Created by D'vorah Kost to honor the memory of her mother, the scholarship is intended to support undergraduate or graduate students who have faced or are facing significant challenges in their lives. Preference will be given to students in good academic standing who are involved in the Transition to Independence Program for Wayne State students aging out foster care, to students facing housing or food insecurities, or to students who have been through the criminal justice system.

Born in 1917 in Kansas City, Ida Rosenbaum was raised and educated in Detroit. After earning a bachelor's degree from Wayne State University in 1939 and a master's from University of Michigan, she enjoyed a 25-year career as a clinical social worker at Jewish Family Services. In 1977, she and her husband David retired to Florida where they continued to live with vitality: attending university classes, traveling, cultivating meaningful relationships, and nurturing a loving marriage.

Ida continued to serve as a social worker until age 89, seeing clients, starting a widows support group and chairing a hearing impaired support group for many years. She reclaimed her high school love of journalism, writing a monthly column for "The CV Reporter" entitled "Of Human Interest" covering a wide range of topics of social relevance.

"My mother was independent and open-minded; she valued meaningful relationships, flexibility, kindness, Yiddishkayt, and making a contribution to society," said D'vorah Kost. "We are all responsible to contribute to justice and peace, equity, sustainability and respectful treatment of all humans and other living things, not the least of which is our precious planet. May this scholarship provide the support for a social work student who takes this statement seriously and personally. It is my pleasure to pay it forward."

For additional information on making a gift to the School of Social Work visit our giving page or contact our Director of Philanthropy, Jana McNair, at jana.mcnair@wayne.edu or 313-577-4429.