Founded in 1920, the UNC School of Social Work is the #1 public university program for social work research in the nation and one of the oldest professional schools at UNC-Chapel Hill. Our mission is clear:
At UNC School of Social Work, our students, faculty, and staff are driven by a purpose like no other: to respond to society’s most urgent challenges by understanding root causes and implementing evidence-informed policies and practices that create lasting change. This commitment calls us to serve vulnerable and marginalized populations across North Carolina and around the world.
A gift to the UNC School of Social Work is an investment in impact where it’s needed most. Donor support allows us to respond to emerging needs, strengthen communities, and prepare the next generation of social workers to lead with compassion and courage. Together, we are building a more just and equitable future for today and for what comes next.
I want to be an advocate for those who are still building advocacy for themselves.
Upcoming Events
2026 Legacy Speakers Series “Retelling Our Story of Aging: Reimagining the Future through Community, Research, and Action”
Date: March 5, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Location: Friday Center 100 Friday Center Drive, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
Cost: Free of charge
CE: Participants will receive a certificate for 6 CE credit hours
Description: Join the UNC School of Social Work for our fifth annual Legacy Speakers Series. This year’s event, “Retelling Our Story of Aging: Reimagining the Future through Community, Research, and Action,” invites participants to explore a strengths-based, age-positive view of aging and what it will take to support thriving later in life. You can register for the event here.
Making Life Worth Living: Culturally Inclusive Suicide Prevention for Black Youth w/ Sonyia Richardson, PhD, LCSW
Date: March 30, 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
Location: Europa Center at 100 Europa Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, Biltmore Conference Room, 5th fl. (Suite 590)
COST: $35.00
Description: Black youth face increasing rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, yet continue to be overlooked, misidentified, or disconnected from care within mental health systems. This training explores how to build culturally inclusive, community-informed responses that reduce risk and strengthen reasons for living.
Bobby Boyd Leadership Lecture
Date: April 2, 12:30 p.m.-1:45 p.m.
Location: TTK Auditorium
Cost: Free of charge
Keynote Speaker: Maxine Eichner
2026 Ethical Life in Unethical Times: Moral Injury, Complicity, and Repair w/ Jason Nieuwsma, Ph.D. and Warren Kinghorn, Th.D., MD
Date: April 13, 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.
Location: Europa Center at 100 Europa Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, Biltmore Conference Room, 5th fl. (Suite 590)
COST: $35.00
Description: Many individuals are navigating life within political, institutional, and environmental systems that conflict with their values. Dr. Warren Kinghorn will outline the historical and ethical foundations of moral injury, highlighting how it names forms of suffering often mistaken for dysfunction. Dr. Jason Nieuwsma will discuss how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy offers a values-based, non-pathologizing approach to healing.
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