Edwina Uehara Becomes First Ballmer Endowed Dean

Dean Edwina Uehara

The UW has received a gift to establish the nation’s first endowed deanship in social work at a public university. On Jan. 20, Dean Edwina Uehara became the inaugural holder of the Ballmer Endowed Deanship in Social Work.

"The Ballmer Endowed Deanship celebrates exceptional leadership embodied in individuals such as Eddie,"said UW interim President Phyllis Wise. "She has a rare capacity for bringing together great minds and motivating them to work creatively and collaboratively to find solutions."

Connie and Steve Ballmer of Bellevue, Wash., made the gift as a tribute to Uehara’s leadership. "We were inspired by Eddie’s vision and desire to put the expertise and energy of the school in service to the community, and not limit the learning experience to the classroom," said Connie Ballmer. "The School of Social Work is a valuable resource to our community that helps strengthen the training of future social workers—unsung heroes in our community."

The endowment also responds to a growing need for social work expertise. Social work is one of the fastest-growing careers, according to the Department of Labor. The gift will ensure the school maintains its national stature and ability to foster high-caliber leaders, educational excellence and influential and innovative scholarship. U.S. News & World Report ranks the school fourth among the nation’s 153 graduate schools in its most recent (2008) survey.