In January 2024, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation awarded the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences a five-year, $5 million grant to support scholarships for promising master’s degree students, known as “Mandel Scholars.”
“It is rare to receive such a substantial gift from a foundation," said Dean Dexter Voisin. "I am very grateful to the Mandel Foundation for their support, as it enables us to invest $1 million annually to reduce net tuition for over 100 students by an additional $20,000."
Last month, four of those students met with the Mandel Foundation during a stewardship meeting to express their gratitude.
"Before coming to the Mandel School, I was practicing employment law as a licensed attorney. I specialized in discrimination and harassment litigation, as well as research, advice and counsel in respectful workplace training, implicit bias education, and legally compliant DEI programs. I embarked on a major life transition when I stepped away from my corporate legal job to return to graduate school full time. Without the financial support from Mandel School, there is no way that I could have embraced my dream career as a lawyer and social worker. I am really grateful that I could bolster my legal education towards supporting others."
— Lysette M. Roman, JD (LAW '20) | MSW, Community Practice for Social Change, 2026
Supplemented by a $2 million investment from the state of Ohio through the Great Minds Fellowship to provide financial support to students pursuing clinical behavioral health-related degrees, the school has made the cost of getting a social work degree accessible for 228 students. This, in turn, has helped drive up enrollment by 47% since 2021.
And through the Mandel School's workforce partnerships—six strategic agreements between local nonprofit organizations and the school—10 employees from each of the area service providers have enrolled in the school's top-ranked Master of Social Work program. The goal of these partnerships is to train diverse leaders of service workers, because according to a report published by the National Institutes of Health, economists expect a shortage of 195,000 social workers in the U.S. by 2030.
"The Mandel Foundation grant was a huge investment in my education, and I am forever grateful for it. Having the opportunity to sit in the room with the Foundation’s chairman and president was a meaningful experience for me to represent my peers and gain insights on how to better advocate for student needs."
— Cierra Carter | Advanced Standing MSW, Community Practice for Social Change, 2025
Founded in 1915 by the greater Cleveland community, the Mandel School is renowned for offerings that combine classroom and community-based learning with interdisciplinary research and multi-institutional collaboration.
Student field placements alone account for more than $3 million of annual economic impact in this area, while faculty research and other initiatives contribute to community health and well-being, inform public policy and help attract government funding for critical regional needs.
Upon receiving their diplomas, more than 80% of graduates remain in Northeast Ohio to protect and champion the needs of the most vulnerable members of the community.
"The Mandel Foundation grant allowed me to stay close to my family and Jewish community in Cleveland while pursuing a Master's in Social Work immediately after undergrad. Without this support, I would've had to explore other options. It was truly a surreal experience connecting with the Mandel family, who have made a lasting impact on the community for as long as I can remember."
— Emily Axner | On-Campus MSW, Mental Health in Children and Adolescents, 2026