Susan and Anthony Wood Postgraduate Scholarships for LCSW Workforce Development address Texas’s critical shortage of licensed social workers.
Twenty-seven UT Social Work graduates will become LCSWs thanks to the new Susan and Anthony Wood Postgraduate Scholarships for LCSW Workforce Development made possible by a significant gift from the WoodNext Foundation.
The program addresses Texas’s critical workforce gap: 97% of counties are designated Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas, with demand for mental health professionals exceeding supply by 27% statewide — projected to reach 36% by 2036.
Each of these 27 clinicians will serve hundreds of Texans throughout their careers, creating a multiplier effect for communities across the state. The two-year program provides complete support for the licensure pathway: 100 hours of board-approved clinical supervision, monitoring toward the required 3,000 supervised work hours, exam preparation materials, exam fees and a $3,300 stipend.
“One of our goals has long been to make debt and financial burden less of an issue for students every year, and these scholarships represent a critical step forward in that mission,” said Dean Allan Cole. “Our graduates are remarkable — they’re passionate, innovative and committed to making the world better. This investment ensures that financial barriers won’t prevent them from reaching their full potential as licensed clinicians when Texas communities need them most.”
The WoodNext Foundation — the philanthropy of Roku CEO and founder Anthony Wood and his wife, Susan — makes grants and investments that advance human progress and remove obstacles to a fulfilling life. WoodNext funds initiatives in Texas and nationwide that address mental health, homelessness, economic opportunity, youth services, cardiovascular and neurological conditions, physical sciences, disaster recovery, and nature conservation.
The new scholarships demonstrate how strategic partnerships can address urgent public health needs. By aligning a public institution’s research and educational mission with private philanthropy’s capacity for targeted investment, the program creates sustainable pathways for graduates to serve communities across Texas. It’s a model that addresses documented workforce gaps, preparing licensed clinicians to serve thousands of Texans.