Philip Hong, dean of the University of Georgia School of Social Work, joined Dean Allan Cole for a discussion with students, faculty and staff as the Fall 2024 SHS Distinguished Speaker.

During the conversation, Cole and Hong discussed social work education policy and issues — diving into Hong’s work on workforce development — as well as the opportunities and challenges of leading social work at a flagship institution. Hong also noted that he looks up at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work and the Dell Medical School as models for activities and initiatives at the University of Georgia School of Social Work.

“It’s a great honor to be a thinking partner with you,” Hong said as he opened his comments. “We see UT as an aspirational peer. It’s an honor to learn from you.”

Hong has been at the University of Georgia since 2022, mirroring Cole’s tenure as the dean of the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at The University of Texas at Austin. Immediately before becoming a Bulldog, Hong was at the University of Chicago for 16 years where his research focused on poverty alleviation and workforce development. His social work intervention model, Transforming Impossible into Possible (TIP) is a national model for social policies that promote self sufficiency and family strengthening.

Hong spoke to that model often in his remarks, noting that from education and policy to employee engagement, Hong sees a vital role for social work education. He said that by working with companies in the private sector, as well as traditional models, he sees social work as a partner in building success for employees – and by extension, companies and the community at large.

“We need social work to be well recognized as an essential, core profession,” said Hong. “We (social workers) build hope on crisis moments … we bring divided factions and siloed resources together.”

Hong’s remarks were filled with optimism about the future of social work and social education. In his final commentary during a Q&A session, he noted that institutions like Texas and Georgia have the shared mission of being leaders in their state, and that leaders like Hong and Cole have an obligation to deliver on a vision of social work leading the charge as public servants.

“Public service outreach is critical. It’s a huge charge and a nice challenge,” Hong said. “It’s a good time to be a social worker.”