Long before Carol Mauck became a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois School of Social Work, her journey into the field of aging was already quietly unfolding in church kitchens, nursing homes, and hospital corridors. It was there, as a teenager volunteering as a Candy Striper, that Carol first began listening to the voices of older adults. What started as simple conversations during food deliveries and caregiving tasks soon bloomed into a lifelong dedication to honoring their stories, struggles, and strength.

“I didn’t grow up knowing my grandparents, just one, who passed when I was six,” Carol recalls. “I missed the experience of knowing and understanding who older adults were and their value in families and the community.”

Carol’s early experiences delivering meals from her church—often as a favor to her mother, a dietitian and devoted community volunteer—sparked a natural empathy and curiosity. Her father, a physician, modeled a life of service through his post-retirement medical work in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, postwar Japan, and Native American reservations. These formative examples instilled in Carol a deep respect for older generations and the systems that support them.

From her early days assisting in long-term care settings to directing adult day care centers and consulting for facilities across Illinois, Carol has spent her career centering older adults in her professional mission. She has also played an important role in statewide initiatives, including her work with the Department on Aging and the Alzheimer’s committee. These efforts gave her a systems-level view of what meaningful advocacy can accomplish.

Today, her legacy continues not only through her field work and advocacy but also through her impact in the classroom. Carol teaches courses such as Social Services for Older Adults, Dementia Care, and Death and Dying. These foundational components of a specialized certificate program prepare students to work with aging populations.

“It’s not just about knowledge,” she says. “It’s about empathy, communication, and understanding resilience in the face of loss.” Her classes push students to apply theory to real-world practice and to approach the work with emotional intelligence and humility. Students leave not only with tools for clinical settings but also with a deeper understanding of human dignity and strength.

Carol is now giving back in another powerful way. She has just created the Carol Weissman-Mauck Scholarship to support students who are committed to serving older adult populations.

“For me, this scholarship is a tribute to my parents and to the people who inspired me,” she says. “It’s a way to invest in the students and in the older adults they’ll serve.”

Rooted in decades of professional experience and personal dedication, the scholarship reflects Carol’s belief that caring for older adults is both a calling and a critical area of need. With the Baby Boomer generation aging, the demand for skilled, compassionate social workers continues to rise.

For Carol, being part of the Illinois School of Social Work community is about continuity. “The students come, and the learning goes on.”

Her legacy of listening, serving, teaching, and now giving will continue to shape the lives of future social workers and the communities they serve.

If you would like to learn more about scholarships like this, please contact Nathan Goebel.