Michael Jordan donates $10 million to UNC School of Social Work

The contribution establishes the Jordan Family Scholars program, which immediately provides $12,500 in aid to ten Master of Social Work students to help mitigate financial barriers to advanced education. Beyond direct student support, the funds will bolster the school's research infrastructure by renaming the Global Social Development Innovations Center in honor of Deloris P. Jordan, the athlete’s mother. The center, alongside the Jordan Institute for Families, serves as a hub for developing community-based interventions for youth and family health.

UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Lee H. Roberts noted that the investment strengthens the university’s ability to serve communities both within North Carolina and internationally. Dean Ramona Denby-Brinson emphasized that the gift provides immediate resources to address the urgent demand for trained social workers. The announcement coincides with the school's Global Research Symposium, a gathering of experts from over 20 countries focused on sustainable youth development and advocacy. Deloris P. Jordan, who previously founded a healthcare wellness center in Nairobi, continues her long-standing philanthropic focus on maternal health and the protection of marginalized families through this expansion of the university's mission.