Endowment Honors Dean's Service in Social Work
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LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 21, 2008) − An endowment has been launched
in recognition of the service Kay Hoffman, the
Dorothy A. Miller Professor in Social Work Education and dean of the University of Kentucky College of Social Work, has
provided to the college and to the field of social work in the U.S. Officially announced at a
dinner held April 17 in Hoffman's honor, the Kay Seeley Hoffman Endowment will fund student and
faculty research and proposes naming the UK Center for the Study of Violence
Against Children in the dean's honor.
Hoffman has served the College of Social Work as a professor and its dean since 1998. The endowment, which is still accepting donations, recognizes the impact she has had on the institution and in the field of social work via her service at UK and various state, national and international organizations.
“Kay Hoffman has had an extraordinary career as a social work educator," said Jim Clark, associate dean for research at the college and associate director of the Center for the Study of Violence against Children. "It is no secret that she has spent the last 10 years transforming the UK College of Social Work so the college and the profession in Kentucky are ready for the huge challenges of the 21st century."
Under her leadership at UK, the college has excelled in its signature research programs in privatization of child welfare, violence prevention, suicide effects on survivors, aging population needs, work-life practices and the effects of social isolation. Likewise the college has accelerated efforts to translate research to social work practice.
During Hoffman's tenure, UK College of Social Work's Training Resource Center grew to the largest among all state universities providing 11 different programs with a collective budget of more than $4 million dollars. The college has also seen the establishment of both the Center for the Study of Violence Against Children and the Institute for Workplace Innovation, both of which have earned national reputations for their research and work. As well, Hoffman worked to establish Project AGE, a leadership program for master's students interested in gerontology that is funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation.
Hoffman was among the leadership that revamped UK's master's curriculum in social work to adapt to the changing needs of clinically trained social workers serving individuals affected by mental illness, substance abuse, child maltreatment and trauma, community development and social justice. Her tenure also saw a number of other firsts as the college established:
Hoffman has served the College of Social Work as a professor and its dean since 1998. The endowment, which is still accepting donations, recognizes the impact she has had on the institution and in the field of social work via her service at UK and various state, national and international organizations.
“Kay Hoffman has had an extraordinary career as a social work educator," said Jim Clark, associate dean for research at the college and associate director of the Center for the Study of Violence against Children. "It is no secret that she has spent the last 10 years transforming the UK College of Social Work so the college and the profession in Kentucky are ready for the huge challenges of the 21st century."
Under her leadership at UK, the college has excelled in its signature research programs in privatization of child welfare, violence prevention, suicide effects on survivors, aging population needs, work-life practices and the effects of social isolation. Likewise the college has accelerated efforts to translate research to social work practice.
During Hoffman's tenure, UK College of Social Work's Training Resource Center grew to the largest among all state universities providing 11 different programs with a collective budget of more than $4 million dollars. The college has also seen the establishment of both the Center for the Study of Violence Against Children and the Institute for Workplace Innovation, both of which have earned national reputations for their research and work. As well, Hoffman worked to establish Project AGE, a leadership program for master's students interested in gerontology that is funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation.
Hoffman was among the leadership that revamped UK's master's curriculum in social work to adapt to the changing needs of clinically trained social workers serving individuals affected by mental illness, substance abuse, child maltreatment and trauma, community development and social justice. Her tenure also saw a number of other firsts as the college established:
- the first graduate certificate program;
- the first funded lecture series;
- the first seven professorships;
- the first chair;
- the first three graduate fellowships;
- the first clinical faculty positions; and
- Lexington's first Colloquium on Peace, Social Justice and Reconciliation.
Hoffman was also responsible for the establishment of the college advisory board for social work.
In Kentucky, Hoffman was nominated by the Governor to serve on the Blue Ribbon Panel on Adoption. She also serves on the State Safety Task Force and is a former board member of such organizations as the Center for Women, Children and Families; LexLinc; and the Buckhorn Child Welfare Board.
Hoffman's service and leadership extends beyond the state's borders. In 2007, she completed her tenure as president of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), a group she had previously served as vice president and secretary. During her tenure with CSWE, she helped develop the National Statement on Research Integrity in Social Work and served on commissions and committees dedicated to curriculum innovation and social work education and research. Hoffman also just completed terms as a board member of both the International Association of Schools of Social Work and the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research.
"In her service as president of CSWE, she successfully pushed for national curriculum reform that will make social work education more relevant, effective, and intellectually promising than ever before," added Clark. "Last summer she pioneered the movement to unite all of social work’s national organizations to enhance the profession’s capacities to advocate for its members and its clients. These are just a few of her recent accomplishments.”
Hoffman, who earned her bachelor's degree from Ohio University, has a master's degree and a doctoral degree in social work from Ohio State University and Wayne State University respectively. Hoffman began her career in social work education working her way up from assistant professor to director of the Social Work Program at Marygrove College. She later served as an associate professor and director of undergraduate programs in social work at Wayne State and New Mexico State University. In 1995, Hoffman took a job as professor and director of the School of Social Work at Radford University, where she worked three years before coming to UK.
For further information on the Kay Seeley Hoffman Endowment or to make a donation to this endowment, contact Phyllis Leigh by phone at (859) 257-6649 or by e-mail.