Grant from The Schultz Family Foundation to Help 300 Veterans and Their Family Members Enroll and Study at NYU's Silver School of Social Work

The Silver School of Social Work at New York University has received a grant from the Schultz Family Foundation (SFF) – co-founded by Starbucks chairman, president, and ceo Howard Schultz and his wife, Sheri Schultz – to help recruit and educate 300 military veterans or veterans’ family members in its undergraduate and graduate degree programs in social work over the next three years.

SFF’s $300,000 commitment, announced by the Silver School, is part of its ongoing push to empower veterans and their families to successfully transition to civilian life. The grant to the school will support the Silver School’s efforts in veteran recruitment and the development of curricula and assistance tailored to veterans and their family members.

The Schultz Family Foundation grant also will enable the Silver School to provide financial assistance to veterans whose job and family responsibilities make it difficult for them to fulfill the school’s field placement requirements. With this assistance, veterans can reduce their work commitments, including those veterans receiving tuition benefits under the G.I. bill.

“We’re extremely grateful to the Schultz Family Foundation for their support, and will work to recruit and support 300 veterans and members of their families over the next three years,” said Lynn Videka, the Dean of the Silver School of Social Work at NYU. “Considering the challenges faced by many veterans and their families, we want to help them become fully engaged students of social work. We strongly believe that they’ll go on to make a difference as mental health counselors, policy makers, and advocates throughout the profession and on behalf of their fellow veterans.”

Since 2001, more than 2 million veterans have returned from active duty, with many of them facing hurdles in transitioning to civilian life and accessing mental health and other critical services. The grant to the Silver School aligns with the Schultz Family Foundation’s ongoing philanthropic program Onward Veterans, which works to clear away barriers to veterans’ health, employment, and reintegration of their families.

As part of the school’s efforts, it will convene a “think tank” of social work educators, community partners, and leaders of many post-secondary institutions in the coming year and beyond, and curate and disseminate best practices and innovations concerning veterans and social work education.

“These men and women have developed valuable skills and have shouldered incredible responsibilities,” said Schultz Family Foundation Co-founder Sheri Schultz. “As a million veterans transition into civilian life over the next five years, we have a small window of time to ensure that they receive the assistance they need and deserve.”