Dr. Jan Carter-Black Scholarship for Commitment to Diversity and Leadership

The School of Social Work is pleased to announce the creation of a new scholarship in honor of Dr. Jan Carter Black. This scholarship fund has been established through a generous gift by an anonymous alumni family to honor the impact made by Dr. Carter-Black on them personally, as well as the countless lives she has touched during her career.

Click here for a brief message from Jan

To help increase the impact, the donors have asked to present their gift as a matching challenge. For each dollar donated in support of this new scholarship in honor of Dr. Jan Carter-Black, the anonymous donors will match it, up to $25,000! Please consider taking advantage of this unique opportunity to double the impact of your own gift, support our current and future community leaders, and pay tribute to the life and career of such an influential member of the social work community.

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Nearly Four Decades of Advocacy and Leadership

After a 21-year career at a private residential child welfare agency that included direct practice and administrative positions, Dr. Jan Carter-Black joined the School of Social Work in 2005. Dr. Carter-Black teaches the Diversity: Identity & Issues course, required of all undergraduate students in social work, and an option for all other undergraduate students on campus to fulfill a general education course requirement. Put simply, Jan has a direct and profound impact on hundreds of students every semester. Dr. Carter-Black also serves as the chair of the Diversity Committee and is a member of the advisory board for the Journal of Undergraduate Social Work Research.

Dr. Carter-Black is a three-time alumna of the University of Illinois, earning a PhD from the School of Social Work in 2005, after having earned her MSW and BALAS in 1995 and 1977, respectively. She was among the first cohort of first-generation college students of color admitted to the university under the Special Educational Opportunities Program (Project 500).

Dr. Carter-Black’s research interests include resilience in African American families, focusing on parenting strategies that facilitate healthy development and success trajectories for children despite external structural forces. Her current research includes examining the challenge of being ostracized by same-race peers for perceived violations of crossing cultural boundaries experienced by Black and Hispanic students.

Criteria and How to Apply

The Dr. Jan Carter-Black Scholarship for Commitment to Diversity and Leadership will support students in the School of Social Work who exhibit high academic achievement, a commitment to the School and the campus community through involvement and leadership, and a commitment to diversity through research or practice. Students interested in applying can learn more by visiting our scholarships page.

For more information about how you can contribute to this scholarship, or other questions related to philanthropy and the impact of donor support on the causes and people here at the School of Social Work, please contact Nathan Goebel at ntgoebel@illinois.edu or 217-244-4709