Edith Abbott Hall
Edith Abbott Hall, home to the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, honors one of the most consequential figures in the School’s history.
Edith Abbott, PhD 1905, was a pioneering scholar and educator whose vision helped shape both the School and the field of social work. One of the first women to earn a PhD in economics from the University of Chicago, Abbott helped lead the School’s integration into the University in 1920 and became its dean in 1924—the first woman to serve as dean of a graduate school in the United States. Together with Sophonisba Breckinridge, she helped establish Social Service Review and advanced an approach to social work education grounded in rigorous social science, research, policy, and practice. That commitment remains central to the Crown Family School today.
The University dedicated the building in Abbott’s honor in 2021, recognizing her enduring influence on the School, the University, and the social work profession.
Dedication of Edith Abbott Hall
