Herman (Hy) Resnick, born in 1930, died on December 10, 2015 at 85 years of age. He was struck by a car during an evening rainstorm not far from his home in Woodinville, Washington. Resnick taught at the UW School of Social Work for 31 years before his retirement in 1998.
“Hy leaves a tremendous legacy of friendship, generosity and social thought that played an important role in the School’s development as a leader in social innovation,” said Eddie Uehara, professor and Ballmer Endowed Dean in Social Work. “He also provided crucial educational leadership and support to students and faculty during a time of social upheaval at the University and rapid change throughout the country. He will be greatly missed.”
Nancy Hooyman, current professor of gerontology and dean emeritus who once taught alongside Resnick, characterized him as a man of great creativity and vision. “Hy saw the potential impact of using technology in social work long before anyone else,” said Hooyman.
Resnick edited Electronic Tools for Social Work Practice and Education, a textbook demonstrating that computer applications had great potential, not only in research settings, but also in the delivery of human services to vulnerable individuals, families and communities. He also co-edited Change from Within: Humanizing Social Welfare Organizations and authored numerous research articles. Resnick held a PhD from the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research at Bryn Mawr College.
“Hy was a strong believer in cross-disciplinary scholarship,” said emeritus faculty member and close friend Richard Weatherley. “He collaborated with computer scientists in developing computer games designed to help adolescents learn mediation skills for conflict resolution, and he joined forces with the UW School of Business to assess responses to budget cutbacks.”
Resnick was an early advocate of organizational development. His group dynamics class was particularly popular in the 1970s, during a time of campus turmoil triggered by student protests and strikes against the Vietnam war. “He was both inspiring and challenging as a teacher, a strong proponent of experiential learning, and an enthusiastic presence in the classroom,” recalled Weatherley.
Former student Nora Gibson stayed in touch with Resnick after she graduated, at one point helping him and his family build a house outside Seattle. “We had many fun weekend days, shingling the cedar roof, putting up drywall and painting,” recalled Gibson who now serves as the executive director of a Seattle organization assisting adults with chronic illnesses and disabilities. “As a student, the lessons I learned in his class about group structures, norms, hidden agendas, types of groups, and intra- and intergroup dynamics have served me throughout my career.”
During his time at the School, Resnick was in great demand as a consultant to service organizations, both throughout the country and as far afield as Russia, Scotland, Australia and Vietnam, where he traveled with Hooyman in the 1990s to promote the development of much-needed social work programs.
Daniel Farber, longtime School supporter and son of the late emeritus social work professor Arthur Farber, recalled how important his father’s deep friendship with Resnick was to both of them. "They shared a passion for improving lives, a delight in exploring the world of ideas, and an appreciation of the importance of and dedication to teaching. They both wanted to change the world and have fun while doing it. Hy, of course, was the better ping pong player, which satisfied him greatly."
Hy Resnick is survived by his wife of 52 years, Mary; son Bill Resnick, his wife Christine and their children Meleya and Elijah; daughter Jennifer Resnick; and daughter Elizabeth Carey, her husband Phil and their child Tyler.
Contributions in Hy’s memory may be made to the Southern Poverty Law Center.
21 December, 2015
School of Social Work, University of Washington
