Former UT Social Work faculty members John McNeil and David Springer are among the newest class of Social Work Pioneers, as designated by the National Association of Social Workers Foundation.

The NASW Pioneers program, founded in 1994, recognizes the “select few chosen to join the ranks of social workers who have explored new territories and built outposts for human services around the country.”

Drs. McNeil and Springer now comprise a total of 22 NASW Social Work Pioneers with ties to The University of Texas at Austin. This group includes two Pioneers who are on UT Social Work’s current faculty: Cynthia Franklin, the Stiernberg/Spencer Family Professor in Mental Health, and Diana DiNitto, Distinguished Teaching Professor and the Cullen Trust Centennial Professor in Alcohol Studies and Education.

“When you think of excellence, leadership and mentorship in social work, you think of John McNeil and David Springer, two exceptional humans who have made enormous contributions to our practice and to our school,” said Allan Cole, dean of UT Social Work.  “Each has made transformative contributions to our profession, and their recognitions are well-deserved. On a personal note, Professor McNeil and Dean Springer have served as trusted mentors and confidants to many faculty members at UT Social Work, myself included. I am filled with gratitude for the impact that they have created in their work, and I appreciate the NASW Foundation for recognizing their extraordinary accomplishments.”

Dr. McNeil, who passed away in 2023, served UT Social Work as the Louis and Ann Wolens Centennial Chair Emeritus in Gerontology. During his 45-plus years as a social worker, McNeil served in the United States Air Force for 25 years, achieving the rank of colonel, and in academia as a leader in research for the next 20 years.

His nomination noted his academic successes and his successful military career, where he made many national and international contributions to the development and administration of social work and mental health services across 80 U.S. Air Force installations in the United States and abroad. His ability to scale social work best practices through leadership and training across multiple countries benefited countless service members in the U.S. military.

Dr. Springer, who currently serves as dean of the College of Social Work at Florida State University, started as an associate professor with tenure at UT Social Work in 1997, and served the University in various roles — including associate dean for academic affairs at UT Social Work — until 2023.

His nomination noted his work as a licensed clinical social worker and nationally recognized scholar, where Dr. Springer has dedicated his nearly four-decade career to advancing well-being and strengthening communities at the intersection of clinical practice, public policy, and community development. He has led transformative initiatives in juvenile justice reform, crime reduction, mental health policy, and community resilience — anchoring social work values in interdisciplinary systems of care and governance.

Drs. McNeil and Springer will be honored at the NASW national conference in Washington, D.C. in summer 2026.