marilyn Flynn was joined by Congressmember Karen Bass (MSW ’15) for an evening dedicated to donors and celebrating the USC School of Social Work’s commitment to innovation through research and education that generates the school’s top quality curriculum and impacts society through the work of our MSW and PhD graduates around the world.

Bass, a recent graduate of the standard-setting Virtual Academic Center (VAC), was extremely grateful for the opportunity to achieve her MSW online. It allowed her to pursue an advanced degree while maintaining her demanding Congressional schedule. This innovative educational experience is expanding access to USC’s high quality social work education throughout the nation and the world.

Lynne Okon Scholnick EndowmentOn June 18, the school celebrated a new endowment for USC Telehealth to initiate an innovative therapy program focused on foster youth. The gift was made by alumna Lynne Okon Scholnick (MSW ’72), a former foster youth herself. A reception and program was held at The University Club to formally acknowledge both Scholnick and her generous commitment to the school.

A dynamic line-up of guest speakers included Dean Marilyn Flynn, James Wind, executive director of USC Telehealth, and Nadia Islam, clinical director of USC Telehealth on behalf of the school. Carlos Moran, director of operations for Special Services for Groups, provided a moving testimonial of his own experience as a foster youth and how important this endowment would be in the lives of those currently in foster care. President and CEO of Children’s Bureau, Alex Morales, touched upon the need for more programs and services like this to improve the foster care system.

For Scholnick, this endowment represents a full circle journey for her from foster youth to becoming a philanthropist.

Amy and Paul Blavin

Pamela and Mark Mischel

Betty Ann and Bruce Jansson

Dwight Tate and Kathy Wright

Sally and Howard Oxley with Obaida and Scott Watt

Congressmember Karen Bass speaks about her experience as a student in the Virtual Academic Center.

Dean Marilyn Flynn presents Lynne Okon Scholnick

with a plaque commemorating her endowment.

page 6

Murali Nair, PhD Clinical Professor, Community Organization, Planning and Administration

Michael Hurlburt, PhD Associate Professor, Families & Children

Why I Give Back: Faculty Support from members of our faculty demonstrates their belief in the school and its mission. Great education begins with great educators and the USC School of Social Work has the most respected and dedicated individuals preparing our students to make a difference in the world. To date, faculty have contributed over $380,000 to The USC Social Work Initiative, in addition to the contributions they make every day in the classrooms and research.

Supporting The USC Social Work InitiativeAn Evening with Dean Marilyn Flynn

On April 11, alumni Tena Nelson (PhD ’90) and Festus Webley (MSW ’71) hosted donors and friends at their home in Riverside. Notable guests included the Mayor of Riverside, Rusty Bailey; Executive Director of NASW-CA Chapter, Janlee Wong; and USC School of Social Work Board of Councilors member Dwight Tate and his wife, Kathy Wright.

Dean Marilyn Flynn was joined in a short program by faculty members representing three areas of focus for the school: veterans and military families; children, youth and families; and the California Social Welfare Archives.

Nearly 100 guests enjoyed a poolside dinner, drinks and music while engaging in conversation about how social work makes the world a better place.

In 2014, Murali Nair was given the opportunity to co-teach leadership and policy courses with esteemed senior faculty member, Professor Ralph Fertig. Nair decided to honor the work of this great man by establishing the Ralph Fertig MSW Student Scholarly Publication Award which is bestowed up a student who is involved in publishing a book or jury refereed journal article. He made an initial gift toward the award fund and plans to give the same amount each year.

Faculty members need to be role models for students,” Murali said. “Financially supporting the USC School of Social Work enhances the institution’s wellbeing. Let us share our pride

as Trojans by making a donation of some kind on a regular basis.”

Michael Hurlburt recently made a gift to support the USC School of Social Work’s annual fund.

I contribute to the School of Social Work because I believe in the work of the people the school [educates]. Every year we train an incredible group of doctoral and masters level

professionals who are individually and personally motivated to strengthen our social fabric, empower people and, piece by piece, create a more just and equitable society. I want to be a part of supporting that!”

page 7

David Wahlquist and Dave DemersGeorge and Maria Caballero

Hosts Festus Webley and Tena Nelson with

Dean Marilyn Flynn and Mayor Rusty Bailey.

Distinction and Diversity of Students

• Dean’s Leadership Scholars • Endowed and Annual Scholarships• Yellow Ribbon Scholarships for Military

Veterans and Spouses• Internship Stipends• Postdoctoral Fellowships

Faculty and Academic Leadership

• Dean’s Chair• Tenured, Mid-Career and Associated

Professorships• Visiting Professor Fellowships• Young Scholar Professorships• Clinical Faculty Professorships• Associate Dean of Faculty, Field Practice

and Research Advancement• Center and Institute Directorships

Applied Science, Research and Innovation

• Center for Innovation and Research on Veterans and Military Families

• Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging• Discovery Funds for research in:

• Behavior, Health and Society• Child Development and Children’s Services• Homelessness, Housing and

Social Environment• Management, Organizations and

Policy Transformation• Serious Mental Illness Services and

Quality of Life

Fundraising Priorities

The USC School of Social Work will raise $75 million, providing the investment necessary to develop highly trained practitioners and visionary leaders who will shape the 21st Century.

Initiative Update

$30M GOAL $25M GOAL $20M GOAL

$15M RAISED $8M RAISED $18M RAISED

Non-Profit Org U.S. Postage

PAID Los Angeles, CAPermit No.2075

$41M GIVEN $34M REMAINING

$75 MILLIONJuly 2010

June 2018

3434 SOUTH HOPE STREET,LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA 90089-0009

THE USC SOCIAL WORK INITIATIVE

To make a gift to The USC Social Work Initiative call 213.821.6423 or visit www.usc.edu/socialwork