The commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Silver School of Social Work this year will culminate with the Fiftieth Anniversary Benefit Celebration on November 10, featuring a conversation with NYU President John Sexton, Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Carol Gilligan, followed by cocktails and dinner, with CBS Early Show anchor Harry Smith.
The NYU Silver School of Social Work is marking its 50th anniversary in 2010. Over the course of the year, the School has celebrated its history with special events and lectures.
The year’s commemoration will culminate with the Fiftieth Anniversary Benefit Celebration on November 10. The event will feature a conversation, moderated by the dean, Lynn Videka, with: New York University President John Sexton; Henry Louis Gates Jr., literary critic and host of the PBS series “Faces of America;” and Carol Gilligan, author of In a Different Voice. Cocktails and a dinner, emceed by the CBS Early Show anchor Harry Smith, will follow.
“This anniversary has provided us the chance to reflect on the School’s accomplishments and commitment to social justice while looking to our future,” said Dean Videka. “Today the social work vision is more important than ever before. We are the professionals educated to provide high-quality clinical care for a variety of human needs; and we are change agents for social empowerment, advocating for progressive social policies and services.”
The School has educated over 13,000 social work practitioners and leaders in every field of practice. It launched a major fundraising drive last fall to raise scholarship funds, with the goal of 100 percent participation of alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the School. Over $1.25 million was raised in the 2009-10 academic year.
Events have included lecture series—with speakers from both inside and outside New York University—and a reception last summer in the Edward Hopper Studio with Lynn Gumpert, director of the Grey Art Gallery.
Last spring, students, alumni, faculty, and staff participated in the Silver Search, a mobile-based scavenger hunt around the NYU campus and Greenwich Village in search of 10 social work landmarks. To commemorate the graduation of the School’s 50th class in May, graduates heard from Porter Kirkwood Jr, a member of the Class of 1961.
The November 10 panel discussion with Sexton, Gates, and Gilligan will address the dynamics of race and gender in society. Eleanore Korman, former administrator and dean, and Judy Tobias Davis, former School fundraiser, will be honored at the dinner.
“The Silver School certainly would not be where it is today without the hard work and dedication of Elly Korman and Judy Tobias Davis,” said Videka. “With combined tenures spanning over 50 years, it is a great pleasure to publicly recognize these extraordinary women’s critical contributions during this milestone year in the School’s history.”
To learn more about the Silver School of Social Work’s 50th anniversary, including information about upcoming events and the Fiftieth Anniversary Benefit Celebration, please visit the School website.