USC School of Social Work Dean Emeritus and Professor Emeritus Rino J. Patti received the USC Faculty Lifetime Achievement Award, one of the university's most prestigious faculty honors, at the 2006 Academic Honors Convocation.

"I'm very honored to be recognized by the university. In my case, much of what I was able to do in my professional life was accomplished in collaboration with faculty, staff and colleagues at USC and elsewhere, so this award is for them as well," Patti said. "Most of all, I am happy that we were able to do a few good things for the school, community and profession during my time."

A nationally renowned educator and scholar, Patti has long supported and contributed to the expansion of scholarship in social work - a mission that has helped him translate research into sound social policy, which has, in turn, helped advance the field and enhance lives.

As its dean from 1988 to 1997, Patti boosted the prestige of the USC School of Social Work and the opportunities available to its graduates by directing the redesign of the Ph.D. program in order to prepare students for academic careers and by fostering a substantial increase in faculty research and support. The author or editor of five books, he held the Margaret W. Driscoll and Louise M. Clevenger Professorship in Social Policy and Administration from 1999 until his 2001 retirement. His research in social policy and social work administration has helped human service agencies become better providers and their practitioners better advocates for disadvantaged and disenfranchised people.

On the national level, he served as chair of the National Institute for Mental Health Implementation Committee, founding board president of the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research and president of the National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work. He also co-founded the journal Administration in Social Work, which he guided as associate editor and then editor.

Patti, who earned his master's and doctoral degrees from USC, helped create the USC Family of Five Schools, which has grown to a dozen schools. He was also instrumental in forming a seminal collaboration between the USC School of Social Work and the Los Angeles County Department of Children's Services. This collaboration, which established in-service training and degree-granting programs for DCS employees, earned him a commendation from the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and served as a basis for the statewide California Social Work Education Center that Patti helped found.

Other honors include the Presidential Award for Excellence in Social Work Research from the National Association of Social Workers, the George D. Nickel Award from the California Social Welfare Archives at USC and the Career Achievement Award from the Association for Community Organization and Social Administration.