Greetings and best wishes from Dalhousie’s School of Social Work Alumni Executive.
The School of Social Work Alumni was re-formed in 1995 as a division of the Dalhousie Alumni Association with the following goals:
The alumni scholarship fund was begun in 1994, on the occasion of Professor Mary Lou Courtney’s retirement from the faculty, to provide an annual financial award to undergraduate students. At a reunion of the school’s alumni in 2004, a similar fund was established for graduate students.
Students are nominated for these scholarships each year by faculty, students and alumni. Recipients are selected by the BSW and MSW program committees on the basis of demonstrated social work values, achievements and contributions to the learning environment of the School.
Donations to the alumni scholarship fund may be made to Dalhousie University specifying the Social Work Alumni Scholarship Fund.
Tania Dickson was this year’s recipient of the BSW Alumni Scholarship, and Fatina Elkurdi received the MSW Scholarship.
The Maritime School of Social Work of Dalhousie University became the School of Social Work, Dalhousie University in October 2004. The new name came about as a result of a branding exercise at Dalhousie, and is considered to reflect better the School’s current mission and programs. When the school was founded in 1941, it was the fourth school of social work in Canada and the only one east of McGill University. Its original mission was to provide social work education to students in the Atlantic region. Since that time, many schools have been established including three more in Atlantic Canada. Distance education programs are offered on a national basis.
Dr. Fred R. MacKinnon, a pioneer in social welfare in Canada and a founder of the Maritime School of Social Work, published his book Reflections: 55 Years in Public Service in Nova Scotia. Dr. MacKinnon had a distinguished career in public service, lectured in social welfare policy from 1941 until the early eighties, and has had a continuous relationship with the school since its founding in 1941. He and his wife, Mary MacLean MacKinnon, recently celebrated their 94th birthdays.
When Dr. MacKinnon’s book was launched in April, 2004, the school’s alumni established a scholarship in his name as a tribute to his pioneering work in social welfare and his support of the Maritime School of Social Work which he helped to found. Fund-raising for this scholarship is ongoing. To date, donations have resulted in approximately $10,000, half the amount needed to make a first award to an undergraduate student. Alumni, colleagues and friends are invited to contribute. Cheques can be made payable to Dalhousie University, designating it for the Dr. Fred R. MacKinnon scholarship, and mailed to Dalhousie University, Office of External Relations, MacDonald Building, Halifax, NS, B3H 3J5.
Joan Cummings (MSW 1951) received an honorary degree from Dalhousie University in May, 2005 "for a lifetime of service to social work practice, policy, research and education, and for being a distinguished rebel with many causes." (Dalhousie University Convocation Program, May 2005).
The school’s alumni held its annual general meeting and reception on October 26, 2005. Anne LeBlanc (MSW 2003 ) introduced a mentoring program which the alumni executive and director plan to launch in the coming year.
With the support of Dalhousie’s development office, the Director and alumni executive are working on a planned giving initiative. Alumni 55 years of age and over have been asked to make a longer term contribution to the school in the form of bequests, life insurance and annuities. Further information can be obtaind from Joan Gilroy (treasurer, Social Work Alumni) or Angela Trainor in the Development Office.
The School and Alumni hosted a reception on June 18 for graduates and friends at the CASW National Social Work Conference in Halifax, June 17-20, 2006.
Alumni members continue to participate in student orientation, the School’s advisory committee, programme reviews, and other academic and social events related to supporting the School, its students, faculty, and programs
Send in your whereabouts, news and ideas
Alumni executive members welcome contact from graduates and students, especially with suggestions as to how you would like to become involved in alumni activities. Communication is a challenge with graduates living across Canada and given personal, professional and community commitments. Please let us know how you are and how we can work together to support the school.
Joan Gilroy
on behalf of Dalhousie’s School of Social Work Alumni