NASW Foundation National Programs

NASW Social Work Pioneers^®

Bernece Simon

Bernece Kern Simon, Samuel Deutsch Professor, received her bachelor of
arts degree from the University of Chicago with a major in sociology and her masters of arts from SSA. Berncce Sirnon has been married since 1936 to Marvin "Bud" Simon, who received his undergraduate and JD degrees from the Univenity of Chicago. After three years as a social worker at the Jewish Children's Bureau, she returned to the University where she was employed in the Hospitals and Clinics first as a caseworker, then as a field instructor and staff supervisor. In 1944. she joined the SSA fuculty as a field instructor and classroom teacher. Her field instruction units during these early years were at the Sociall Service Departments of Cook County Hospital and Michael Reese Hospital. In 1950, her daughter Anne was born, and for the next cleven years, Mrs. Simon taught part time.

She returned to the School full time in 1961 to chair the generalist program and was appointed director of field instructions. She continued teaching caseword in both the master's and the doctoral programs. In 1964, she wasappointed professor and in 1975 named Samuel Deutsch Professor, an honor awarded faculty for outstanding scholarship and service to the University. Mrs. Simon served as chairperson of the generalist sequence and as chairperson of the casework sequence. She rerired in 1979 and taught in the doctoral program for several years after that.

Her professional activities included board membership on the
Council for Social Work Education, national committes of the National
Association of Social Workers, and the Board of Editors of the Encyclopedia of Social Work. She is recognized among the Ieaders in the field by the National Association of Social Workers. NASW honored her as a "Social Work Pioneer." Within the University, Mrs. Simon served on the Council of the University of Chicago Senate