Departmental Funding Opportunities and Awards

The Jean Allgeyer Family Fund in Children and Family Services was established in 2010 with a gift from Berkeley Social Welfare alumna Mrs. Jean M. Allgeyer (MSW '51), a retired Licensed Clinical Social Worker from Los Angeles. The Allgeyer Family Fund provides support to MSW students pursuing careers serving children and families in need.

Walter Alvarez, professor emeritus of earth and planetary sciences, and his wife Milly Alvarez (MSW '79), have made gifts to Berkeley Social Welfare for over 30 years. The Alvarez Endowed Fund provides support for MSW students, particularly students specializing in mental health.

The Birgeneau Graduate Student Support Fund was established in 2007 with a gift from former UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert J. Birgeneau and Mary Catherine Birgeneau, a longtime social worker. The fund provides support for Social Welfare doctoral students, with a preference for students specializing in child welfare issues.

The Bradner-Cornet Fund was established in 2008 by Bari Cornet, a former longtime Berkeley Social Welfare Field Consultant and Lecturer. Bari's father, Hugh Bradner, was a physicist at UC Berkeley. The Bradner-Cornet Fund is awarded to graduate students in the MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree program.

The Doris Jackson Britt Fund​ was established in 1999, on behalf of Doris Britt, the former Admissions Director of the School of Social Wefare. The Britt Fellowship provides support to MSW students preparing for careers in service to low-income African-American communities.

The Luis Carrillo Endowed Fund was established in 2003 by Luis Carrillo, who received his MSW in 1956. Luis was a school social worker for the San Francisco Unified School District and also worked for City College. He received a Fulbright Award from 1965 to 1967, spent in Latin America. He self-published his life story under the name of Luis Carrillo Miranda, “A Child of No Importance: The Life of a Puerto Rican Dreamer,” which is available in the Social Research Library. The Carrillo Endowed Fund provides financial support to Social Welfare graduate students who are from Puerto Rico or of Puerto Rican ancestry, with a preference for those who are bilingual (Spanish-English) and who intend to work within the Puerto Rican and/or Hispanic communities.

The Rintha Mary Carter Social Work Fund was established in 1995 through a bequest from the Rintha M. Carter Trust. Rintha M. Carter was a Navy veteran of World War II, and received her BA in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley in 1948. She was a federal civil service worker in California for many years. The Carter Fund provides support for Social Welfare graduate students.

The Martha Chickering Fund was established in 1994 through a fundraising campaign conducted by the Chickering Fellowship Committee, which was comprised of Berkeley Social Welfare alumni from the Classes of the 1930s.

Martha Chickering is a distinguished alumna of UC Berkeley and the School of Social Welfare. She first graduated from Berkeley in 1910, the same year she served as President of the Associated Women Students of UC. She returned in 1928 to enroll in the newly accredited social services certificate program in the Department of Economics at Berkeley, the precursor to the School of Social Welfare MSW Program. In 1932 she became the program's director. In 1936, Martha received her Ph.D. in economics from Berkeley. She was appointed Assistant Professor in Berkeley's Curriculum in Social Service the same year. In 1939 she became the Director of the California State Department of Social Welfare and served in that capacity for six years. Professor Martha Chickering was inducted into the California Social Work Hall of Distinction in 2003.

The Martha Chickering Fund​ provides support to MSW students who plan on pursuing careers in public social services.

The Chow Ngor Peui and Lee Kwai Fong Memorial Fellowship was established in 2013 with a gift from Chau Yip Po Ying, Chow Chun Shing, Chow Lai Wah, Chau Mun Wah Stella, and Chow Chun Chung to honor their parents.

Mr. Chow Ngor Peui (1922-2009) and Ms. Lee Kwai Fong (1922-2013) had been married over 70 years. They were born and grew up experiencing many hardships during World War II and the Civil War in China. Even though they did not receive a formal education during their lifetimes, they held continued learning in high regard. Living in poverty in their own upbringing and throughout most of their adult life, they strongly believed education can improve one’s mind and life. Also, they instilled in their children this adage: to be successful is not about how much money you earn – it is how you care about others that counts. Their entire life is a true testament to their enduring generosity, selflessness, and the power of love.

The Chow and Lee Memorial Fund provides support to Social Welfare graduate students who demonstrate high academic distinction.

The Silda E. Covington Fund was established in 2014 with a bequest from Ms. Covington's estate. The Covington Fund provides support to MSW students whose educational focus is on services to families and children.

The Minna B. Crook Fund was established in 1986 in memory of Minna B. Crook by her sons, Peter and Christopher Crook. Minna B. Crook, born in Berkeley in 1919, was a lifelong resident of the East Bay and a graduate of UC Berkeley. Her entire working life was spent in public service as a social worker. She firmly believed in the importance of maintaining social welfare as a profession. In the later years of her life, she became concerned that society was becoming less concerned and less willing to devote its resources, time and energy to helping those in need. The Minna B. Crook Fund provides support to MSW students devoting their time and energy to a career in public service.

The Jeffrey Edleson and Sudha Shetty Fellowship​ Fund was established in 2014 with a gift from Jeffrey Edleson, Professor and former Dean of the School of Social Welfare, and Sudha Shetty, Assistant Dean for International Partnerships and Alliances in the Goldman School of Public Policy. The Edleson and Shetty Fund supports high-achieving students interested in the intersection of social welfare and public policy, particularly those students pursuing an MSW/MPP Concurrent Degree at Berkeley.

The Joan Ellis Scholarship Fund was established in 2003 with a gift from the trust of Joan Ellis, an alumna of the MSW program. Joan Ellis received her MSW in 1951, specializing in medical social work. She served as a psychiatric social worker for many years in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Fresno. The Ellis Scholarship provides financial support to Social Welfare MSW students.

The Sue Ann Gershenson Endowed Graduate Fund was established in 2012 with a gift from the Sue Anne Gershenson Trust. Sue received a BA in Psychology from UC Berkeley in 1968 and an MSW from the School of Social Welfare in 1970. After she received her MSW from Berkeley, Sue convinced the Hayward Police Department to create a social worker position to be first responder to domestic violence calls. Sue spent many years working with families affected by violence and abuse. She later received a J.D. from the University of San Francisco in 1992.

During her life Sue was always proud of her education and wanted to give back to the school from which she gained so much. This fund was established in fulfillment of her request to support financially the cause that she supported with her heart.

The Gershenson Fund provides support to Social Welfare graduate students who demonstrate a high level of academic distinction.

The Jewelle Taylor Gibbs Multicultural Practice/Policy Fund was established in 2000 with a gift from Professor Emerita Jewelle Taylor Gibbs. The Gibbs Multicultural Fund provides support to MSW students specializing in multicultural social work with children and families.

The Mabel Winifred Goode Fellowship Fund was established by Mabel Goode, who majored in history at Berkeley and received her BA in 1926. She dedicated her life to public education and spent her career as a public school teacher in the Albany School District. The Mabel Winifred Goode Fund provides support to Social Welfare graduate students.

The Graduate Opportunity Program Master’s Fund provides a $10,000 stipend and payment of resident (in-state) fees for one academic year (the first year of the Social Welfare MSW Program). All newly admitted MSW students are automatically reviewed for GOP nomination based on demonstrated financial need and eligibility requirements. No separate application is required.

In order to be considered admitted students must submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or a California Dream Act Application (CADAA).

The Elizabeth Shea Holmstrup Fund was established in 2013 by a bequest from the Elizabeth Shea Holmstrup Scholarship Foundation. Elizabeth Shea Holmstrup received her MSW from Berkeley in 1949. She also had a nursing degree from the Mayo Clinic, and enjoyed a long career as a nurse and medical social worker for the San Francisco Department of Public Health.

The Holmstrup Fund provides tuition and fee assistance for Social Welfare graduate students demonstrating financial need.

The Hutto-Patterson Fund was established in 2010 through a gift from the Hutto Patterson Charitable Foundation at the direction of Catherine Hutto Gordon, past president and trustee of the Hutto Patterson Charitable Foundation and a Berkeley alumna. The Hutto-Patterson provides support to MSW students specializing in school social work.

The Sasha Ikenberg Fund was established by Daniel Ikenberg in honor of his daughter Sasha. Sasha Ikenberg attended UC Berkeley, where she graduated with honors with a BS in psychology in 1994, and received her MSW degree in 2000. She was employed as a Clinical Social Worker by Seneca Center in San Leandro. The Ikenberg Fund provides support to MSW students pursuing social work careers with children, youth and families in need.

The S. Allan and Marguerite Johnson Fund was established in 1995 with a gift from Al and Marguerite Johnson, longtime friends of the School of Social Welfare. Mrs. Johnson earned her BA from the School of Social Welfare in 1960, and Mr. Johnson holds an MBA from UC Berkeley. The Johnson Fund​ provides support to MSW students demonstrating high academic distinction.

The Jeff Jue Award was established in 2006 to honor the memory of Jeff Jue, a 1970 graduate of the Berkeley Social Welfare MSW program and a recognized social work leader in the state of California. Jeff Jue was the Director of Mental Health in Merced, Sonoma, San Francisco, and Stanislaus Counties. He also served as President of the California County Welfare Directors Association, the California Mental Health Directors Association, and the California chapter of National Association of Social Workers (NASW). He was also a friend to many at the School. Jeff Jue was honored into the California Social Work Hall of Distinction in 2009.

The Jeff Jue Award provides support to MSW students pursuing careers in public sector mental health services, particularly those working with older adults.

The Ralph M. Kramer Award was established in 2005 in honor of Berkeley Social Welfare Professor Emeritus Ralph Kramer. The Kramer Award is given annually to an outstanding graduating MSW student specializgin in Strengthening Organizations and Communities. Selection is made by faculty.

The Irene MacDonald Fund was established in 2010 by the family of Irene MacDonald. Irene Macdonald was a native of San Francisco and an alumna of the MSW program at Berkeley. She was a longtime social worker, field instructor for the School of Social Welfare, and advocate for people with disabilities. The MacDonald Fund provides financial support to MSW students who plan on pursuing careers serving low-income, vulnerable individuals, particularly the physically or mentally disabled.

The Milton and Florence Krenz Mack Graduate Fund was established with a gift from the Estate of Florence Krenz Mack, a Berkeley alumna and longtime professional social worker in San Francisco. Florence Krenz Mack was born in San Francisco in 1911. She graduated from Berkeley with a BA in Economics in 1932 and then earned a graduate Credential in Social Welfare in 1933. Mrs. Mack became a professional social worker, serving in the San Francisco Emergency Relief Administration, the Children's Agency of the San Francisco Associated Charities, and the Public Welfare Department of San Francisco. She later married Milton Mack, founder of Milton Mack Associates, a real estate company. Mr. Mack died in 1974. Mrs. Mack died in 1998.

The Mack Graduate Fund provides support for Social Welfare graduate students, particularly students pursuing specialized study in management of nonprofit organizations.

The Mary Ann Mason Graduate Fund was established in 2005 through a gift from Professor Emerita Mary Ann Mason. The fellowship provides support for doctoral students, with a preference for students studying issues relating to families and child welfare.

The Maxine W. Meldrum Fund was established in 2002 in honor of longtime medical social worker Maxine W. Meldrum. Maxine received her BA is social welfare in 1947, and her MSW in 1949. She had a long and successful career in medical social work, which culminated in her appointment as Chief of Social Work Services for the VA hospital in San Francisco. The Meldrum Fund provides support to MSW students pursuing careers in the area of health and medical social work, particularly with older persons.

The Lorraine Midanik and Stephen Blum Fund was established in 2008 with a gift from Dean and Professor Emerita Lorraine T. Midanik and Stephen Blum. During her 27-year tenure on the School of Social Welfare faculty, Professor Midanik was instrumental in establishing the joint master's degree (MSW+MPH) program with the School of Public Health. The Midanik-Blum Fund provides support to graduate students pursuing careers in health services, particularly students in the MSW/MPH Concurrent Degree program.

The Lorraine T. Midanik Doctoral Fund in Social Welfare was established in 2011 on behalf of dean and professor emerita Lorraine T. Midanik, who served as a member of the faculty for 27 years.

Established in 2006 by Social Welfare professor and dean emeritus James Midgley and Khadija Midgley, the Midgley Doctoral Award is awarded to the best doctoral dissertation within the School of Social Welfare each year. The dissertation shall have policy relevance for the field of social welfare and shall have attained a high level of academic distinction and originality. Selection is made by doctoral faculty.

The Ed and Harriette Nathan Fund was established in 2011 in honor of Ed Nathan, a pioneer in social work philanthropic grantmaking. Ed Nathan graduated from UC Berkeley with his B.A. in 1941. He earned his MSW from Berkeley Social Welfare in 1952, and joined the faculty in 1966. He became Executive Director of the Zellerbach family Foundation in 1972. Ed was also instrumental in the creation of the California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC) in 1990.

The Nathan Fund provides financial assistance to MSW students pursuing careers and related field placements in the philanthropic, nonprofit or public human services related to child welfare and mental health.

The Mary O'Day Gerontology Fund was established in 1992 to honor Mary O'Day, a longtime Berkeley Social Welfare field consultant and lecturer. A pioneer in gerontological social work, Mary O'Day served on the Social Welfare faculty for 20 years as Coordinator of the Gerontology Program. The fund provides support to MSW students pursuing careers in aging services.

The Charles O'Shea Memorial Fund was established in 1973 by Mrs. Phyllis J. O'Shea, in memory of her husband Charles O’Shea, who was a Berkeley Social Welfare Lecturer and Field Supervisor in the 1950s. The fund provides support to MSW students preparing for direct clinical practice of social work with children and adolescents.

The Berkeley Social Welfare 60th Anniversary Fund was established with gifts from alumni, faculty and staff, and friends of the School of Social Welfare in honor of the 60th anniversary of its founding in 1944. The fund provides support for Social Welfare graduate student fellowships.

The Social Welfare Graduate Minority Student Fund was established by alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the School to support underrepresented minority students.

The Solis Family Fund was established in 1993 in honor of the productive and inspirational life of Joseph H. Solis, Fieldwork Consultant Emeritus at the School of Social Welfare for more than 20 years, who passed away April 15, 2010. The Solis Family Fund supports Berkeley Social Welfare graduate students who are preparing for careers serving Raza (Latinx) people and communities.

The Sonsini Social Welfare Endowed Fund was established in 2020 with a gift from Matt Sonsini and Lisa Sobrato Sonsini, staunch Cal alumni supporters. The Sonsini Fund provides support for Social Welfare doctoral students.

The Harry Specht Memorial Graduate Fund was established in 2013 with a gift from professional social workers Alan (MSW '90) and Kimberly Sherman, in honor of Berkeley Social Welfare professor and dean emeritus Harry Specht. The fund provides support for MSW students demonstrating a high level of academic distinction. Preference may be given to students who have demonstrated a commitment to the alleviation of poverty and/or its effects, through their participation in community organization and development, community-based direct practice, research, and/or advocacy activities.

The Riva Specht Memorial Fund was established in 1998 by a gift from Harry Specht, former dean of the School of Social Welfare, in honor of his wife Riva, a longtime social worker and specialist in human development. The fund supports MSW students pursuing careers in aging or health services; preference may be given to students interested in hospice services.

The Tang Opportunity Fund in Mental Health was established with a gift from the Tang Opportunity Fund at the direction of Nadine Tang, an alumna of the School of Social Welfare. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker, she has a private practice and has served the university in many capacities, including as an assistant clinical professor in psychology and as Chair of the UC Berkeley Foundation Board of Trustees. The Tang Opportunity Fund supports Berkeley Social Welfare graduate students specializing in mental health, and who demonstrate high academic distinction.

The William E. Valentine and Jonathan Pannor Fund was established in 1995 by Jonathan Pannor in memory of William E. Valentine (MSW '81). William Valentine was recognized nationally for his innovative work in medical social work and for developing early HIV intervention programs. Valentine was the director of social work at Stanford Hospital, and was honored in 1993 as NASW Social Worker of the Year and UC Berkeley Alumnus of the Year. The Valentine-Pannor Fund provides support to MSW students assigned to a social work practicum placement at Stanford Hospital and Medical Center.

The Wurzel Family Graduate Fund is one of the first to be established in the School, originally by UC Berkeley alumna and lifelong donor Lillian Wurzel. Ms. Wurzel, whose generosity to the School of Social Welfare spanned seven decades, passed away at the age of 100 in March 2013. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 1934 with a credential in social welfare, years before the campus formally offered degree programs in the subject. Lillian Wurzel went on to earn her MSW at the University of Chicago. She served as a Red Cross field director during World War II and received a commendation from President Truman. She had a 65-year career as a medical social worker serving at the Contra Costa County Hospital and the Santa Clara County Social Services Department. 

Wurzel Fund provides financial support to graduate students with a preference for students interested in careers in public welfare, public health or medical care programs.