GSSW Community Impact

A Shared Purpose

At the Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW), we believe in social work’s transformative potential — to change individual lives, to improve systems, to expand equity and advance social justice. Whether we’re tackling systemic challenges such as poverty or helping an individual to successfully navigate personal challenges with addiction, we know why we’re here: to make things better.

Building on Success

We’ve been developing the social work workforce for nearly a century and have one of the nation’s oldest PhD programs. Now, students throughout the U.S. can access a GSSW education through MSW@Denver, our online MSW.
Growing Social Work Knowledge

With funding from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, we’re training U.S. social work faculty to teach evidence-based treatment methods for substance abuse and dependence.
Upending Inequity

Prof. Kimberly Bender and our Burnes Center on Poverty and Homelessness hosted a Homelessness Hackathon co-sponsored by the National Center for Excellence in Homeless Services. The University of Denver and community participants developed technological, social, political and legal solutions to meet the needs of Denver residents experiencing homelessness.

“The collaboration in the air is so palpable. It’s amazing to be around so many people who care so much about this issue that’s affecting our community.”
GSSW student

A Social Work Community

Each year we graduate more than 280 students who are ready to practice in diverse settings — from rural and tribal communities to city centers in the U.S. and abroad. Much of their preparation comes through internships offered by more than 750 partner field agencies nationwide. Our more than 9,500 alumni have gone on to transform millions of lives.

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Grounded in Research

Our research and scholarship spans populations, issues and policies that impact all aspects of human potential. We shed light on social issues, provide evidence for best practices and help organizations to increase their capacity and effectiveness. And we don’t do it alone. We have 126 active community research partners—at least one for each of our research projects.

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Responsive to the Community

When the community calls, we answer with classes, research projects and special events like our Catalyst Series for Social Justice, which hosts timely, topical community conversations on issues like race and identity. And we respond via the work of our six centers and institutes, which work in hundreds of communities nationwide.