Twente Hall Memories
Social Welfare Community Memories of Twente Hall
About the Farewell to Twente Hall
The KU School of Social Welfare will move out of Twente Hall, the School's longtime home on the KU Lawrence campus, at the end of the fall 2024 semester. The School will relocate to Green Hall over winter break, moving into the newly renovated third floor of the building.
As part of the School's goodbye to Twente Hall, we are collecting Twente Hall memories for a crowdsourced online timeline. Share your memory through our online form. Explore the KU social work community's stories about Twente Hall on this page.
Memories from the KU Social Welfare Community
Selected photos and stories shared by KU School of Social Welfare alumni, faculty and staff, friends, students and the community will be posted here. Check this page for updates.
Memories from the Social Welfare Community
Reflections on my Time with the School of Social Welfare in Twente Hall - Edward Canda (Professor Emeritus)
I joined the KU School of Social Welfare in 1989 after three years as an Assistant Professor at the University of Iowa. I became familiar with innovations that were happening at the University of Kansas (KU) through my participation in Council on Social Work Education national conferences in the mid...
Twente Hall Memories: The orange office
Twente Hall Memories: It's about the people
Twente Hall Memories: Why the Cold Duck?
"My fond memories of the shining Jan Jess, kind Forrest Swall, vibrant Shirley Patterson, and (of course, conducting class on the lawn wearing Birkenstocks) the inimitable Allan Press."
"Professors, friends and colleagues in Twente Hall opened my mind and saved my life."
History of the KU School of Social Welfare in Twente Hall
The KU School of Social Welfare moved into Twente Hall in 1974. The building – which originally opened in 1932 as Watkins Memorial Hospital – was renamed for Esther E. Twente (1895-1971), a longtime KU social work professor.
KU has offered an accredited Master of Social Work (MSW) degree since 1947, and a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree since 1972. The School launched its doctoral PhD program in 1981 and introduced a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) practice doctorate program in 2023.
In the 50 years since the School of Social Welfare moved into Twente Hall, the School’s programs have grown across the state of Kansas and beyond. KU social work students attend classes in Lawrence, at the KU Edwards Campus in Overland Park, at partnership sites in Pittsburg and Salina, and online through Jayhawk Global. In fall 2023, 563 degree-seeking students were enrolled across all programs (211 – BSW, 322 – MSW, 23 – DSW, 7 – PhD).