New York, NY – Over a distinguished career spanning nearly 35 years, former NYU Silver Dean and Professor Suzanne England profoundly influenced social work education, practice and life at our school. Dr. England passed away on March 31, 2025, at the age of 86, leaving a lasting legacy.
Dr. England served as NYU Silver’s Dean from 2001 to 2009 and remained a dedicated member of our faculty until her retirement in 2020. Under her leadership, the school experienced significant academic and financial growth. Her strategic vision led to the development of the School’s Poverty Agenda and the founding of its Department of Lifelong Learning and Professional Development, now known as Silver’s Office of Global and Lifelong Learning. A significant milestone during her deanship was in 2007, when the School was renamed the Silver School of Social Work in honor of a transformational gift from Constance and Martin Silver.
Dr. England also recruited many exceptional scholars to Silver’s faculty and is remembered by former students for her insightful teaching and mentorship. “Dr. England had a keen eye for talent and commitment to building a strong and vibrant academic community,” said Dean Michael A. Lindsey. “Moreover, she was ahead of her time in advocating for the merits of online teaching.”
Prior to her tenure at NYU Silver, Dr. England had a rich array of professional experiences. They included direct practice in Head Start, parent education, community and program development, health promotion and disease prevention, teaching, higher education administration and research.
“Dr. England’s intellectual curiosity was boundless,” said Dean Lindsey. She explored scholarly interests in areas such as memory studies, discursive therapeutic practices, narrative inquiry, critical gerontology, and the medical humanities. Her publications and presentations spanned popular culture, aging studies, narrative therapy, and, more recently, cyberculture and digital memory. Significantly, Dr. England and her colleague, Professor of English Martha Rust, were awarded a National Endowment of the Humanities Enduring Questions Grant for their innovative course “What is Memory?”
Dr. England's dedication, vision, and profound contributions have left an enduring impact for our school and the wider field of social work. She is survived by her son Kurt, his spouse Kris and granddaughters Charlotte and Chloe. She is greatly missed.
About NYU Silver School of Social Work
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.