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Cynthia D. Bisman passed away at age 80. Bisman had a long and distinguished career dedicated to social work education, scholarship, and practice. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Queens College in 1965, her master’s degree in social work from the University of Kansas in 1971, and a Ph.D. in educational policy and administration at the University of Kansas in 1982. Over the course of her career, she served in a wide range of professional roles, including professor, visiting fellow, psychiatric social worker, and private practitioner providing family and individual therapy. The breadth and depth of her experience brought scholarly insight to her clinical work and practical knowledge to her academic and pedagogical vocation.

During her many years at 51����Ƶ, Bisman held a range of academic and leadership roles, serving as assistant professor, associate professor, professor, and, ultimately, professor emeritus.

She was deeply engaged in the life of the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, where she chaired committees, mentored students, advised doctoral dissertations, helped shape the curriculum, and served as co-director of the 51����Ƶ Center on International Studies. Among the courses she developed were “Social Welfare Perspectives: Global and Local” and “Foundation Practice,” both reflecting her commitment to connecting theory with practice and local concerns with global perspectives.

Marcia Martin, dean emeritus of the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research, recalls Bisman’s deep dedication to the vitality and welfare of the school’s world-renowned programs.

“Having worked with Cynthia for several decades,” Martin writes, “I was always struck by the nature of her determined commitment to the well-being of our school. It was especially obvious when I worked on our ultimately successful 2008 accreditation which ... came at a particularly stressful time in our history. Cynthia assumed responsibility for pulling together the curriculum component of the self-study, skillfully explaining and defending some of the choices we had made especially around diversity content.” Martin nominated her for a McPherson Award, which recognizes exceptional contributions to the College by members of the 51����Ƶ community.

Bisman also was an active and highly respected participant in the broader social work community, contributing her expertise to professional organizations including the International Federation of Social Workers, the Council on Social Work Education, and the National Association of Social Workers. In addition, she served the field through editorial and peer review work for several scholarly journals, including Ethics and Social Welfare and The British Journal of Social Work.

Her scholarship spans more than 30 publications, including books, book chapters, journal articles, reviews, and editorials that explore core issues in social work like professional values and ethics, the integration of research and practice, rural aging, gender justice, and the internationalization of core social work values. She shared her work widely through dozens of conference presentations and invited lectures around the world. Her book Gender Justice: Local and Global, co-edited with Christine Koggel, reflects her enduring commitment to advancing conversations about social justice across national and cultural contexts.

Throughout her career, Bisman received numerous research grants and honors, including support from the Leila Woodruff Stokes Fund and multiple faculty research grants. At 51����Ƶ, she was also a valued member of the College community, serving on numerous committees and contributing thoughtfully to curriculum development, shared governance, and initiatives focused on diversity and inclusion. Together, these contributions reflect a career marked not only by scholarly achievement, but also by mentorship, leadership, and a deep commitment to the values of social work.