School of Social Work

The USM School of Social Work (SSW), founded in 1971, has a long history rooted in social justice and community engagement. Originally established as a Department of Social Welfare offering a B.A. in Social Welfare, the program gained accreditation in 1974 and pioneered courses on women’s studies and LGBTQ topics, despite institutional resistance. The MSW program launched in 2001 to meet regional needs for advanced social workers, receiving full accreditation by 2004 and later adding online and advanced standing options. Deeply connected to the Portland community, the school helped establish the Preble Street Resource Center, a vital hub for the unhoused, founded by influential faculty member Joe Kreisler.

Your gift can directly impact Maine communities by empowering future social workers to address pressing societal challenges. Social workers play a critical role in areas such as mental health, homelessness, addiction recovery, child welfare, and support for marginalized populations, including refugees. By making a donation, you help to fund scholarships, making education accessible to USM students, and support fieldwork partnerships, ensuring students gain real-world experience while serving vulnerable populations.