Professor and former Dean of Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work Goutham Menon, Ph.D. has been named an NASW Social Work Pioneer by the National Association for Social Workers Foundation.

Menon has been recognized for his leadership as an innovator in the way social workers use information and communication technologies to provide social services, as well as a disruptor in social work education. His scholarship focuses on e-therapy, electronic advocacy, social work education, technology, and international social work. Menon has published six edited books, is currently editor in chief of Best Practices in Mental Health, and has received more than $3.2 million in federal and foundation grants for training social work students in behavioral health. He is also currently CEO of the Network for Social Work Management (NSWM), an international organization focused on strengthening and advancing social work management and leadership. NSWM is currently operationally hosted at Loyola University Chicago through a grant.

"I strongly believe in the adage 'Innovation cannot happen without taking calculated risks'," Menon said. "This is especially true in higher education, where 'tradition' often supersedes the critical need for change to meet the needs of our students in this post-pandemic ecosystem. I view my role as an innovator/disruptor in this space as someone who can highlight to stakeholders the myriad dots we can connect to refresh and renew our offerings based on data. For that to be accepted, people around the table must be comfortable with change and have a vision to positively impact our communities of practice. And it has been a blessing that I have been fortunate to work at places, like Loyola, where mission counts."

While dean at Loyola's School of Social Work, Menon oversaw the lowering of credit hours to achieve an MSW from the traditional 60 to 49, increasing affordability and accessibility for students and thus, lowering the barrier to achieve an advanced social work degree. This two-year process included rebuilding the entire MSW curriculum with a student focus and has been lauded by CSWE. NASW says this model has set new standards for excellence in the field and has inspired many other programs to follow suit. Menon also lead faculty in the creation of the first online bilingual MSW program in the mainland U.S. with the goal of increasing access to social services for disadvantaged communities.

At University of Nevada, Reno, Menon conceptualized and launched the first online MSW program with differential tuition, enabling students to earn a graduate degree with lower student debt primarily from rural and frontier locations in Nevada and across the country.

"Dr. Menon is a highly valued member of the Loyola School of Social Work, renowned in the profession for leveraging technology and communications to enhance access to services and education for vulnerable individuals and families," said Dean Patricia Findley. "In my brief tenure at the school as the new dean, I've witnessed his dedication to students, the school, and the communities it serves. This recognition highlights Dr. Menon's significant contributions to social work and the Loyola community. Congratulations, Dr. Menon!"

Since its launch in 1994, the Social Work Pioneer program has inducted more than 900 accomplished individuals to its rolls. The 2024 class of pioneers will be honored at the NASW Social Work Pioneers 18th Annual Celebration on October 19th, 2024.