About us – Steve Hicks School of Social Work

Jennifer Luna is the director of the DiNitto Career Center at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work. She brings 17 years of experience in career development for students and alumni seeking employment in the nonprofit, for profit and public services sector. Her career spans across a broad spectrum of practice areas, including social work in traditional, non-traditional, and educational settings.

Jennifer’s vision for the DiNitto Career Center is to be a leading, comprehensive, nationally recognized social work career services center committed to delivering the highest level of innovative services to students, alumni and employers. These services are intended to positively influence the status of the profession of social work, the Steve Hicks School of Social Work, and The University of Texas at Austin.

Jennifer has a master’s degree in social work with a concentration in administration and planning. Her experience includes serving as the director of social work career services at The University of Texas at Austin Steve Hicks School of Social Work from its inception in 1995. She is an active participant of the National Career Development in Social Work Education Group, National Association of Social Workers, and the Coalition for Careers in the Non-Profit Sector. Jennifer has presented nationally and regionally on a variety of social work career development topics.

Since 1950, the The University of Texas at Austin — the flagship institution of The University of Texas System — has been producing outstanding professional social workers to serve Texas and the nation.

A transformative gift from Mr. Steve Hicks, UT Regent and telecommunications pioneer, named the Steve Hicks School of Social Work in 2017.

The school’s three degree programs prepare students for careers as professional social workers committed to public service in nonprofits, government, education, business, and higher education.

Our mission is to provide national leadership to promote social and economic justice, alleviate critical social problems, and enhance human well-being. As we look to the future, the vision of the school is clear: To preserve its high ranking among the top programs in the nation, and to define social work practice and research.

As our dean can tell you, we envision bringing the brightest and most diverse students to learn from the foremost scholars in social work. Together, our faculty and students will produce new knowledge and deliver public-spirited service that transforms lives on a grand scale and fulfills the university’s promise that “what starts here changes the world.” The history of our school (PDF) shows we have been at the forefront of this aspiration since the beginning, and we continue to make service a central part of our mission.

We invite you to learn more about the school by exploring this site, reviewing these quick facts (PDF), or contacting us. We look forward to hearing from you.

Resources

Organizational Chart (PDF)
Gender Equity Plan 2009 (PDF)

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