Andrea Shnurmacher, Phyllis Sandler and Robin Rubin
Photo By Jeffrey Tholl
On March 31, the Phyllis & Harvey Sandler School of Social Work, housed within the College of Social Work & Criminal Justice at Florida Atlantic University, will celebrate the 12th Annual Phyllis Sandler Heart of Social Work. The event raises much-needed funds for social work students and celebrates the immeasurable impact of social workers on our South Florida communities.
“To be able to have an event like this and raise money for student scholarships, there is really nothing that makes me happier,” said Robin Rubin, MSW, Social Work instructor and daughter of the Sandlers. “All I want to do is help these students on their journey into social work because they are going to make a difference in the world.”
Through their internships, FAU social work students provide nearly 200,000 hours of service to our local communities each year, valued at upwards of $8 million to more than 250 agencies in the tri-county region. Sandler School of Social Work students serve in hospitals, schools, rehabilitation centers, child welfare agencies, youth support services, seniors’ clinics, hospice care facilities and numerous others aiding our communities’ most vulnerable citizens.
“Our students are the ones on the front lines responding to individuals in need,” said Heather Thompson, Ph.D., LCSW, director of the Sandler School of Social Work. “There are more clinically trained social workers in our country than there are psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychiatric nurses, combined. We are so grateful to those who generously support our students so they can pay it forward.”
All proceeds provide student scholarships and support.
For more information, visit fauf.fau.edu/heartofsocialwork.