A Newsletter for Friends and Alumni of the University of Washington
MBAs with a heart for Social Work

With a master’s of social work program ranked third in the nation, a body of faculty among the most published in the field, and a reputation for turning out highly trained graduates who make important contributions to the world, the UW School of Social Work (SSW) has a long history of giving back to society. But its history of receiving from others is not so long. Enter Susan Ward Potts (’90) and Lynn Pigott Mowe (’89), friends who met as students in the UW’s MBA program, and who have brought energetic and effective leadership to Social Work’s $10 million campaign.

Potts has long been a friend to the School, serving on its advisory board along with her mother, founding member Marilyn Beeman Ward. She agreed to serve as chair of the SSW campaign after receiving a call from Campaign UW Chair William H. Gates (’49, ’50). Recognizing a wonderful opportunity to help the SSW, she asked Mowe to serve as co-chair.

The two friends jumped into their role, spending time with the School’s leadership talking through ways to strengthen the School’s case for support. That groundwork is now paying off in a big way. Before Campaign UW kicked off in 2000, the School had only one endowed professorship and a handful of scholarships and fellowships. Under the leadership of Potts and Mowe, the School has added three more endowed professorships — including an endowed professorship in gerontology from the Norcliffe Foundation in honor of professor and former dean Nancy Hooyman — six new fellowship funds, and a new scholarship program. Today, the School is on track to exceed its Campaign UW aspirations.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be part of the Campaign,” says Mowe. “We’ve had tremendous support all the way down the line. Both deans have been terrific, and we are pleased to have the school positioned so well for the future and to be part of its success.”

For more on the School of Social work, visit www.depts.washington.edu/sswweb/.

Return to Winter 2007 Campaign Newsletter