Advancing Peace, Research, and Global Scholarship
When Christobel C. Sanders passed away in 2023, she named the School of Social Work as a beneficiary of a portion of her estate. This thoughtful and forward-thinking gift will significantly strengthen the School’s ability to serve students, faculty, and the broader University community.
The gift builds on the legacy of Professor Daniel S. Sanders by investing in doctoral research in international social development and supporting student and faculty participation in the biennial ICSD and SWSD international conferences. It also funds the annual Daniel S. Sanders Peace and Social Justice Memorial Lecture.
Daniel Sanders served as Dean of the School of Social Work from 1986 to 1989 and was a leading voice in international social work, peacebuilding, and global social development. He was also a founding member and the first president of the Inter-University Consortium of International Social Development (1981–1989). Professor Sanders’ dedication to social justice and belief in social work’s potential to make a difference, particularly at the international level, is reflected in his writings:
“The only lasting peace is a just peace based on respect for human rights and mutuality in relationships… Social work, along with other disciplines, has the potential to contribute to shaping the development of a social vision and a new social ethic that will foster respect for life, appreciation of diversity, cultural pluralism, justice in human affairs, and participation of people in their own development and peace.”
Through his scholarship and the students and colleagues he inspired, Professor Sanders left a lasting mark on the profession. Christobel Sanders continued that work through her philanthropy, and her final gift ensures that students and faculty remain deeply connected to the international work that shaped both her and Daniel’s careers.
Are you interested in leaving a gift to the School of Social Work? Visit our Plan Your Future Gift page or contact Nathan Goebel.