Associate Dean of Enrollment Management & Global Outreach Receives Years of Service Award

Mary Mazzola, MSW, EdD, associate dean for enrollment management and global outreach at Penn’s School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2), has been named as the recipient of the National Deans & Directors of Social Work Admissions (NDDSWA)’s 2020 Years of Service award.

A national organization affiliated with the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), the NDDSWA has established awards in an effort to recognize and honor exceptional individuals in the field of graduate recruitment and admission. The NDDSWA awards committee highlighted Dr. Mazzola’s achievements in recruiting and cultivating the next generation of leaders and educators, emphasizing her creative and innovative approach to admissions and the ongoing support and mentorship that she has provided to colleagues throughout her career. The Years of Service award recognizes Mazzola for her tenure of over two decades in the profession.

“Since I began my role as Dean nearly two years ago, I have grown to admire Dr. Mazzola, trust her as a colleague, and greatly enjoy working alongside her. I’m inspired by the ways in which she truly embodies social work values and principles, and her critical thinking and strategic analysis skills have proven to be invaluable,” said Dean Sara S. Bachman. “Moreover, as so many of our colleagues at the School and throughout the Penn community can attest, she is an absolute pleasure to work with.”

An alumna of SP2’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program, Mazzola earned her EdD in Higher Education Management at Penn’s Graduate School of Education. After practicing in the health care arena, she returned to Penn as a part-time lecturer in the MSW program and, in 2000, began her full-time administrative tenure at the School, which was seeking to extend its reach and impact beyond the greater tri-state area. As associate dean for enrollment management and global outreach, Mazola oversees recruitment and admissions for all five of SP2’s degree programs. Under her leadership, both overall enrollment and the international makeup of the School’s student population have grown significantly.

“Receiving the 2020 Years of Service was a complete surprise and an honor,” Mazzola said. “To be recognized my peers across the country was truly humbling.”

The honorees were recognized and celebrated at the virtual NDDSWA Awards Ceremony, held on Friday, November 20, 2020.