Statement from Dean Farmer on a historic gift to Pitt Social Work on Pitt Day of Giving

Dear School of Social Work community,I want to thank you all for your generous support during today’s Pitt Day of Giving!  It is great to watch our totals rise and to see people coming around to be part of it all! I’m eager to see what the final tally looks like by midnight! We’ve already surpassed last year (with hours to go!).  Thank you so much for doing your part to make it happen. We have an exciting announcement to make today, and it is fitting that we get to make it on this day that is focused on philanthropy.Many of you know Joy Starzl, an MSW graduate of ours and a member of our Board of Visitors.  Her late husband, the legendary Dr. Thomas E. Starzl, pioneered organ transplant surgery right here in Pittsburgh.  His statue sits on a bench outside of the Cathedral of Learning.  While Tom’s professional legacy is well known, we are fortunate that we will ultimately benefit from his philanthropic legacy.  Over the past several months, Joy has worked with Pitt Social Work to document Tom’s estate plans with the university.  Today, we are pleased to report that Tom and Joy have made plans for the largest planned gift in the school’s 100+ year history.  Upon Joy’s passing, the funds will significantly grow the Joy Starzl Scholarship Fund—a tribute to Tom’s love for Joy and his deep appreciation and respect for the role of social workers in the medical profession.  At some point in the future, the University will recognize Tom (posthumously) and Joy in its Brackenridge Circle, a giving society for all Pitt Donors who have made estate gift plans of $1 million or more to Pitt. Only two other donors with Pitt Social Work ties are in this honorable group.  I have had the wonderful opportunity to get to know Joy and to understand the wonderful possibilities that she and Tom are so generously sharing with the school. It means so much to share this historic news with you today on Pitt Day of Giving.  So many people over the years have played a role in bringing this planned gift together, and I am very grateful to them all.  It is humbling and invigorating to realize how much people care about and support the work that we do (and can do). I am extremely happy to be here to share this energy, potential, and reminder of all that we can do together! My thanks and gratitude to you all,Betsy