UNC Announces New Dean for School of Social Work

UNC has announced the selection of Gary L. Bowen as the new dean for the School of Social Work.

Bowen, who is currently Kenan Distinguished Professor in the School, will begin his new position on September first.

“Gary Bowen is a longtime faculty member, who along with former Dean John B. Turner, worked to develop the school’s doctoral program from 1988-92. Over the years, that program has grown and is now one of the reasons the school is nationally recognized and consistently earns a top ranking in U.S. News and World Report,” said Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost James W. Dean Jr.

“Chancellor Carol L. Folt and I are confident that under his leadership, the school will continue to develop innovative research that enhances social work practice and education.”

Currently, Bowen co-directs the School Success Profile project at Carolina, an assessment tool used to determine the strength of connections middle and high school students have with neighbors, their school, families and peer groups and determines services and support needed to increase the probability of the students’ success at school.

More than 100,000 students in nearly 1,500 schools around the nation have used the assessment tool. It has been translated into five languages for use in other countries.

Previously, Bowen worked with all branches of the United States military on many different mental health and social services issues and consults regularly with military policymakers, researchers and practitioners.

“I am honored to serve the school, and I find inspiration from the three leaders whose names are on the building, John A. Tate Jr., John B. Turner and Charles Kuralt,” said Bowen.

“I am confident that we can continue to find solutions to the challenges of poverty, mental illness, violence and substance abuse and prepare social workers to make a difference, not only in our state but around the nation and the world.”

In 2016, Bowen received three awards in the School of Social Work: an Excellence in Doctoral Student Mentoring Award, the Distinguished Alumni Award and the Dean’s Recognition Award for Outstanding Leadership, Impact and Contribution to the Mission of Teaching, Research and Service.

Bowen is a Fellow in the National Council on Family Relations, a Fellow in the Society for Social Work and Research and he was listed as one of 40 “high impact” social work scholars in a recent study published in the journal Research on Social Work Practice.

Bowen received a doctorate in family relations and child development from the School of Human Environmental Sciences at UNC-Greensboro, a master’s degree in social work from UNC and a Bachelor of Science degree in sociology and social work from UNC-Greensboro.

Bowen will succeed Dr. Jack Richman, who has served as dean for 14 years.