Scholarship Opportunities

Give to the Laura Orr Memorial Social Work Endowed Scholarship

Give to the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions Scholarship

BSW Child Welfare Education Program

The BSW Child Welfare Education Program (CWEP) is a collaborative effort between the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program in the School of Social Work at Arizona State University (ASU) and the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS).  Students who are accepted into the program receive their in-state tuition and mandatory fees paid through the Title IV-E, Child Welfare Field Education and Student Support Project.  Learn more.

MSW Child Welfare Education Program

The MSW Child Welfare Education Program (CWEP) is a collaborative effort between the Master of Social Work (MSW) program in the School of Social Work at Arizona State University (ASU) and the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS).  Students who are accepted into the program receive their in-state tuition, mandatory fees, and a stipend paid through the Title IV-E, Child Welfare Field Education and Student Support Project.  Learn more.

Scholarship Universe

All admitted students can access ASU's Scholarship Universe. There are scholarships for a wide range of talents, personal stories, creativity, and more. Scholarship Universe includes both ASU and non-ASU scholarships, so there’s something for everyone. Apply early to avoid missing deadlines! For more information, check out our helpful videos and FAQs on using Scholarship Universe.

School of Social Work scholarship applications for AY 2026-27 open in November 2025.

Ann Weaver Nichols Scholarship Endowment

The Ann Weaver Nichols Scholarship Endowment was established to support Tucson-based students with financial need, especially those who are raising children as single parents or grandparents and who have a commitment to promoting social change to benefit vulnerable populations. The Ann Weaver Nichols Scholarship Endowment is awarded annually. Click here to apply.

· Full-time undergraduate senior standing or graduate student enrolled in ASU’s Tucson campus BSW or MSW program.

· Have a demonstrated financial need.

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above.

Desired Qualifications:

· Raising children as single parents or grandparents.

· Have a commitment to promoting social change to benefit vulnerable populations.

Bhatti Scholarship

The Bhatti Scholarship was established to recognize the dedication and leadership of Ajit Bhatti and his career, as well as his commitment on behalf of Arizona Public Service Company to the greater Phoenix area and its communities. It was Mr. Bhatti’s wish that a gift would benefit Phoenix’s inner-city youth. The Bhatti Scholarship is awarded annually. Click here to apply.

· Full-time and part-time social work students enrolled in ASU’s BSW or MSW program.

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above.

· Demonstrated commitment to serving inner-city youth.

Desired Qualifications:

· Applicant is an inner-city youth.

Cesar Chavez Social Work Fellowship

This scholarship honors the legacy of Cesar Chavez, an icon of the Latinx community who led the movement against low wages and the unfair treatment of all farmworkers. This fellowship provides financial support to MSW students enrolled in the ASU School of Social Work. Click here to apply.

· Full and part-time social work students enrolled in ASU’s MSW program.

Dennis Knapp Fellowship

The Dennis Knapp Fellowship was established by Motorola, Inc. in memory of former Employee Assistance Program Director, Dennis Knapp. The Dennis Knapp Fellowship is awarded annually. Click here to apply.

· Full and part-time social work students enrolled in ASU’s MSW program.

· Have a demonstrated financial need.

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above.

· Must have an interest in one of the following career fields: case management, grief treatment and/or referral work, in such settings as employee assistance programs, agencies providing mental health and/or substance abuse services or crisis-focused programs.

Don and Sylvia Schmid American Indian Child Welfare Leaders Fellowship

Don and Sylvia Schmid recognize the important of having highly trained American Indian Social Workers who can serve as leaders working with tribal families and communities. The Schmid American Indian Child Welfare Leaders Fellowship was established Don and Sylvia Schmid to address the current and future need for American Indian Social Workers trained at a master’s level to administer and deliver child welfare services to American Indian communities, both on the reservation and in the urban area. Click here to apply.

· Full and part-time social work students enrolled in ASU’s MSW program.

· Downtown Phoenix and Tucson campus MSW American Indian students.

· Have a stated plan to work in a child welfare setting with a potential of acquiring a leadership position serving American Indians on or off the reservation upon graduation.

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above. 

· Applicant’s residency classification must be Arizona for the purposes of tuition.

Edith Kolodny Block Endowment Scholarship

The Edith Kolodny Block Endowment in memory of Edith Kolodny Block. Ms. Kolodny Block was a graduate of the School of Social Work with her master’s degree in Social Work (MSW). She had a great sense of humor and a zest for life. She was strongly committed to family counseling. The Edith Kolodny Block Endowment is awarded annually. Click here to apply.

· Full and part-time social work students enrolled in ASU BSW or MSW program.

· Have a demonstrated financial need.

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above. 

Florence Eckstein Social Work Fellowship

The Florence Eckstein Social Work Fellowship is provided through the generous support of Paul and Florence Eckstein. Florence Eckstein is a proud native of Phoenix. She earned her degrees at Phoenix College, the University of Arizona, and her MSW at Arizona State University. Florence has devoted her life to her family and community, as a professional social worker and community newspaper publisher; and as a volunteer Trustee of ASU with the ASU Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, on the Alumni Board, and the City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Board, and many other community nonprofits. The Florence Eckstein Social Work Fellowship is awarded annually. Click here to apply.

· Applicant must be pursuing a Master of Social Work degree in Advanced Direct Practice at the Downtown Phoenix or Tucson campuses.

· Applicant must have a concentration in children, youth, and families.

· Must display consistent academic excellence with a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.5 or above.

· Applicant’s residency classification must be Arizona for the purposes of tuition.

Gabe Zimmerman Memorial Scholarship

On March 3, 2011, Neal Cash, President and CEO of Community Partnership of Southern Arizona, generously donated a large sum to form a new scholarship fund in memory of Gabe Zimmerman. This money established a scholarship in Gabe’s memory for students in the Social Work program in the Tucson campus.

This gift is one of the many ways CPSA has supported and advocated for the Tucson Component of the School of Social Work and our students over the years.

Generous contributions were also received from the United Food and Commercial Workers’ Union and Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Mining Company. ASU has pledged to contribute additional support to the fund to make scholarship resources available in perpetuity for social work students.

Gabe Zimmerman graduated from the ASU School of Social Work Tucson campus with his Master of Social Work in 2006. He then worked as a field instructor where he helped nurture young adults who were interested in serving the Tucson community. He continued mentoring others as his own path led him to the Office of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and an even larger arena in which to share his gifts and empathy. In recognition of his service to others, on Tuesday, April 16th, 2013, a room at the Capitol was dedicated to his memory. Click here to read a story in the Washington Post describing the dedication of the room in the Capitol to Gabe Zimmerman. Click here to apply.

· Applicant must be pursuing a Master of Social Work degree in the Tucson campus.

Gerontological Social Work Scholarship

The Gerontological Social Work Scholarship was established by Dr. Teri Kennedy in honor of her late parents, Stanley and Bernadine Knutson, and grandparents Albert and Emma (Spurr) Berg, and Selmer and Myrtle (Hyland) Knutson. The scholarship was created in respect for older adults, and in recognition of the critical need for social workers prepared to address the service delivery and policy need of an aging population. Click here to apply.

· BSW practicum placement site and how it serves older adults.

· Community and extracurricular activities related specifically to aging, and economic circumstances.

· Must be entering your first semester of internship or have one semester remaining of your internship.

Karen Williams Endowed Scholarship

The Karen Williams Endowed Scholarship was established in memory of Karen Williams, Chair of the Glendale Community College Human Services Department for seventeen years and founding member of the ASU West Social Work Advisory Board. The Karen Williams Endowed Scholarship is awarded annually. Click here to apply.

· Full-time social work students enrolled in ASU’s BSW or MSW program.

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above.

Desired Qualifications:

· Attending the Social Work program at ASU West.

Kettner Moroney Scholarship

Established in honor of Dr. Peter Kettner and Dr. Robert Moroney and their collective contributions to the Arizona State University’s School of Social Work and the community at-large. The Kettner Moroney Scholarship is awarded annually. Click here to apply.

· Full-time PAC (Policy, Administration and Community) student or School of Social Work Ph.D. student.

· Minimum GPA of 3.5 or above.

· Demonstrate a commitment to social justice.

Laura Orr Memorial SSW Graduate Endowed Scholarship

Laura Orr began her career with the ASU School of Social Work on May 10th, 1971, and retired in 2018, bringing an end to 47 years of dedicated service. Laura was the ASU School of Social Work Student and Academic Services Manager. School of Social Work students, faculty, administrators, and service professionals from across ASU benefitted from Laura’s knowledge and generosity of spirit. She was an avid ASU Sun Devils Football fan and loved attending events at Gammage Auditorium, especially musical performances. This scholarship memorializes Laura’s service to the ASU School of Social Work, as well as her commitment to helping students. Click here to apply.

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above.

· Demonstrated financial need.

· Full-time social work students enrolled in ASU’s MSW program.

Laura Orr Memorial SSW Undergraduate Endowed Scholarship

Laura Orr began her career with the ASU School of Social Work on May 10th, 1971, and retired in 2018, bringing an end to 47 years of dedicated service. Laura was the ASU School of Social Work Student and Academic Services Manager. School of Social Work students, faculty, administrators, and service professionals from across ASU benefitted from Laura’s knowledge and generosity of spirit. She was an avid ASU Sun Devils Football fan and loved attending events at Gammage Auditorium, especially musical performances. This scholarship memorializes Laura’s service to the ASU School of Social Work, as well as her commitment to helping students. Click here to apply.

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above.

· Demonstrated financial need.

· Full-time social work students enrolled in ASU’s BSW program.

Lupu-Willock Endowed Scholarship

The Lupu-Willock Endowed Scholarship is provided through the generous support of the Pima Council on Aging by long-time Tucson student, Katheryne B. Willock. Ms. Willock’s family was the beneficiary of PCOA’s services. In recognizing Ms. Willock’s appreciation for its important work, PCOA elected to create this scholarship to help social work students interested in working with the aging population achieve their master’s degrees and encourage the continued advancement of aging-related professions.

Marian Lupu’s life and work is also recognized through the creation of this endowment. Ms. Lupu was the founding executive director of the Pima Council on Aging and served in this capacity for 40 years, until retiring at the age of 82. A public policy researcher, Ms. Lupu moved to Tucson with her husband and three children from Pittsburgh, where she became the director of the Tucson Council on Aging in 1967 and worked for nine months without pay. Over the years, Ms. Lupu led the creation of a nationally recognized case management model for Area Agencies on Aging and was a national leader in aging advocacy and services. Click here to apply.

· Full or part-time students enrolled in ASU’s MSW program on the Tucson campus.

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above.

Desired Qualifications:

· Completing an internship at aging-related agencies.

· Pursuing a Foundational Graduate Certificate in Gerontology.

MSW Gerontology Elder Abuse

This fund was established in 2023 by the Virgil and Irene Morgan Family Foundation. The fund will provide scholarship support for graduate students enrolled at ASU’s School of Social Work who have an interest in pursuing the Foundations in Gerontology Graduate Certificate. Click here to apply.

· Full and part-time social work students enrolled in ASU’s MSW program.

Nauwich Scholarship

This fund was established in 1999 by Kenneth and Marilyn Buresh. Income will provide financial support to a student in ASU’s School of Social Work who plans to practice in Arizona in American Indian child welfare. Click here to apply.

· Full and part-time MSW and senior BSW students.

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above.

· Demonstrated financial need and interested in American Indian child welfare in Arizona.

Pete C. Garcia Memorial Scholarship

While President of the Victoria Foundation, Pete C. Garcia recognized the importance of education and set forth a number of initiatives supporting scholarship programs. He also believed in building communities through neighborhood action and involvement, be it through educational programs, donor supports to Latino arts, or foreign exchange projects in areas of interest. Click here to apply.

· Full and part-time social work students enrolled in ASU’s MSW program.

Redman Family Scholarship 

The Redman Family Scholarship is provided through the generous support of Linda and Charles Redman. The scholarship is intended to support BSW students who transferred from a community college to complete their degrees at ASU. The Redman Family Scholarship is awarded annually. Click here to apply.

· Applicant must be a BSW student enrolled at ASU’s School of Social Work who transferred from a community college.

· Minimum GPA of 2.5 or above.

· Demonstrated financial need as defined by the ASU Office of Student Financial Assistance.

Desired Qualifications:

· The donors also desire to provide aid students who are in the first in their families to attend college.

Rita Riley Gross Endowment Scholarship

The Rita Riley Gross Endowment Scholarship in memory of Rita Riley Gross, a person intensely concerned about the welfare of underprivileged children. The Rita Riley Gross Endowment Scholarship is awarded annually. Click here to apply.

· Full and part-time social work students enrolled in ASU’s BSW or MSW program.

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above.

· Demonstrated financial need.

· Must have a career goal of working with children.

Robert M. Moroney Scholarship

Dr. Robert M. Moroney approached everyone and everything with an open mind. He was a man of integrity and an extraordinary teacher. The Robert M. Moroney Scholarship provides support for full-time graduate MSW students with a specialization in PAC (Policy, Administration and Community Practice) or Ph.D. students enrolled in ASU’s School of Social Work to carry on Moroney’s legacy of humility. Click here to apply.

· Full social work students enrolled in ASU’s MSW program.

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above.

Desired Qualifications:

· Demonstration commitment to social and economic justice.

Susan Y Charlton Endowed SSW Scholarship

Susie Charlton lived by two mottos: “Every day is a gift”, and “If you’re going to do something, do it right.” As a result, she put everything she had into everything she did. So, when she decided to go back to school to obtain her Master of Social Work at 60, she gave it her all! At ASU’s School of Social Work, she loved the professors, her fellow classmates, and the work.

Susie used her degree to help others. She got involved in UMOM, which provides services and affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness. She worked in shelters closely with homeless families, to help them create their strategy to confront and overcome the challenges that led to homelessness. She loved this work and could not have been as effective without her education at ASU’s School of Social Work. Click here to apply.

· Full or part-time students enrolled in the ASU MSW program.

· Demonstrated a financial need.

· Minimum GPA of 3.0 or above.