The Mandel School is pleased to announce Scott D. Ryan (GRS ‘01) as its 2025 diploma ceremony speaker.
Ryan is a distinguished social work professional with an extensive academic and clinical background who has dedicated his career to child welfare, clinical social work and social justice. He served as dean of the University of Texas at Arlington's (UTA) School of Social Work from 2009 to 2023, where he led the program to become the largest in Texas, educating over 2,200 students each semester. During his tenure, the school consistently rose in national rankings and secured over $6 million in donor funding. He also directed the Center for Clinical Social Work, providing therapy services to at-risk students and field placements for MSW students.
His research, focused primarily on child welfare and adoption, has been supported by over $9 million in funding from organizations such as the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoptions. Ryan’s groundbreaking work on LGBT adoption rights contributed to overturning Florida’s adoption ban. He has published more than 60 scholarly articles and book chapters, delivered over 100 national and international presentations, and serves as editor of Adoption Quarterly.
Ryan has received numerous honors, including the Friend of Children Award and Angel in Adoption Award, and is a NASW Social Work Pioneer. His leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic secured $100,000 in funding to support student-led crisis services, and he spearheaded social justice initiatives that positioned UTA’s School of Social Work as a campus leader in diversity and inclusion efforts.
He holds a MSW from Columbia University, a MBA from Howard University and a PhD from Case Western Reserve University's Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences.