Dean's Corner | April 2026 Issue: To begin again, every day

Dear CSSW Community, 

We are approaching the end of classes for the Spring 2026 semester. This feels especially meaningful since it is my final spring semester as the Dean of Columbia School of Social Work. In April of last year, my Dean’s Corner message  arrived during one of the most tumultuous times in the history of our University against the backdrop of ever increasing uncertainty across our country and world. At that time, we were facing another transition in University leadership, challenges in grant funding, increased threats to immigrant communities, and more – and to be sure, many challenges persist. Having remained stalwart in our commitment to lifting up the dignity and worth of every person as well as the importance of human relationships, we have arrived, one year later, as an even stronger community – a community that has done a progressively better job at not shying away from the difficult conversations in a way that also “calls us in.” I am so proud of our ongoing work and what we have been able to co-create. 

April is Celebrate Diversity Month. Created in 2004, this celebration reminds us to proactively pause to acknowledge the ways in which our communities are made better because of their diversity. Whether we are focusing on race, gender identity, ethnicity, faith, sexual orientation, economic status, and more it is important to appreciate our differences while also centering our shared humanity. The series of events that were hosted this month at our School is proof positive that we understand this at a deep level. 

This month also marks Arab American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions of the Arab community to our city, state, country, and world. The Arab America Foundation declared this year’s theme to be “many voices, one community” – a nod to the fact that the Arab community is not a monolith but is also united by shared values. This presents another timely reminder of the dignity and worth of the individual as well as the importance of diversity. 

CSSW’s commitment to equity is part of the foundation of all that we do. This month has afforded us the opportunity to be even more intentional in listening, learning, and amplifying the voices that are most often pushed to the margins. These reflections brought to mind a quote from Mary Oliver (whose voice has been in my head quite a bit this month):

I would say that there exist a thousand unbreakable links between each of us and everything else, and that our dignity and our chances are one.

I am so struck by that last part: “our dignity and our chances are one.” What a beautiful restatement of the core principles of social work. 

To all of our students: Congratulations on pushing your way through this academic year, with great skill and heart. And to our soon-to-be graduates, the last graduating class I will have the honor of celebrating as the Dean of the School: You have arrived at this moment having done the difficult, courageous, and transformative work this profession demands. We could not be more proud and we look forward, with great anticipation, to what you do next. Again, Mary Oliver has a beautiful thought for you, reminding us that commencement is (in a very literal sense) a beginning:

One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began. 

Wishing you all wonderful new beginnings. 

In community, 

Melissa