FROM THE OFFICE
OF THE DEAN

Dear GSS Community,

As we mark the end of the 2025 academic year, I could not be more proud of our students and their accomplishments. In May, GSS graduated over 300 world-changers who are well prepared to meet society’s needs with skill and compassion. I know you, our dedicated alumni, working tirelessly on the frontlines, will guide and support them as they begin their professional careers. That is what the Fordham Ramily is all about. 

While graduation is a time for celebration and reflection, I also want to share some exciting news for the year ahead. GSS is the first school of social work to partner with the Audacia Foundation in launching the Career Pathways Training Program (CPT). The program is designed to address the growing demand for health/mental health professionals by eliminating financial obstacles for New Yorkers pursuing a professional education. The program will enable GSS to offer 100 students the ability to pursue their M.S.W. degree at no cost - including tuition, fees, and books! It is truly one of the most impactful collaborations in our school’s history. The CPT Program will increase Fordham’s ability to support students who might otherwise be unable to pursue a social work degree while also supporting New York service providers in great need of additional skilled and committed practitioners. 

Of course, so many of our exceptional GSS alums already serve in organizations throughout the tri-state area and across the globe. It was wonderful to see so many of you at this month’s Fordham GSS Lincoln Center Alumni Block Party. We’re honored that you chose to spend a Friday evening with us. I’d like to take a minute to acknowledge and thank all of you who stay connected and continue to support GSS in a whole host of ways. For example, in January, GSS alumni Michael Dowling, GSS ’77, and Judge Richard M. Berman, GSS ’96, served as highlighted speakers at Fordham University’s first Mental Health and Crime Symposium. Amy Montimurro, GSS ’08 and CEO of Abilis—a nonprofit in Greenwich, CT that serves people with disabilities — remains dedicated to offering outstanding practicum experiences to our M.S.W. interns, many of whom join Abilis post-graduation in their first professional position. Joan Balfour, GSS ’77, gives back every year to Fordham in recognition and gratitude for the scholarship she received as a student almost 50 years ago. These are just a few illustrations of the lifelong connections that embody the power of our caring collective. If you’d like to share a story about your connection to Fordham GSS and how it has influenced your work and life, please reach out to us at gssalumni@fordham.edu. 

For me, every issue of The Social Worker is a chance to appreciate the transformative power of our profession. Social workers are change-makers, whether that be through their work as clinicians, advocates, researchers, educators, or community organizers. Who knows where the profession will take our newest graduates, but I know wherever they land, they will make a positive difference in a world that very much needs them. May the stories of our graduates and alumni in this issue inspire and uplift you, as they have me! 

All my best,
Debra M. McPhee, Ph.D.
Dean / Professor
Fordham University Graduate School of Social Service