A family's commitment bolsters faculty and fuels research
In 2021, nearly 2.4 million Ohioans lived in communities without enough social work professionals, according to the state’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
To help close this gap, Case Western Reserve University’s Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences launched Classroom Without Walls—an innovative program that allows social work professionals with bachelor’s degrees to take up to three graduate-level courses tuition-free. These community scholars learn alongside traditional Master of Social Work students.
The program received generous seed support from the Noble Foundation, led by Gayle Noble (SAS ’88).
“Classroom Without Walls has grown substantially in just two years under Dean [Dexter] Voisin’s leadership,” Noble said, adding that she hopes the program will serve as a model for other social work schools. “As a donor, it is deeply satisfying to see how this is positively impacting our traditional graduate students, community scholars and the clients they serve.”
The impact has been clear for participants such as Cassandra Klein, a family support specialist at Cleveland’s Memorial School. Klein’s
office is stocked with coats, snacks and other essentials for students and families—but she always felt unsure how to support people experiencing grief and loss. When she heard about a class on the topic offered through the Mandel School, she enrolled.
“Maybe this will give me a little more insight,” she recalled thinking when she learned about the program. What she found was not only a deeper understanding of her work but also the encouragement to consider pursuing her master’s degree.
“Classroom Without Walls promotes educational equity and collaborative learning,” said Dexter Voisin, PhD, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Dean of Applied Social Sciences. “Access to quality education remains one of the most powerful forces that promote equity in America.”
Originally published in the Summer 2025 issue of Forward Thinking magazine