It is with great sadness that I inform you that our esteemed colleague, Professor Paul Kurzman, passed away on Friday, October 17.
Professor Kurzman was a dedicated, honorable, and generous member of our community for 50 years. He was the archetype of what one thinks of as a college professor. How fortunate we all have been to have had him here at Silberman.
He held the rank of Professor and was the former Chair of the World of Work sequence of practice at Silberman. From 2005 to 2006, he served as Acting Dean. He was a national and international leader in the field of social work serving in numerous important positions: President of NASW, NYC from 2004-2006; President of the Hunter College Faculty Delegate Assembly 1994-1999; and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Teaching in Social Work from 2009-2023.
Professor Kurzman has been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, among these, he was the recipient of the Shirley Chisholm Memorial Award, from the Hamilton-Madison House in 2017; he was inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame, Columbia University School of Social Work, 2013; the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from NASW-NYC in 2012; the recipient of the Social Work Pioneer Designation, from the National Association of Social Workers, 2006; and in 2005, he was the recipient of the Hunter College Presidential Service Award.
Professor Kurzman was a highly-respected scholar, as the author, editor, or co-editor of 13 books and numerous peer-reviewed publications. He has been a valued member of the Silberman SSW faculty and a beloved colleague.
We are humbled by his achievements and his abiding commitment to the profession of social work.
Sincerely,
Mary M. Cavanaugh, Ph.D.
Dean and Helen Rehr Endowed Professor
Silberman School of Social Work
Hunter College