School of Social Work

Social Work Education Innovation Fund

The School of Social Work (SOSW) at Western Michigan University (WMU), is committed to fostering an environment where creativity, discovery, interprofessional education, and community collaboration can flourish. 

To realize our vision, we are thrilled to announce the creation of The Social Work Education Innovation Fund. This endowment will be a critical resource for advancing research and scholarship; experiential learning; interdisciplinary educational and practice collaborations; community partnerships; and innovation in the field of social work education. Furthermore, this endowment will allow the SOSW to focus on important interdisciplinary research, advanced teaching practices, and identifying tangible and innovative solutions to address grassroots community issues and programming gaps. 

You will play a pivotal role in our school’s future by donating to The Social Work Education Innovation Fund. Your tax-deductible contribution to this endowment will enable us to build a robust foundation for transformative academic and community-based experiential initiatives and projects, and equip our students and faculty with tools they need to be leaders in their respective fields. With your support, we will cultivate an ecosystem where innovative ideas blossom and thrive, to the benefit of our community and beyond.

Benefits of giving

Expand each topic area below to learn how your gift will benefit the School of Social Work students, faculty, staff, and the community.

  • Online Master of Social Work (MSW) Program (new) 
  • Doctor of Social Work (DSW) Program (new) – it will be the first in the state of Michigan.
  • Expand Specialization Offerings, such as:
    • School Social Work Specialization – Formally establish the School Social Work Specialization that includes a certification – hire specialization coordinator (faculty specialist)
    • Medical Social Work Specialization (new) – hire specialization coordinator (faculty specialist)
    • Geriatric Social Work Specialization (new) – hire specialization coordinator (faculty specialist)
    • Military & Veteran Social Work Specialization (new) – hire specialization coordinator (faculty specialist)
    • Others
  • Expand Certificate and Certification Offerings to Community Members
    • Crisis Intervention & Emergency Management Certificate
    • Non-profit Leadership Certificate
    • Community Policing Certificate
    • Sports Psychology Certificate
    • Others…
  • Establish an [named] Endowed Chair for Online Social Work Education position (tenure-track faculty) – It will provide the resources necessary for the establishment and the leadership of the Online MSW
  • Establish the Cooney Endowed Chair for Community Empowerment position (tenure-track faculty) – It will lead to a larger community impact (e.g., leadership, empowerment, advocacy)
  • Establish the Endowed Chair for Doctoral Education position (tenure-track faculty) - It will provide the resources necessary for the establishment and the leadership of the social work doctoral degree (DSW)
  • A positive difference in the lives of individuals and families navigating complex situations and mental health issues
  • Supporting vulnerable populations (e.g., minorities, immigrants, refugees, individuals with disabilities)
  • Mental health education and prevention (e.g., stress management; substance use, abuse, and prevention; decrease stigma; empower individuals & families to seek help)
  • Others
  • Improving organizational employees’ mental health programs and referral systems
  • Reducing barriers to employees’ access to service and support
  • Building employees’ resilience and coping skills
  • Crisis Intervention & Conflict Resolution support
  • Provide culturally sensitive mental health care
  • Reduces employee turnover
  • Others
  • Engage in active listening to understand community needs (e.g., townhalls, public listening session, community needs assessments, appreciative inquiry assessments, SWOT analyses)
  • Building and organizing community engagement – e.g., impact on neighborhoods’ well-being
  • Creating alliance and fostering collaborations with and between the business and nonprofit sectors
  • Impact on the school system (School Social Work Specialization).
  • Promoting social, environmental, and economic justice
  • Advocating for underrepresented and marginalized populations.
  • Provide support for social inclusion and diversity which could lead to community cohesion, etc.
  • Identify and train community leaders (certificate and certification program)
  • Identify root causes of existing social issues and existing programming gaps in order to (a) create relevant programs to address the gaps; and (b) shape public policy to address the identified root causes
  • Promote community safety & stability through addressing the root causes such as poverty, homelessness, domestic violence, etc.
  • Additional macro social work contexts: disaster response, relief, & recovery; crisis mitigation; developing, managing, monitoring, & evaluating community programs; coordinating research programs designed to better understand community needs, resources, and/or trends)
  • Others

Suggested donations and named endowments

Donations

  • $56.00 – In honor of the number of years since the School of Social Work has been in existence (1969)

$73.00 – In honor of the number of years since the first social work classes started to being taught at WMU (1952)

$207.00 – In honor of the current number of MSW students in the program

$270 – In honor of the current number of BSW students in the program

$477 – In honor of the total number of students in the School of Social Work

$1,000 – $2,499 - A major contribution that provides meaningful support, backing the mission and the vision of the School of Social Work

$2,500 – $4,999 - A transformative donation that makes a significant impact on the mission of the endowment.

$5,000+ - Top-level contribution that provides substantial support and demonstrates a strong commitment to the initiatives that will be funded by the endowment

Endowed program opportunities

$1M or more (up to $2M)

$2M or more

$2M or more 

$3M and above

$3M and above

$5M and above