Carolyn Jacobs, MSW, PhD, is Dean Emerita and Elizabeth Marting Treuhaft Professor Emerita of the Smith College School for Social Work.
Dr. Jacobs was a member of the School’s faculty for 35 years, serving as the dean for 14 of those years. In 2001 she was elected to the National Academies of Practice as a distinguished social work practitioner. From June 2015 to November 2015 she served as Interim President of the Mind and Life Institute. She is currently on the board of Elms College ( 2020-).
Jacobs received her BA from Sacramento State University, her MSW from San Diego State University, her doctorate from the Heller School of Brandeis University, and her training as a spiritual director from the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation. She maintains a spiritual direction practice and is committed to creating spaces for health care providers to discover the rich resources of contemplative practices from many wisdom traditions in developing resilience for self and others.
