Herman D. Stein’s career as a social worker, scholar, teacher, author, University leader and adviser on community and international issues lasted for seven decades. From 1945-47, Stein was a graduate at Columbia University Department of Sociology; he received a D.S.W. from Columbia University School of Social Work in 1958. He was an instructor on the faculty of the Columbia University School of Social Work for sixteen years. Stein came to Case Western Reserve University (Case) in 1964 as dean of the School of Applied Social Sciences, since renamed the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School. He subsequently served as provost for the social and behavioral sciences and twice as University provost; as University vice president; and in 1974 received the honor of Distinguished University Professor, the highest CWRU faculty rank attainable.
He served as president of the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the Council of Social Work (ICSW), Mobilization for Youth, National Association of Social Workers (NASW), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Stein chaired the Mayor’s Commission on the Crisis in Welfare in Cleveland in 1968-1969. He also founded and directed for five years the Global Currents Lecture Series at Case. He sponsored the annual Herman D. Stein Lectureship in International Social Welfare at the Mandel School.
