About the Elizabeth N. Brehler Scholars Program

A PhD graduate of Union Institute and College and a member of the International Coaching Federation, Dr. Sandra Schiff has served as the president of Health Mate, Inc., for over 15 years. Additionally, Dr. Sandra Schiff is a part-time adjunct professor at Wayne State University’s School of Social Work.

One of the country’s top schools in its field, the School of Social Work at Wayne State University was established in 1935. Accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the school offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs that meet the five pillars of the field: education, human behavior, policy, practice methods, and research. To help students who participate in its programs, the Wayne State University School of Social Work provides a variety of financial aid and scholarship opportunities, including the Elizabeth N. Brehler Scholars Program.

Overseen by the Brehler Committee, the Elizabeth N. Brehler Scholars Program was created in 1991 to encourage personal and professional development through social work. Open to students who write a manuscript under the supervision of a faculty mentor, the scholarship requires the submission to incorporate at least two focus areas, ranging from diversity and ethical dilemmas to practice decisions and social policies. In addition to the $3,000 top scholarship, participants who follow the guidelines receive a gift card and a certificate.                            

Social Work a Rapidly Growing Field

Sandra Schiff, PhD, has a long and varied career in helping professions. Head of her own consultancy, which focuses on executive and leadership coaching, Dr. Sandra Schiff is also an adjunct professor of social work at Detroit, Michigan’s Wayne State University, where she earned her master of social work (MSW).

According to the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), social workers are highly trained and experienced professionals who have earned social work degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral levels and completed a minimum number of hours in supervised fieldwork. US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics projections indicate that social work is among the fastest-growing careers in the United States.

NASW loosely defines social work as psychosocial services and advocacy. Social workers help people restore or enhance their capacity for social functioning, NASW says, as well as help them overcome such challenges as poverty, discrimination, abuse, addiction, illness, divorce, disability, and unemployment.