The USC School of Social Work recently installed four faculty members, including Dean Marilyn Flynn to an endowed chair, and Ron Avi Astor, William Vega and Suzanne Wenzel to named professorships, establishing a connection between research and philanthropy that honors both scholarship and a donor’s vision.

“An endowed professorship in social work is among the most powerful ways to demonstrate a basic faith in humanity – and the incredible value of people working to help other people,” said Michael Quick, interim USC provost, at the installation event at Town and Gown March 10.

“We often think of this profession as reactive. It responds to enduring problems like poverty, abuse, addiction and the challenges faced by military families, and we do work to find the most effective ways to approach these issues,” he said. “But at USC, we go beyond this response to anticipate problems. We are working to create scholarship that is ahead of the curve.”

The evening started with the installation of Astor as the Lenore Stein-Wood and William S. Wood Professor of School Behavioral Health.

Astor, an internationally renowned expert in school violence and safety and author of School Violence in Context: Culture, Neighborhood, Family, School, and Gender, is currently working on a four-year, $5 million grant from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) with five school districts in Southern California called Welcoming Practices that Address Transition Needs of Military Students in Public Schools. The project’s goal is to ensure school staff members create effective transition procedures for students and includes the development of a mobile app to connect families to resources.

“To Lee and to Bill, thank you very much for your generosity and for perpetuating his memory,” Astor said, referring to the Woods’ son. “I will do my utmost to make sure that schools are welcoming, caring and supporting places.”

Vega was installed as the Cleofas and Victor Ramirez Professor of Practice, Policy, Research and Advocacy for the Latino Population.

Vega, provost professor and executive director of the USC Edward R. Roybal Institute on Aging with appointments in social work, preventive medicine, psychiatry, family medicine, psychology and gerontology, is an elected member of the prestigious Institute of Medicine who studies health, mental health and substance abuse in the United States and Latin America. Throughout his career, Vega has been interested in investigating how individuals’ health status changes over time after arriving in the United States from another country.

“The issues faced by Latinos in the United States are not restricted to one ethnic group nor are they restricted to one nation. I’m committed to a wide lens of critical thinking that addresses fundamental causes and fundamental solutions,” Vega said. “I’m committed to setting a standard of scholarship for future occupants of this chair.

“I want to thank Helen Ramirez, our donor. The work that her family did and the work that she did in her lifetime are very much the kinds of things that have inspired me throughout my career and keep me going in my research,” he said, referring to Ramirez’s work as director of the Los Angeles County Department of Adoptions in the late 1970s and early 1980s.

Wenzel was named the Richard M. and Ann L. Thor Professor in Urban Social Development.

Wenzel, who chairs the school’s Research Council, has devoted much of her career to interdisciplinary research on the health-related needs of vulnerable populations, particularly individuals experiencing homelessness in urban communities. She organized a Los Angeles County-wide forum on integrated care and housing for homeless persons, and has participated in several regional and national efforts to prevent and end homelessness. The former senior behavioral scientist at RAND Corporation has served as principal investigator on 10 grants from the National Institutes of Health.

“In accepting the honor of this professorship, I’m making a commitment to Ann Thor and to the legacy of her husband, Richard, to uphold the highest standards and values of social work,” Wenzel said. “To me, this means I must continue to conduct research of meaning and consequence on behalf of some of the most vulnerable individuals in our urban communities.”

To end the night, Flynn was installed as the 2U Endowed Chair in Educational Innovation and Social Work.

Flynn was appointed dean of the USC School of Social Work in 1997, only the second woman to hold this position. She created the first military social work specialization at a major civilian research university, launched the first national online master’s degree program in social work  and started the first career services program for social workers focused on non-traditional occupational settings.

Flynn is the inaugural recipient of the USC Provost’s Prize for Educational Innovation and helped found the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare, where she is currently serving on the Grand Challenges Executive Planning Committee. She was also appointed by Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas to the county’s Blue Ribbon Commission on Child Protection, which focused on systemic change in child welfare practices.

“So here I am tonight with an almost miraculous chair endorsing the idea of social work and educational innovation. I’m indebted to 2U and its founder Chip Paucek, who has been the most thoughtful and responsive collaborator and friend in the creation of our amazing Virtual Academic Center, which is truly a joint project and an effective demonstration of what universities and businesses can create together,” she said. “This chair will ensure the future presence of innovators in the school and establish an enduring commitment to future possibilities of human experience and human learning.”