Former UT Social Work faculty members John McNeil and David Springer are among the newest class of Social Work Pioneers, as designated by the National Association of Social Workers Foundation.
The NASW Pioneers program, founded in 1994, recognizes the “select few chosen to join the ranks of social workers who have explored new territories and built outposts for human services around the country.”
McNeil and Springer now comprise a total of 22 NASW Social Work Pioneers with ties to The University of Texas at Austin. This group includes two Pioneers who are on UT Social Work’s current faculty: Cynthia Franklin, the Stiernberg/Spencer Family Professor in Mental Health, and Diana DiNitto, Distinguished Teaching Professor and the Cullen Trust Centennial Professor in Alcohol Studies and Education.
Springer, who will return to Texas Social Work in August 2026 as the Centennial Professor in Leadership for Community, Professional, and Corporate Excellence, will mark three Pioneers on active faculty at UT Social Work.
“When you think of excellence, leadership and mentorship in social work, you think of John McNeil and David Springer, two exceptional humans who have made enormous contributions to our practice and to our school,” said Allan Cole, dean of UT Social Work. “Each has made transformative contributions to our profession, and I appreciate the NASW Foundation for recognizing their extraordinary accomplishments.”
McNeil, who passed away in 2023, served UT Social Work as the Louis and Ann Wolens Centennial Chair Emeritus in Gerontology. During his 45-plus years as a social worker, McNeil served in the United States Air Force as a social worker for 25 years, achieving the rank of colonel, and in academia as a leader in research for the next 20 years. His contributions led to the development and administration of social work and mental health services across 80 U.S. Air Force installations in the United States and abroad.
Springer, who currently serves as dean of the College of Social Work at Florida State University, was recognized for his work as a licensed clinical social worker and nationally recognized scholar. Springer has dedicated his nearly four-decade career to advancing well-being and strengthening communities at the intersection of clinical practice, public policy, and community development. He has led transformative initiatives in juvenile justice reform, crime reduction, mental health policy, and community resilience — anchoring social work values in interdisciplinary systems of care and governance.
McNeil and Springer will be honored at the NASW national conference in Washington, D.C. in summer 2026.