New York, NY – Elliott Wesley Carten, MSW ’00, was a dedicated son, Silver alum, and respected child welfare professional. Known to family and friends as “Robby,” he passed away last September at age 58 of underlying medical causes that he had successfully managed until his untimely passing. Going forward, his legacy of service to NYC children and families will be honored at NYU Silver through the Elliott Wesley Carten Memorial Lectureship. It will be the first named Lectureship established at Silver.
In keeping with Elliott’s commitment to the field of child welfare, which he shared with his mother, Dr. Alma J. Carten, the annual Lectureship is intended to advance excellence in professional practice in child and family serving settings.
On May 29, Dr. Carten, who recently retired from the full-time faculty, joined Dean Michael A. Lindsey, Assistant Dean of Development Erin Capone, and members of the Silver community at a signing ceremony formalizing the commitment. Each year, beginning in Spring 2025 to coincide with NASW Social Work Month, Silver will host a lecture around a theme that advances excellence in social work practice in the child welfare sector.
Dr. Carten, herself a leading scholar in child welfare practice, policy, and program development, said “Robby would love this… People sometimes think I brought Robby to child welfare; he brought me to child welfare.” She noted that with his strong resume, Robby could have pursued other opportunities but he never left the field. At the time of his passing, he was the clinical director of foster care services at Catholic Guardian Services’ Bronx Office.
Dr. Carten’s own contribution to NYU Silver includes more than 25 years of service as a full-time faculty member and a professional legacy that garnered an NYU Dorothy Height Humanitarian Award for scholarship and impact that increases equity, access, and possibilities for women. She also received the NASW-NYC Highest Leadership Award, and the NewYork State Association of Social Work Educators Lifetime Achievement Award.
During his remarks, Dean Lindsey said to Dr. Carten, “I can’t say enough about you and your commitment to New York City, to the country, in terms of instilling the values of what it means to be a social worker and what it means to be committed to child welfare issues. To honor you and to honor Robby in this way means so much to Silver.” He noted that the lecture series will bridge Silver’s dedication to both research and strong clinical training in child welfare and well-being.
About NYU Silver
Founded in 1960 and renowned for a strong tradition of excellence in direct social work practice and dedication to social justice, NYU Silver has provided rigorous training to more than 20,000 social work practitioners and leaders in every area of the field, making it the leading destination for students who want to become innovative practitioners at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work practice. The School has four campuses in the heart of New York City, Rockland County, Westchester County, and Shanghai.