Creasie Finney Hairston, dean of the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois Chicago, has announced her intent to retire on December 15, 2026. She has led the college for the past 35 years.
“Dean Hairston’s tenure has been defined by extraordinary leadership, scholarly excellence and an unwavering commitment to advancing social, economic and racial justice through education, research and community engagement,” wrote Robert A. Barish, vice chancellor for health affairs at the University of Illinois Chicago, in an announcement to the campus community. “Throughout her decades of service, she has elevated the national reputation of the Jane Addams College of Social Work while steadfastly maintaining the college’s mission-focused approach to serving vulnerable and marginalized individuals, families and communities.”
As a scholar, Dr. Hairston is known as a pioneer in the development of family-oriented programs for correctional populations and as a leading voice on the effects of incarceration on children and families. Her research has contributed to national conversations on criminal justice reform and advanced the understanding of how correctional policies affect family bonds and successful community reintegration. In addition to her deanship, Dr. Hairston is director of the Jane Adams Center for Social Policy and Research and principal investigator of the UIC Behavioral Health Crisis Hub.
Before joining the UIC faculty, Dr. Hairston taught at Indiana University, West Virginia University, the State University of New York, and the University of Tennessee. She also served as editor of what is now the journal Justice, Opportunities, and Rehabilitation.
Dr. Hairston is a summa cum laude graduate of what is now Bluefield State University, an HBCU in West Virginia. She earned her master’s degree in social administration and her Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
