Community connection 2016 fall issue 36

issue no.

36 DIANA R. GARLAND SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

DIFFERENCE MAKERS ONE LIFE AT A TIME

from the dean

New journeys begin for the Garland School jon e . singletary Dean, Garland School of Social Work

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T IS SUCH AN HONOR TO WRITE THIS AS YOUR NEW DEAN, following my mentor and friend, Diana Garland, and leading our amazing faculty and staff. In my search process, I expressed my deep commitment to our distinct identity that values a professional identity rooted in the context of faith. As part of our shared story, I shared my story of feeling pulled into the biblical story of Joshua.

At the end of Moses's life, he was given a great blessing, that no doubt came with a great sense of disappointment. After leading his people out of slavery and across the wilderness, fighting hunger and disease in a dry and weary land, and being despised one moment and loved the next, he crossed the plains of Moab, went to Mount Nebo, and was told, “This is the promised land. I will give it to your descendants. I have let you see it with your eyes. But you shall not cross over into it.”

In many ways, Diana Garland was our Moses, and the promised land of our school bears her name. Like Moses, she didn’t get to experience so much of what she was working for. She didn’t get to watch students graduate from the PhD program she fought so hard to create.

She worked to hire several new faculty, but she did not get to work with them. She called me on the night of our open house in Houston, once again thinking she was calling her son, John, but she never met those new students of whom she was so proud.

In Deuteronomy 34:7, we read: When Moses died, his sight was unimpaired and his vigor had not abated. True also for Diana Garland. The last email I have from her, days before her death, was following up on development contacts—her vigor unabated. Verse 10 adds that “never before and never after has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. He was unequaled for all the signs and wonders that the LORD sent him to perform.” Clearly, this was written before the days of Diana Garland, but the same may be said of her.

In between these verses, we read that Joshua, a lieutenant of Moses, is full of the spirit of wisdom and is someone who was ready to move the people forward. The book of Joshua begins with God saying: “As I was with Moses, I will be with you. I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous. Walk in the law, do not turn from it, and you will be successful. Be strong and courageous, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Now you may think I am taking this midrash too far. The promise is that God did not leave the people of Israel without a leader. The assurance is that God has a plan for the work that Diana started in this place. The not so subtle implication that I am Diana’s Joshua has by no means been assumed. I have known that neither the mantle of Joshua, nor the blessing of Diana is mine to claim; we are all recipients of her blessing in many distinct ways.

However, like Joshua, preparing to follow in the footsteps of an amazing leader, I know that God will not fail me on this journey. We have been seeking God’s plan for leadership of this school, and I am honored by this opportunity to step out with God’s strength and courage, trusting God for direction and discernment.

Thank you for your support along the journey and I look forward to our future together.

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volume 36 | f a l l 2 0 1 6 2 From the Dean 3 Research Spotlight 4 MSW Profile 6 In Remembrance 8 News Briefs 10 Associate Dean Update 11 Alumnus of the Year 12 PhD Program Update 13 Campaign for Excellence 2016 14 New Staff/Faculty Intros 17 Faculty Awards 18 School Highlights 20 Snapshots 24 Family Dinner Photos 25 GML Intros 26 Student Awards 28 Alumni Updates 29 Alumni News 30 Student Inspiration 32 Community Impact 33 Faculty Activity 34 New Recruitment Director 35 DRG Legacy Award editor

Nikki Wilmoth, Director of Marketing and Communications contributors

Elizabeth Starr photography

Baylor Photography, Nikki Wilmoth, Elizabeth Starr, Waco Tribune comments

Garland School of Social Work Baylor University One Bear Place #97320 Waco, TX 76798-7320 At the Garland School of Social Work, our students learn about believing in human dignity, the power of hope, the need for justice, caring as the foundation for effective change, and serving that transforms lives and communities.

Garland School of Social Work

researchspotlight

Faculty member researches human trafficking e l i z a b e t h g oat l ey d i g s i n to h ow co m m u n i t i e s r e s p o n d to t r a f f i c k i n g

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UMAN TRAFFICKING is a topic many people are uncomfortable discussing and most likely would deny the seedy practice is happening in their own communities. But unfortunately, most people would be wrong!

Non profits, law enforcement groups and researchers all over the country are working to eradicate this societal scourge by educating communities and civic leaders about what is happening all around them. You just have to learn what to look for and where to get involved. This is the research focus of Assistant Professor Dr. Elizabeth Goatley.

Elizabeth's research centers on the organic and emerging community responses to addressing human trafficking.

A familiar African proverb states that if you want to go quickly, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together. Elizabeth utilizes this communal approach in her research.

“I approach trafficking a little differently than most researchers,” Elizabeth said. “I look specifically at how communities organically create systems to address trafficking and study the informal and formal structures within these communities that are heavily populated with trafficking or more at risk. I dig into how they create these systems to address it without formalized task forces…like your beauty shops, barber shops, and nail salons.”

Elizabeth explained how these are places where victims know to go because they have to keep up appearances in the same way the community congregates around these hubs to talk about what is going on in their lives. People in general create these informal "safe-zone" structures.

"I look to see who people know to go to if they are feeling sick so they can get to the hospital or what other informal structures are in place so victims know where to go to keep themselves safe," Elizabeth continued. "Trafficking victims know who to turn to, to keep themselves safe so they can get the services they need and not be identified. So there is a way to keep that network going through these informal structures."

Why is that important? Research shows, that while we do these global awareness campaigns, somewhere between 35-50% of the calls that go into the national hot lines to report trafficking are from local community members.

Therefore it is important to know how these community members are obtaining their information about trafficking, how they are building their knowledge base, and where they plug into the local community so they are able to report to the hot lines. www . baylor . edu / social _ work

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by nikki wilmoth

"If we are counting on community members to do a majority of the reporting instead of victims doing self-identification or police officers finding victims, then we really need to know where they are and what they are doing to set up those systems," Elizabeth said. "That is what is interesting to me about trafficking...that people naturally come together to keep people safe, and we fail to remember that when we build these large, formalized systems we forget about these innate, organic systems.

While the work of national coalitions and formalized task forces is important, especially for the sustainability of communities that want to address trafficking in their area, we sometimes negate the people that are organically becoming leaders and the networks they are putting together…they are essential to victim survival."

Elizabeth is currently working on a grant funded by the Dallas Women's Foundation targeting women's social and civic organizations up and down the I-35 corridor and how they conduct trafficking awareness and training. The goal is to assess how their leaders bring that to their memberships and then how those members plug themselves into the communities to keep that awareness alive.

"Are their members teachers so that they are bringing it to the schools, or are they in commerce so that they are noticing it when they are conducting their business transactions?" Elizabeth explained. "Are they stay-at-home moms so that they are keeping watch over the neighborhood? Are they lawyers and doctors so that when it comes up in a courtroom it isn’t unfamiliar, or when someone comes into the hospital no one is unaware of what is going on because they are also members of these informal groups that have talked about it and shared awareness."

This is the kind of research Elizabeth is doing at the community level which also led her on a mission trip this summer with social work students to the border.

In conjunction with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Elizabeth led a team of MSW students to assess the differences of human trafficking from the perspectives of both import cities and destination cities along the Texas-Mexico border. Students spent two weeks conducting an asset map of traffickingrelated issues and organizations in Laredo, working to raise awareness about trafficking in congregations and non profits, and working to support the nascent anti-trafficking coalition in Laredo.

As researchers, leaders, students and others dig deeply into this topic, the issue becomes more and more complex. There are no easy answers, but research like this is one step closer to righting the wrongs of this inhumane practice. ◆

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mswspotlight Student’s passion for missions leads to career path msw student megan levers meets gml student abroad

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begins at gssw soon after

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by elizabeth starr

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EING IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME sometimes has the power to change the path of someone’s life. This was the case for Megan Levers, currently an MSW student at the GSSW. Megan’s passion for international missions took her abroad several times after she graduated early from high school. As a student at the University of Arkansas, she traveled to Kenya on a summer mission trip through Buckner International. While working with families and children in Kitale, Kenya, Megan was supervised by Rose, a Kenyan and former Global Mission Leadership (GML) student at the GSSW. “It was obvious that Rose was doing great work for her community,” Megan said. “She was loved and well-received.”

As Megan worked in Kitale, she got to know Rose and some of the other Kenyan women. Megan began to understand what it meant to be a social worker as she watched Rose serve and educate her community.

Rose was a mentor to Megan during her time in Kitale. The two shared plenty of tea and conversations about the work Rose was doing for her community. Eventually, Megan realized meeting Rose had truly been divine appointment.

“Rose told me, ‘You know you want to be a social worker, don’t you? You have a social worker brain.’” Megan said, laughing. “I knew I was interested in other cultures, but could never define why I was so interested in that until talking to Rose.”

Megan poses with Zippy, one of the many friends she made during her time in Kenya.

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Megan was captivated by the beauty of the community in Kitale.

She got to know the Kenyan people who surrounded her, and they genuinely loved her and considered her one of them.

“I got really close with a lady named Zippy, who was a tailor and taught sewing to girls who were unemployed or working on the streets,” Megan said. “I think half of [her work] was teaching them how to sew and the other half was pouring into them and being a positive influence.”

Being in Kitale was refreshing and educational for Megan. She drank in the Kenyan culture and became more aware of African perceptions of Americans. Megan also observed how Kenyan social workers were passionate about serving one another and their community.

“I’ve never felt the presence of God so much as I did in those moments because there wasn’t nearly as much distraction,” Megan said. “God doesn’t really desire for us to be distracted. I saw that [Zippy] didn’t need a lot of other things going on to love those girls as well as she did.”

The kindness of Rose, Zippy and the other social workers, along with her newfound knowledge of international community development, gave Megan peace of mind when it was time to head back to the U.S. “There was a lot of pain and suffering [in Kitale], but it was easier to leave knowing the people that work there are doing such a good job,” Megan said.

After her trip to Kitale, Megan took another international mission trip to Belize, this time on a community development project with a group from the University of Arkansas.

“That [trip] helped define that I was really interested in community practice,” Megan said. “I pulled a lot from the conversations Rose and I had about how everything is intertwined.”

When Rose and Megan met, Rose was preparing to journey to Texas to begin her MSW at Baylor. It wasn’t time yet for Megan to think about grad school, but Rose encouraged Megan to consider Baylor when she began applying for schools. Megan Garland School of Social Work

resisted at first, but eventually fell in love with Baylor and the GSSW. “I felt that [Baylor] was proud of social work, and at a lot of other universities, I felt it was just an afterthought,” Megan explained. “I loved the warmth and emphasis on field work, and I wanted to go somewhere where I would gain experience.”

After only one semester in the program, Megan could already appreciate the love and care she received from her professors and the other faculty. Megan felt that the connections made with her professors added great value to her educational experience, just like the relationships she made with social workers in Kenya.

“I wanted to reach out and build relationships where I felt we had similar interests,” Megan said. “It’s like my cup is always full

“I felt that Baylor was proud of social work. I loved the warmth and emphasis on field work, and I wanted to go somewhere where I would gain experience.”

friend just as much as they needed a social worker. Her cultural competence and experience working with communities in foreign countries has taught her how to listen, love and respect all people equally – a crucial quality for a social worker to possess.

“I’ve rarely encountered people who didn’t want to get Megan stops to smile with Rose, her Kenyan to know each other,” Megan friend who told her about the GSSW. said. “If you’re open to not being right all the time, you’ll be so richly blessed. I’ve had the most beautiful conversations because I’ve just been willing to ask questions.”

Megan is excited about continuing her journey at the GSSW. She hopes to become trained in community practice methods so she can continue to help people in other countries build better, stronger communities that will sustain lives for generations. ◆

after a conversation with a professor. They’re so willing to pour into you.”

Megan felt her understanding of community practice beginning to expand even more through her internship with the Baylor Counseling Center. She liked the atmosphere of the clinic and was excited to work with students in that setting, although she was initially hesitant about her placement.

“This was a great setting for me to practice talking to people about their problems and build connections with those people,” Megan said. “I know I was supposed to be there because it was all challenging at times, but it was totally relevant and valuable.”

Megan’s internship at the counseling center gave her plenty of opportunities to exercise her natural gifts of building relationships and making connections. She found she was able to relate with students not only in a professional way, but also on a personal level.

“It brought back the reality that everyone is going through something,” Megan said. “Baylor students are going through a lot of similar things and they don’t realize it. It was a privilege to be a part of those conversations.”

From Kitale, Kenya to Waco, Texas, Megan found that though the type of work she did varied, the fundamental desire of people to be heard and valued was consistent. She believed it was her responsibility to show love and respect to people who needed a www . baylor . edu / social _ work

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legacytribute Baylor Round Table tribute to Dean Diana Garland

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EADER, MENTOR, FRIEND. Visionary, entrepreneur, developer.

Friend and fundraiser. Gentle counselor and tireless traveler. Diana Garland was all of these and much more. We have been inspired by her risk-taking and tenacity and changed by her friendship.

The impact she had on the lives of her colleagues, friends, family, and students is immeasurable; and the rippling rings of her impact will never cease.

Diana was born on Aug. 18, 1950, in Oklahoma City. Her father, George Richmond, fixed computers for IBM; and her mother, Dorsie Richmond, was a high school teacher who chose to work in an allBlack, urban school the first year schools desegregated in Oklahoma City. Diana

started her college career at Oklahoma Baptist University where she met David Garland. They married in 1970 and made the three-day trip from Oklahoma City to Louisville, Kentucky for their honeymoon.

David teaching at the newly established George W. Truett Theological Seminary and Diana in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work, and Gerontology at Baylor University.

Diana completed her undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees at the University of Louisville in Kentucky while David completed his PhD at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. David started his career teaching at the seminary, and Diana began her career in family counseling at a pastoral counseling center.

While words are inadequate to capture the spirit of her contributions, the naming of the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University is one recognition of her unique and lasting contribution. She moved the social work program from one small division within a department, to its own department at the bottom of the Speight Avenue Parking Garage, to its own school, and finally to its present location in the middle of downtown Waco. Diana’s style of leadership resulted in the development of a team of educators who labored together with her to develop a master’s and then doctoral degree program in the school and to lead the social work profession in the understanding of the ethical integration of faith and social work practice.

Diana later joined David at the seminary and was named dean of the Carver School of Social Work in 1993. As Diana worked to develop the Carver School as a place where Christians could learn how to ethically integrate their faith and practice, changes were taking place at the seminary that would lead to her dismissal as dean only a couple of years later. Not one to stay silent in the face of injustice, Diana spoke up after the seminary president stepped outside of institutional policies to block the hiring of a new faculty member for the Carver School. Diana was fired, the school was closed, and it seemed like the vision for the ethical integration of social work and faith may have been lost.

Two years later, in 1997, hope was revived for this dream to become reality when the Garlands moved to Waco with

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Coinciding with her contributions to social work education, Diana was a tireless advocate for strengthening families, especially children. In the context of the church, she fought for families who were wounded and broken and needed the knowledge and skills of a social worker.

She courageously called out both the strengths of congregations and areas for growth. Her research in clergy sexual

Garland School of Social Work

misconduct has brought, and is bringing, healing to thousands. Her articles and books are sources for students, social workers, and clergy and will be for decades into the future. Diana’s own family was undoubtedly her greatest source of pride.

She and David celebrated 45 years of marriage, and they enjoyed every moment they could with their two children

(Sarah and John) and four grandchildren (Aurora, Azalea, Tess, and Matthew).

Diana Garland would be the first to tell you that she did none of this work single-handedly. And while that is true, she was the inspirational leader who skillfully gave voice to the vision, raised the funding necessary for implementation, and always pushed for the publication of research. Hers was the driving force behind the Global Mission Leadership Initiative, a program that brings young scholars from around the world to secure a Baylor MSW education and return to their developing countries and serve.

Her vision for providing a Baylor social work education to students unable to relocate to Waco was the impetus for an online MSW program, successfully launched in 2013. In Diana’s adventurous, entrepreneurial spirit, that online program provided one mechanism for helping launch a satellite social work MSW program in Houston, Texas.

When David served as Baylor University’s interim president from 2008-10, Diana stepped into her new role as First Lady without missing a beat. She was a Lady Bears fan with a loud voice.

She hosted the Annual Membership Tea for

www . baylor . edu / social _ work

the Baylor Round Table in 2008 in the beautiful Great Hall of Truett Seminary and served as the parliamentarian the following year. She did these things on top of her tireless work leading the School of Social Work and her additional obligations as First Lady. She was one of the few women deans at Baylor and made it clear that excellence was about vision, knowledge, and skill rather than gender or position. Diana was an introvert who loved to read, study, and write but who invested significant energy in encouraging those around her whether they were her fellow faculty members, ministers, or students.

Diana once shared the following quote with a friend: Faithful life begins and ends in “Alleluia!” to the Creator, Liberator, and Advocate.

No forms of injustice are tolerable and no aspects of nature or human existence are unimportant to the people who praise this God. Their ministry is as politically active as it is personally caring, as socially alert as it is spiritually deep, as devout in prayer as it is vigorous in doing justice.

(Dieter Hessel, Social Ministry) The refrain “Alleluia” echoes throughout Diana Garland’s life. Baylor University is richer for her hard work; the community of Waco is different because of her gifts and drive. We are left to dream now of the next social work education adventure and build on this foundation. We will continue our commitment with her to finding and achieving God’s will and peace and care for the people of God here, across the nation, and across the globe through the goals and mission of the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University. ◆ Writted by friends in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work...

HELEN HARRIS SAMANTHA OAKLEY GAYNOR YANCEY Top: Diana and Preston at the 2015 Family Dinner where the school was renamed in her honor. Middle: Her last convocation in 2015. Bottom: Family Dinner 2015 snapshot with Carver alumni.

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gsswnewsbriefs Interim dean participates in Buckner webcast GSSW DEAN DR. JON Singletary, took part in a webcast sponsored by Buckner International. He was the featured guest on Inside Buckner, a live webcast sharing the impact of Buckner on families and children around the world. ◆

Social workers stuggle to talk faith

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N 1961, IN THE HOLIDAY CLASSIC IT’S THE GREAT PUMPKIN, Charlie Brown, a sweet little boy named Linus said this: “There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people…religion, politics and the Great Pumpkin.”

And the original saying dates back to the 19th century: “Do not discuss politics or religion in polite company.” It seems in the 21st century, the old cliché still holds true.

One’s religion or spirituality can be the elephant in the room even in the most professional of settings as indicated by the sheer number of media outlets that picked up on a recent study by Assistant Professor Dr. Holly Oxhandler.

Through her research, Holly is learning more about these types of discussions in clinical practice between client and mental health practitioners. Her work indicates social workers struggle to talk faith in practice. It shows that licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs), who account for the largest number of clinically trained helping professionals, believe that discussions about their clients’ religion and spirituality can often lead to improved health and mental health, but practitioners are not integrating these conversations into their counseling sessions.

Educators need to do a better job of training future social workers to engage in these conversations, ethically and effectively, Holly said, and it is critical for social workers to be trained to learn about religions other than their own.

PhD student named Outstanding Faculty EVERY YEAR, AWARDS are presented to Roberts Wesleyan College faculty members for outstanding performance during the academic year, and this year, one of our PhD students was a recipient.

Lori Sousa, GSSW PhD first-cohort student, received the Barbara S. Muller Memorial Award for Teaching Excellence.

Lori was recognized during the RWC's Celebration of Excellence Chapel and Faculty Awards Luncheon in May! ◆

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“It’s important that we teach students how to do this from an evidence-based practice perspective, a perspective that really looks at what the research is saying about clients’ religion and spirituality and what the research says about health and mental health outcomes,” she said.

Holly worked with a team of researchers from the University of Houston to survey 442 LCSWs across the United States for the study – “The Integration of Clients’ Religion and Spirituality in Social Work Practice” – which was published in the July edition of the journal Social Work.

The media release about her published findings was picked up by a whole host of media including the Washington Post, the Business Standard, Psych Central, BYU’s “Top of Mind” radio, and a number of others. You can find these on the news archives on the school’s website: baylor.edu/social_work. ◆

Alumna featured in local magazine

WE LOVE TO OPEN up a newspaper or magazine and see a showcase of one of our alumni. In April, the Wacoan, a local monthly magazine in Waco, featured four "Women of Interest" and one was our very own Alexis Christensen.

Alexis, MSW '12, was featured alongside three other hardworking women in the Waco area who have "turned passion into success". She serves as the community organizer for north and east Waco for Waco Community Development, an organization helping find pathways to home ownership, financial literacy, home buyer education and community organizing.

Check out the full article at wacoan.com/women-of-interest. ◆ Garland School of Social Work

GSSW rises in national rankings

THE LATEST U.S. NEWS RANKINGS CAME OUT EARLIER this year, published online at www.usnews.com and in the U.S. News “Best Graduate Schools 2017” guidebook, and the Garland School of Social Work rose from No. 60 to No. 53.

"The school was celebrated for Diana’s leadership in ways that have helped increase our ranking year after year; now, as the school is honored to carry her name, we will continue to be recognized for the ways she shaped our teaching and research endeavors," Dr. Jon Singletary said. "Year after year, Diana reminded us that we work hard, not for this recognition, but because we are called to be faithful. We have a history of not paying attention to the numbers that are counted by these scores, but to the impact we hope to have because of our commitment to quality education and scholarship. However, it is an honor to be recognized by our peers, and I am grateful that they see the quality of what we are doing." ◆

Tips for recognizing signs of trafficking

ELIZABETH GOATLEY, PHD, assistant professor in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, studies human trafficking. In a recent release as part of Baylor's "Hot Topic" series, she identified several signs that parents and guardians should look for to determine whether their children are at risk to be recruited for human trafficking. "Each year, there are 30,000 to 40,000 children at risk for trafficking recruitment,” Goatley said. "Some common places for recruitment are schools, bus stations, homeless shelters, malls and on the Internet."

The article was picked up by a number of news outlets including KWTX news, KXXV neews, the Waco Tribune and others. Archived articles can be found on the news section of the GSSW homepage: baylor.edu/social_work. ◆

More faculty in the news this year

IN CONJUNCTION WITH the end of the spring semester, Baylor's "Hot Topic" asked Lecturer Becky Scott: What are four tips one might give to parents facing their children's transition from high school and college? Tips included: 1.) Know that there is no “right” way to cope. 2.) Talk with your children and spouse about expectations. 3.) Address and resolve conflicts immediately. 4.) Find the balance between supporting your children and letting them learn on their own.

PROFESSOR JIM ELLOR, considered an expert in the field of Gerontology, was interviewed by the Deseret News (out of Salt Lake City) about what caretakers can do when their patient believes God has abandoned them. From the article..."Ellor and others said chaplains, a patient's friends and family members and health care providers all have a role to play when it comes to responding to someone's spiritual concerns, but changing spiritual outlook for the better requires more patience and open-mindedness than most people assume." ◆ www . baylor . edu / social _ work

GSSW partners with Waco ISD on new grant THE WACO ISD board of trustees recently approved a grant proposal made by the GSSW to help Waco ISD campuses reduce student behavior issues linked to cognitive challenges.

The Be Emotionally Aware and Responsive or BEAR project will provide cultural awareness training for Waco ISD staff and provide ways to measure the results by giving pre-tests and posttests, district reports show.

The BEAR project will have five concentrationyear master's level students and a supervisor working directly with the ISD campuses.

The Waco Tribune, one of the news outlets that reported on the story, quoted Dr. Jon Singletary as saying, “It’s about collective impact.

What kind of broader impact can we have campus-wide and really on the larger community, to strengthen what families and schools are able to do for the children of Waco?"

KWKT Fox 44 of Waco also reported on the program interviewing Jon along with Lecturer Carrie Arroyo, noting that around 90% of Waco ISD students come from poverty. The school district explained how this plays such a large role in the resources their students have and why BEAR is necessary.

Jon told 44, "Part of our support will be providing unique kinds of encouragement and learning reinforcements and helping parents understand how they can do that better as well as the teachers so that the students are really then able to stay in the classroom where we know the best learning happens."

GSSW services will focus on reducing behavioral problems, reducing truancy and meeting developmental needs.

"We are pulling from a variety of different models that we look at that have been implemented in different school districts across the country, and where research has shown us that there has been effectiveness," Carrie told Fox 44.

In addition to the GSSW, the Baylor School of Education is also working on this project with Waco ISD. ◆

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schoolupdate In a new reality, legacy still lives on in so many ways david k . pooler Associate Dean

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NLY ABOUT HALF OF THE 2016 BSW and MSW graduates had a chance to meet or know Diana Garland.

Just typing the previous sentence seems strange and surreal, but it is reality. And starting this semester, the number of students who knew her declined even more dramatically.

But whether they know it or not every student from now into the foreseeable future will experience her impact. Not only does the school have her name, it has her fingerprints all over it. With only a couple of exceptions, every current faculty member was hired by Diana. And one of Diana’s hallmarks was her ability to know who had the capacity to shape students and make a significant contribution here.

I see Diana’s fingerprints on our curricula in which there is a fundamental integration of faith in practice. She was so instrumental in pointing out of how a client’s faith could be a source of healing and support or painful and layered with complexity. She helped many a faculty member and student refine how to approach a client’s faith in ways that helped them heal rather than hindered or hurt.

Her fingerprints are on our culture and how the faculty values students. The importance of human relationships is not just a statement found in our code of ethics, but is something that is lived out organically in how faculty and students interact with each other. Students will not remember everything we taught them, but they will certainly remember how we treated them.

Diana did her best to model social work values in the multiple dimensions of where her roles took her. As dean, she wanted

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students to have a transforming experience. A student in the Garland School will not just learn in the classroom or through a community project, but will have an experience of “being.”

This experience of being will likely be one of the most enduring things that happens to students here. The experience of being valued, being connected, and being discovered by faculty and colleagues alike becomes a template for interactions with others far beyond the Garland School. It is a journey of discovering what we were made to do. And Diana modeled that until her death.

Her fingerprints are on the research we do with congregations. All you have to do is look at the myriad research projects that faculty engage with and you will see people who value the contribution that congregations can make and you will see projects and interventions that help congregations enhance and sharpen their impact and effectiveness. I am not aware of any other school, college, or department of social work with so many faculty members engaged in projects or research that impact congregations or their members. The fact that this is so, reflects on Diana’s ability to help carve out a unique niche within the profession of social work for a group of passionate, competent, and committed social workers that are not willing to minimize faith in the equations of practice or research.

Change is inevitable, and the Garland School is changing in Diana’s absence.

The Garland School now has Jon Singletary at the helm and is already changing in new and exciting ways. As we change we can be open to new ways and new ideas, but let us also hold onto the best of what Diana Garland showed us all. She showed us it is okay not to know, it is okay to fail, it is okay to take risk, it is okay to be innovative, and it is okay to be different and not have to fit in. It is okay to be who we are and discover who we are meant to be. ◆

“I see Diana’s fingerprints on our curricula in which there is a fundamental integration of faith and practice. She was so instrumental in pointing out of how a client’s faith could be a source of healing and support or painful and layered with complexity. ”

Garland School of Social Work

alumnus2016 GSSW Alumnus of Year for 2016: Matthew Schobert by nikki wilmoth

Matthew said.

OME PEOPLE DISCOVER their calling to social work at a young age, and others find it amidst the backdrop of another calling, such as pastoral ministry. That’s where the 2016 GSSW Alumnus of Year found his… during his chaplaincy at a local hospital.

Matthew earned his M.Div. (1999) in theology from Baylor, completed two units of Clinical Pastoral Education at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, and then earned his MSW in 2002 in healthcare from Baylor.

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When Matthew Schobert, MDiv, LCSW, began his college career, he thought he knew exactly what he wanted to do. He wanted to earn a Master of Divinity in theology, to earn a PhD in theology and to become an academic theologian. But those weren’t quite the plans God hand in mind for Matthew.

“Matthew was one of our first MSW students and the first to be placed at the Waco VA as a foundation-year student,” Dr. Helen Harris said. “He was and is a deep thinker whose passion for justice led him to the dual degree in social work and

“I discovered social work along the way while I was doing chaplaincy at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center,” Matthew said. “I found myself genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed working with families in the medical and surgical ICU at Hillcrest.”

In his work there, Matthew discovered what social work calls the “therapeutic relationship”. Which, in Matthew’s words, means being authentically and nonjudgmentally present with and for people who are experiencing life-defining and life-altering crisis. In chaplaincy, it is called the ministry of relationship.

“But focusing solely on what we call the micro portion of social work practice only spoke to a part of the call that I was attempting to discern,” Matthew explained, “and I wanted to learn what I could do to become a more skillful helpful clinician.”

While at Truett Seminary, Matthew was active with his church, with Mission Waco, with World Hunger Relief, all addressing a plethora of social issues: poverty, homelessness, violence, discrimination.

“I know now, in social work, this is what we call the macro level, engaging societal ills and working toward the well-being and healing of people and communities. And then, as I recall, I read a brochure from the Baylor University School of Social Work about their new MSW program.

Direct clinical practice advocating for social justice…check, check, sign me up!” www . baylor . edu / social _ work

ministry. He was a leader in his cohort, a dedicated student and is a person of notable integrity.”

Since that time, Matthew has worked in behavioral health inpatient, residential, and outpatient settings, and in long-term care medical settings. He has worked with a wide range of client populations, including children and families, persons with severe and persistent mental illness, survivors of physical and sexual violence and veterans. He has also maintained an active academic life as a published author, an adjunct professor and a field instructor.

Since 2008, he has focused on healthcare administration at large, multisite Veterans Affairs health care systems which provide primary, secondary and tertiary medical and mental health care across inpatient, outpatient, residential, and community settings.

Today, Matthew is the director of Chaplain & Social Work Professional Services and the social work executive at the VA Portland Health Care System.

“When Matthew made a commitment to do something, you could count on it being done. His commitment to work

with persons in the military and with veterans has been inspiring as he balances his clinical and administrative talents," Helen added. "Further, Matthew has found ways to ethically integrate his deep personal faith and sense of calling with his competent and compelling social work practice."

In his award acceptance speech, Matthew said:

“In my job, I have the mission of advancing the profession and the professionalization of chaplaincy and of social work in what is actually the nation’s largest integrated healthcare system. I very much sense working there and being a part of what I call the Garland and Garland profession.

And for me, receiving this award isn’t about receiving it here tonight. It has become more about being and becoming the kind of person, the kind of professional and the kind of person of faith that I have been created, and called and shaped to be. It is not about past achievements. It is about faithfully living up to the gift of teaching and mentoring that I received from the faculty and staff here.

Laine Scales and Helen Harris, David Sherwood, Gaynor Yancey and of course, Diana Garland, all profoundly shaped my years of MSW studies here. I want to tell you that I have not always lived up to that cloud of witnesses and to what they know I can do, but this award reminds me that it is not always the living up to, but the striving for that counts.

As director of Chaplain & Social Work Professional Services and the social work executive at the VA, I am able to use both my MDiv degree in chaplaincy training and my MSW degree and my clinical social work training. Helen [Dr. Harris] thanks for that clinical social work license kick in the pants.

It did open all the doors you said it would, and I am glad to say that you were right.” ◆

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PHDupdate

GSSW PhD program grows in students and structure phd

program

welcomes

second

by elizabeth starr

T

HE GSSW PHD IN SOCIAL Work program was designed to train groups of social work educators and researchers to address the complex social issues of today’s society. Drs. Jim Ellor and Rob Rogers, co-directors of the PhD program, provided updates on the year’s events and an inside look at the program’s structure.

Unlike graduates from any other program of its kind, PhD students graduating from the GSSW will have the opportunity to take classes of a particularly specialized subject matter.

“That’s our emphasis on faith in practice,” Ellor said. “We offer three courses on that in the curriculum: bridging ethics and faith; culture and faith; and public policy and faith.”

Another unique aspect of the program, Rogers and Ellor agree, is the exposure to technology students gain by the program’s end. Through synchronous videoconferencing, PhD students have the

cohort

,

begins

recruitment

ability to participate in classes face-to-face with their professors and fellow students, giving them an experience quite similar to an in-person classroom.

for

third

+

the hopes of completion in December.

Regina Trammel, from California, became our very first PhD alumna

Most of the PhD students hold full-time

“In many ways, [the video-conferencing] is almost jobs and are completing their coursework in like having a classroom that extends as far away as addition to fulfilling professional obligations.

Japan,” Ellor said. “At the doctoral level, we feel pretty strongly that from the GSSW, and her diploma [classes] should not be asynchronous.” was presented to her by Dr. David Garland who is currently serving Students in the first two cohorts will as Baylor's interim president. continue work on their dissertations, comprised of three publishable articles.

In both cohorts, students’ research dissertations span a multitude of topics, including mindfulness in practice (Regina Trammel, 2013 cohort), skill acquisition and enrichment of micro-generalist practice skills by social work educators (Christen Argueta, 2015 cohort) and dual professional relationships in social work (Melissa Ishio, 2013 cohort).

“One of the benefits of the threearticle format is that [students] start working on their dissertations almost at the outset of the program,” Rogers said. “50 percent of all doctoral students don’t make it to the dissertation stage, and of those, 50 percent don’t complete their dissertation. We’re shooting for 100 percent completion.”

Two students from the first cohort were pushing hard to graduate in August.

One accomplished the feat with the second close behind, with

Most of the PhD students hold full-time jobs and are completing their coursework in addition to fulfilling professional obligations.

“The structure of the program has great momentum for career efforts,” Rogers said. “They’re currently developing knowledge and skills that can make them even more valuable to the organization.”

Applications are open for the third cohort, and professors feel more prepared than ever to guide a new group of students through the program. Students in the newest cohort will have the advantage of learning from the experiences of students in the first two cohorts.

“We’ve added at least one new course and changed others around in sequence and substance, depending on what we’ve learned that the students need,” Rogers said.

“We’ve learned from the first two groups and will still probably encounter new things,” Ellor said. “It’s really about working with people and helping them as they go through the program.”

Ellor and Rogers have worked hard to develop strong curriculum, consistent support and a sensible program structure for their students. Exciting things are in store in the next year for both the incoming and outgoing PhD cohorts. ◆

Top: Second PhD cohort at the GSSW. Bottom: Our very first PhD graduate Regina Trammel. She was awarded her degree by Interim President Dr. David Garland, what an honor for him to award the first one since his wife started the program.

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Garland School of Social Work

campaignforexcellence

GSSW completing third year of fundraising campaign c a m pa i g n

T

for

excellence

raises

HE DIANA R. GARLAND School of Social Work (GSSW) depends on gifts from friends and alumni to be able to do the work we do. Gifts to the Baylor GSSW Excellence Fund enable us to meet our budget each year and do "extra" events and projects from student scholarships and faculty research to student workshops and new programs.

We see all of this as vital to the functioning of the school and to the growth and development of our students, faculty, and alumni. In 2016, we are looking to raise $295,000 in gifts to be able to meet the continued needs

funds

for

variet y

of our school.

Will you help us? It only takes 200 people to meet our goal: 100 @ $100 50 @ $500 10 @ $1000 26 @ $2500 11 @ $10,000 3 @ $25,000 Every gift counts and truly makes an impact on our school. These

of

programs

+

types of funds work for the betterment of students, faculty, staff and the communities we serve. They allow us to provide scholarships to both undergraduate and graduate students, to provide start-up costs for new programs and initiatives, faculty training and student networking opportunities We know our friends give sacrificially, and we do our best to be good stewards of your sacrifices.

Will you be one of 200 and make a lasting impact today? ◆

Meet Davin Denk, GSSW development director DAVIN JOINED THE DIANA R. GARLAND SCHOOL OF SOCIAL Work as director of Development in October of 2015. She has been with Baylor’s Development Office for seven years in various marketing and fundraising capacities. After working with the various academic units on campus, she was drawn to the educational experience and practical application of research that was apparent in the Garland School of Social Work.

She is thrilled to be part of the team, so she can help alumni and friends determine how their passions align with the school’s mission, and in turn, make a meaningful investment in the students’ lives and school's initiatives.

Davin and her husband Duke live in Waco. She is originally from Lufkin, Texas, but has lived in Waco for more than 10 years. To contact Davin, call her at (254) 710-8916. ◆

www . baylor . edu / social _ work

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facultyintroductions A

Christen Argueta

S AN UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT AT BAYLOR, Christen became a member of Baylor Chamber of Commerce and adopted the organization’s motto: “Anything for Baylor.” Christen’s life still echoes this mantra as she works as the Houston program manager.

Christen graduated from Baylor in 2004 and returned to the Baylor School of Social Work as a post-graduate research assistant after working in the field for two years. Deciding she needed more social work experience, Christen worked in various positions doing interventional work in child welfare agencies and in hospital settings for about six years. Christen had been an adjunct professor for the GSSW while she practiced. She finally became a full-time professor at the Houston Campus in 2015. She teaches the research project class and the internship class, and enjoys helping students feel comfortable with real social work situations.

“I love internships because they are the big steps of turning learning into practice,” Christen said.

Christen is now a PhD student at the GSSW. Her research interests include counseling with children and families and practices in social work education. Through Christen’s work in these areas, she’s able to understand exactly what it takes, to “create consistent and competent social workers.”

Christen and her husband, David, live in The Woodlands and have two daughters, Carys and Ardyn. ◆

E

LIZABETH IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR who joined the faculty in 2015. She is also the national spokesperson for the International OCD Foundation and founder of the Peace of Mind Foundation, a nonprofit that works to improve the quality of life for those living with OCD. After being diagnosed with OCD in her youth, Elizabeth became an advocate for mental illness awareness. Her research topics include anxiety disorders, OCD, mental health, and access to care.

Elizabeth graduated from Loyola University with her BSW and MSW and went on to get her PhD from the Graduate College of Social Work at the University of Houston. She has to appeared on various media outlets speaking out for those with mental illness. Elizabeth has won many awards for her advocacy efforts and is well-known for her expertise in mental illness research and advocacy.

Elizabeth enjoys incorporating her research into class discussions and demonstrating appropriate social work practices regarding mental health. It is important to her to be in a social work environment that incorporates faith in practice.

“The small class sizes and faculty really make the community here feel like family,” Elizabeth said.

Elizabeth lives in Houston with her two boxer pups, Layla and Maverick. ◆

Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale

K

ERRI IS A LECTURER IN THE GSSW. In the classroom, she incorporates her research topics of cultural humility, spirituality in social work practice, and social-emotional learning in schools in order to help her students understand what they may face in their own practice.

After graduating from Howard Payne University with a BA in psychology, Kerri went on to the University of Texas to get an MS in social work. She stayed in Austin, working as the school social worker for the University of Texas Elementary School, until she accepted a position with Hardin Simmons University as director of field education and assistant professor of social work.

In Kerri’s practice, she learned the importance of being self-aware in order to better appreciate the different cultures, histories, and backgrounds of others. She enjoys interacting with her students through class discussion as she helps them understand these concepts.

Kerri loves the GSSW because she came to Baylor seeking a “marriage of strong academics and faith-based education.” She appreciates the flexible, friendly environment, and caring people here.

Kerri is from a large family and has 16 nieces and nephews. Creative writing is one of her hobbies, and she is currently working on a creative non-fiction piece on biracial identity. ◆

Kerri Fisher

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Garland School of Social Work

W

HITNEY IS A GRADUATE OF THE BSW AND MSW PROGRAMS at Baylor. She came back to work for the GSSW in fall 2014. She is now a lecturer and serves as the associate director of field education.

Some of Whitney’s research interests are teen parenting, grief and infant loss, and adoption.

She worked as an adoption counselor in San Antonio for two years before working for the Baylor University Medical Center in the NICU, antepartum and postpartum units.

In Whitney’s current position, she teaches the field education class and gathers data from the field offices of student internships.

“The community here feels like home,” Whitney said. “Working with students is why we’re all here.”

Whitney said she is able to give concrete examples to students based on her firsthand experiences after practicing for several years. She enjoys teaching alongside several of the professors she had as a student in the GSSW. Whitney said interacting with the students, faculty and staff at the School of Social Work reaffirms her calling as a social worker and reignites her passion for helping others.

Whitney has been married to her husband, Brandon, for 11 years. They live in Waco with their two daughters, Hayden and Hallie. ◆

Whitney Luce

H

Dr. Holly Oxhandler

OLLY BECAME AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR at the GSSW in fall 2014 after realizing her passion for teaching. She graduated from the University of Houston with her PhD and felt compelled to work with social work students. After contacting Dr. Diana Garland to inquire about the open assistant professor position, Holly realized that Baylor was the perfect place for her.

“Baylor’s mission statement aligned perfectly with my professional goals and passions,” Holly said.

Holly’s research topics include mental health, religion, and spirituality in practice. Her interests came from experiences at the Baylor College of Medicine, where Holly worked as a research coordinator and counselor, and working on various other research projects for the University of Houston.

Through her research, Holly is able to connect social work practitioner students with concrete examples and contextualize the information they are learning. She feels most fulfilled when she is making connections with her students and helping them to understand the world of social work.

Holly enjoys working for the School of Social Work because of the support she’s experienced from all the faculty and staff. She loves the community she has found at the school.

Holly is married to Cory, and they have one daughter and one son, Callie and Oliver. ◆

C

LAY IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR WHOSE RESEARCH topics include civic engagement, society, diversity, and organizations. He currently teaches policy and welfare reform and enjoys getting to connect with his students over issues in civil social work.

As a student, Clay had wonderful experiences in sociology and social work study, both at Mississippi College and at Baylor. He graduated from Baylor with his MSW and MDiv through the dual degree program. Before coming to Baylor, he was an assistant professor at Messiah College in Grantham, Pa., and at Louisiana State University in Shreveport, La. Clay is passionate about studying the intersection of religion and civic life, and Waco has given him plenty of opportunities to grow this interest.

At the GSSW, Clay appreciates the care and compassion with which faculty, staff and students are treated.

“The care here for one another draws people in and allows us to support one another,” he said.

Clay met his wife, Lauren, when they were both students in the GSSW. Lauren is a clinical social worker at Family Health Center in Waco. They have two children, Lucy and Joshua. ◆

www . baylor . edu / social _ work

Dr. Clay Polson

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facultyintroductions E

Dr. Elissa Madden

lissa Madden joined the faculty this summer after serving as assistant professor at the University of Texas at Arlington. Her primary research interest is in child welfare, with a particular focus on ways to promote permanency for children in foster care. She is a former child welfare conservatorship worker with Child Protective Services (CPS) in Texas. She is a licensed social worker and has extensive experience working with children and families in a variety of practice settings. Prior to working at CPS, she served as a project director for a transitional housing program and as a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) social worker at a local hospital.

Additionally, Elissa serves as the assistant editor of Adoption Quarterly, a peer-reviewed international, multidisciplinary journal that addresses continuity in adoption issues.

"I cannot express how thrilled I am to join the faculty of the Garland School of Social Work.," Elissa said. "As a two-time graduate of the school and a native of Waco, there is nowhere else I would rather be. My love of the profession started at Baylor so coming back to teach and research is truly like coming home."

Elissa is married to David B. McLendon, and they are proud parents to one son, Michael. ◆

L

UCI RAMOS HOPPE HAS TAUGHT AS AN ADJUNCT FACULTY member at the Garland School of Social Work since 2009, and joined the faculty as full-time lecturer this summer. Her practice experience includes school social work and engagement in child welfare with both the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and faith-based organizations. Since 2005, she has helped lead and develop a ministry to engaged and newly married couples in the congregational setting.

Luci is an alumna of both social work programs here at Baylor and is a licensed clinical social worker. She also speaks fluent Spanish. Her interests lie in marriage enrichment, pre-marital education, congregational social work, Spanish-speaking populations and immigration.

Family is the birthplace of Luci’s love for stories of resilience and hope. She is married to Brian Hoppe, and together they have two daughters, Ana and Lily Kate.

"I’m thrilled to be here!" Luci said. "The Garland School of Social Work has been a meaningful place to me for many years. This is where I discovered my call to the profession and my love of teaching, which makes it all the more meaningful to be here full time." ◆

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Luci Ramos Hoppe

Garland School of Social Work

facultyrecognition

Faculty members receive recognition by Baylor drs

.

T

yancey

&

myers

honored

HIS YEAR, BAYLOR HAS once again officially recognized the excellence we have serving on our faculty here at the Garland School of Social Work. Two faculty members received two prestigious Baylor awards.

Master Teacher Baylor University Interim President David E. Garland recently announced the designation of Master Teacher – the highest honor granted to Baylor faculty members for sustained excellence in teaching – for three faculty members including our own Dr. Gaynor Yancey.

The appointments are based on the profound impact of faculty members in the classroom and on students’ lives as judged by the record of the faculty members’ achievements and the observations of the

various nominators. Nominations may be made by former students of the nominated faculty member or by current or former staff, faculty or administrators personally familiar with the nominated faculty member’s record of teaching achievements and other contributions to teaching.

Master Teachers represent: 1. Knowledge and use of effective and engaging pedagogy 2. Advocacy for teaching and learning, as reflected by characteristics such as: a.) Passion for teaching and learning b.) Engagement of students – mentoring undergraduates and/or graduates in research, active learning classes, group work, service learning and/or community-based learning c.) Impact beyond nominee’s own

www . baylor . edu / social _ work

for

teaching

excellence

courses – e.g., curricular development, mentoring of other faculty colleagues, publications, presentations or web resources 3. Sustained (minimum 10 years at Baylor) commitment to teaching excellence.

Gaynor joined the Baylor social work faculty in 1999 and also serves as director of the Center for Family and Community Ministries at the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work. Before joining the Baylor faculty, she worked for more than 25 years as a congregational community ministries director in inner-city Philadelphia and also served four years as executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Food Bank.

During her time at Baylor, Gaynor has received more than $3.5 million in research and program grants with a focus on church and community collaboration on issues of social justice. She also has been honored with several awards, including Outstanding Teacher at Baylor in 2006, the inaugural Clovis A. Brantley Award for Outstanding Service in Christian Social Ministries in the United States, the Marie Mathis Award for Outstanding Life Achievement in Lay Ministry from the Baptist General Convention of Texas and Baylor, and the Lifetime Achievement award from the Texas National Association of Social WorkersCentral Texas chapter. Besides teaching and her community service, she currently serves as Baylor’s Faculty Ombudsperson.

Gaynor received her B.A. from East Texas Baptist University, a master’s degree in religion education from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, a master’s degree in social work from Temple University and her doctorate in social work from the University of Pennsylvania.

in

the

classroom

+

provost for review and approval. There are several categories of recognition. Dennis was awarded the tenured-teaching award for a faculty member from education, music, nursing, social work, seminary, libraries and Honors College Dennis, a Baylor alumnus, joined the faculty in 1981, as part of the gerontology faculty. When the School of Social Work was formed, he became a part of the faculty here. Since then, he has served in a number of capacities including the director of the Master of Social Work program, the director of the Baccalaureate Program in Social Work, and the director of the Civic Education Program. For 15 years, he was the associate director of the Institute for Gerontological Studies. Myers serves on the Board of Stilwell Retirement Center and the North Central Texas Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.

Dennis has provided consultation in gerontological services for human service organizations and congregations for many years. He is a licensed master social worker as well as an advanced clinical practitioner and is certified as a supervisor of licensed professional counselors. He is principal investigator for a geriatric curriculum enrichment grant funded by the Hartford Foundation and the Council on Social Work Education and is also a recipient of the grant award, "Service and Faith: The Impact on Christian Faith and Congregational Life of Organized Community Caring," funded by the Lilly Endowment. ◆

Outstanding Professor Each year, faculty members from around campus are recognized at spring graduation as Outstanding Professors. This year, among those honored was our Dr. Dennis Myers, '68.

Faculty members are asked to nominate colleagues for consideration for these awards. A university committee considers the nominations from each academic unit and makes recommendations to the

17

schoolhighlights

GSSW campus opens nearly 300 miles away, at full capacity garland

school

makes

history

THE DIANA R. GARLAND School of Social Work made history by opening the doors to a brand new campus in Downtown Houston, the first for Baylor.

A Houston campus began as a conversation in a car when someone said, hey wouldn’t it be cool if we could… and that was it! The seed was planted, and we now reap the harvest thanks to a dedicated faculty and staff in conjunction with generous donors that shared the original vision of Diana and understood what this school could offer in the city of Houston. The doors opened in August 2015, and we welcomed our first two cohorts of students…16 standard and four advanced standing. The second cohort of students began in August 2016, and for the fall of 2017, we already have a waiting

by

opening

baylor

's

first

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in

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-town +

list for our advanced standing program.

Not only are we making connections with students and prospective students, but with that comes a connection to the community for internships and field placements. We now have more than 20 affiliated field placement agencies, and 15 more with agreements in progress.

Joining us in the spring will be the George W. Truett Theological Seminary.

We have proven Baylor can be successful in Houston; now others are joining us. ◆

At left: School banner outside South Main Baptist, our campus in Houston.

Top: First Advanced Standing Cohort. Bottom: First Standard Cohort.

Interns work with children’s grief group through hospital staff

member

’s

son

and

our

AT THE HEART OF OUR mission at the Garland School of Social Work is a core desire, and that desire is to make a positive impact on the world around us. That was never more evident than when our interns, along with Assistant Professor Helen Harris, took several Saturday afternoons and worked with a grief group for children, set up through Providence Health Centers.

The group was made up children who had recently loss a loved one, most of them a primary caregiver. The GSSW group was tasked with helping the children, of all ages, work through grief.

During one special meeting, social work staff member Amber George’s son, Holden (8) taught the kids how to make

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interns

make

an

i m pac t

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the

hearts

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friendship bracelets out of tiny rubber bands. It was a big hit!

Holden said, “I thought it was neat to work with kids just like me. I just had two deaths in my family, and I could help them [the kids] and have fun.” ◆ Garland School of Social Work

News from around the Garland School of Social Work things

are

a lway s

around the school, never a dull moment + take advantage of and opportunities for peaceofmind.com/. Elizabeth was also growth and improvement to strengthen recently featured in Baylor Proud. the vision and mission of the Buckner FORMER CONGRESSMAN Chet family taking into account our cultural Edwards once again joined two policy context in Dominican Republic. classes in the fall, as he does every year. Sic Particularly a team of students and Dr. 'Em, Mr. Edwards! We appreciate your

happening

TWICE A YEAR, high-achieving high school seniors are invited to campus to participate in a weekend of activities called Invitation to Excellence, to introduce potential students to Baylor’s academic rigor and exceptional faculty. Drs. Helen Harris and David Pooler joined the group this year as they worked to have students think holistically about patient care, to determine what needs they have and to think critically about the best professionals and resources to assist them.

STUDENTS AT THE GSSW are treated to real-world experiences everyday throughout their classes and internships and at times, those come in the form of guest speakers. Dr. Helen Harris brought in Hope Lamb to talk to her class about

dedication to our students and our communities.

Sam Vo from the School of Social Work at Baylor University in Waco, Tex., helped us to create a survey and continued to help us during this process to develop more tools and programs to help the communities in which we serve either in their collective or individual needs.

Best of all is knowing that this beautiful staff and students embraces the same view: knowing that the Gospel of Christ is the most powerful weapon to transform the lives of people in every aspect of their lives.

Praise God for that!"

MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH is a top priority for a number of our faculty members, but for Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale, it has been her life's work especially since she has fought her own battle with OCD...

"Elizabeth and her family were once told her OCD was too severe to be treated but today she stands before you as

international social work. Hope is a GSSW alumna and lives and works overseas.

FROM BUCKNER DOMINICA..."For three full days we sat at the table to analyze the real needs of vulnerable communities in every aspect of life, whether spiritual, educational, financial, social, emotional, health, etc., in the context of our country. We also analyzed the structure of our Centers of Family Hope, the effectiveness of the programs and projects implemented, the strengths that we can www . baylor . edu / social _ work

someone who successfully manages her illness. She is a national spokesperson for the International Obsessive Compulsive Foundation and is a licensed therapist in Texas."

The foundation she started launched a new website full of resources to help anyone affected by OCD, and we are proud to share it with you here: www.

THE BOARD OF ADVOCATES met in Houston at our new campus for the first time last January. It was a great opportunity for board members to see the new facility and meet our historymaking students taking the first classes offered in this downtown location. At this meeting Board President David Anderson

relinquished his title as his term was up, and Patty Villareal assumed her new role in the position.

THE WORLD LOST A SOCIAL work pioneer in Diana Garland, but her work lives on. Before she passed away, her last of more than 21 books was published and is available on Amazon.com. It explores the daily lives of 25 Christian social workers who feel as though they are called to serve others and view their profession as a way to carry out that calling. It“provides a realistic view of the gritty realities of a profession that is at the forefront of serving those Jesus described as the least of these (Matthew 25).”

—Amazon summary ◆

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SNAPSHOTS 1

2

1 A little Sic 'Em, Bears action goin' on at the May Commencement, held at the Ferrell Center. 2 2016 GSSW Convocation with newly named Dean Jon Singletary presiding.

3 2016 MSW Excellence in Research Awards: Caidon Glover, Children and Families, Christina George, Physical and Mental Health, and Natalie Garcia, Community Practice.

4 Larun LeGrand, Providence DePaul Center, 2016 Task Supervisor of the Year. 5 Michael Ormsby, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 2016 Field Instructor of the Year. 6 Sydney Gunderson, 2016 BSW Intern of the Year. 7 Haley Savage, 2016 MSW Intern of the Year, Children and Families. 8 Will Ward, 2016 MSW Intern of the Year, Community Practice. 9 Dr. Jeanie Johnson, Midway ISD, 2016 Field Agency Administrator of the Year.

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10 1 Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale received the 2015 Houston Galveston Institute's Champion of Change Award. 2 Houston students in Austin for a day at the legislature. 3 BSW student Claire Moon presents at the Capstone Poster Presentation. 4 Houston student Alberto Cabrera attends a Development event. 5 Now alumna Liz Ligawa lending a helping hand in DC. 6 Ezekiel

11 www . baylor . edu / social _ work

12

Conteh of Sierra Leone discusses working through the Ebola crisis in Africa.

7 THI and Baylor Missions "Hunger in America" trip to DC. 8 Susanna Doss was the BSW speaker for Convocation 2016. 9 Meredith Beall, 2016 MSW of the Year, Physical and Mental Health. 10 Students at the Texas Legislature.

11 Houston students Hannah Rawlins and Elizabeth Suggs sit and chat at a Houston Campus event. 12 O'Brien makes the best recruiter!

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SNAPSHOTS 1

2

1 BSW Class of 2016. 2 MSW Class of 2016. 3 Dr. Myers Intro Class, fall 2016. 4 Jesse Harden delivering the MSW class speech at Convocation 2016. 5 Gerontology Scholarship Dinner 2016. 6 Faith Mamombe, GML alumna, in Zimbabwe. 7 David Pearson at the BSW Poster Presentations, May 2016. 8 GSSW remembering Diana, wearing her favorite color on the one-year anniversary of learning of her upcoming cancer battle. 9 Anthony Farfan at the BSW Poster Presentations, 2016. 10 Dr. Rob Rogers catches up with alumni at the MSW Colloquium, May 2016.

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8 1 Matt Meares, Houston MSW student, at the Field Luncheon at the Houston Campus, spring 2016. 2 Students enjoying Freebirds at the All School Picnic, fall 2016. 3 Houston students pose with their projects, excited about ending their first year! 4 Houston students inducted into the Phi Alpha Honor Society. 5 Waco students inducted in the Phi Alpha Honor Society, 2016. 6 The second cohort of Advanced Standing students in Houston. 7

9 www . baylor . edu / social _ work

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Carlos Guiterrez presents at the MSW Colloquium, just before he graduated.

8 Our second cohort of foundation students at the Houston Campus. 9 MSW student Chris Qualls looks on while, as one student put it, Dr. Yancey "makes a Shipley's box relevant to class." 10 First Houston cohort member Heather Mast at Colloquium, just before she graduated!

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Vital Nsengiyumva

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ITAL NSENGIYUMVA ALWAYS KNEW that whatever his career was, he wanted to be serving others. In 2012, Vital was working as a child protection specialist for World Vision in Kigali, Rwanda, when he received a phone call from his regional advisor, telling him about the Global Mission Leadership (GML) initiative at the Baylor GSSW. Vital decided to apply for the scholarship and began filling out the paperwork. However, for various reasons, his application got deferred for three years.

“I decided to be patient until they told me there was no other option,” Vital said. “That’s when I know that God is telling me ‘no.’”

Vital’s patience paid off when he was awarded the GML scholarship in 2015. He left his job at World Vision and prepared to come stateside, excited to fulfill his dream of obtaining an advocacy position.

“I was born in the church, and being born in [Rwanda], I was exposed to different kinds of injustice and poverty,” Vital said. “I’ve always seen these people and not been able to support them or advocate for them. When I saw this opportunity, I thought, ‘God is providing me an opportunity to have skills to take an advocacy position.’”

As an MSW student, Vital enjoys the relationships he’s made with the faculty and staff at the GSSW, who go out of their way to make sure he feels at home.

“The most positive thing was the faculty,” Vital said. “[They] made my journey easy.”

Vital’s interest in community development and policy were developed in his first-year internship with Caritas, here in Waco.

“Caritas exposed me to the issues of Waco – parenting, poverty, jobless and homeless people – which are related much to my country,” Vital said.

Vital’s goal is to return to Rwanda after graduating and help Rwandan communities become more resilient and sustainable. He sees a glaring difference between the social work measures that should be taken in communities and the current situation in Rwanda. He is passionate about making sure Rwandans are able to receive the care and assistance they desperately need.

“I want to bridge the gap between the policy-making process and what’s happening in the community.”

Vital and his wife, Rachel, have been married for six years and have two children: Bernice, 5, and Berton, 3.◆

www . baylor . edu / social _ work

by elizabeth starr

indonesia

HIANA ANGGRAENI (Dyen) of Indonesia arrived at the GSSW because of her desire for social justice. After researching professions that would allow her to make a difference in a world full of social injustices, Dyen landed on social work.

“I learned that social work is a practical profession aimed at helping people, addressing their problems and matching them with the resources they need to lead their lives to the fullest,” Dyen said.

Dyen was working for World Vision in Indonesia two years ago when she heard that the GML program at the GSSW was offering scholarships to World Vision employees who were passionate about serving the community in their native countries. Dyen decided to apply for the program because of her passion for serving children and families.

“I have a strong passion to make a difference by improving the lives of children in Indonesia and around the world,” Dyen said. “I believe in the rights of individuals, including those of every child.”

Dyen is a second-year MSW student who interned at Communities In Schools of The Heart of Texas (CIS-HOT). She worked as a case manager for CIS, building relationships with students and their families, and as she gained knowledge and skills in the classroom, Dyen said she was able to directly apply those while working for CIS. Dyen said her favorite part of the GSSW is the people she’s encountered.

“They show a gentle and professional humility,” Dyen said.

“They want to hear and learn from students, even while they’re sharing their great experiences and expertise in their subjects.”

Dyen hopes to return to Indonesia after graduation to pursue a career in family practice. She hopes to further research Indonesian family intervention programs and find ways for the country’s policies to support these programs.

“It will be a dream come true if five or 10 years from now, there are children in parts of the world that I have engaged with through my work,” Dyen said.

Dyen knows that her heart for child and family practice, along with her MSW training, will prepare her to be a social worker who is God’s ambassador of love to people of all nationalities, backgrounds and ages. ◆

Dyen (second from left) and Vital (third from left) smile with GSSW faculty and staff outside Caritas of Waco following their GML orientation.

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BSWawards

Meet the 2016 undergraduate award winners by elizabeth starr

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ISTENING TO HER TALK ABOUT HER GSSW experience with quiet confidence and assurance, you’d never know that Lindsey Belus hadn’t considered being a social worker before coming to Baylor.

“I came into Baylor as a business major, but second semester of my freshman year, I just felt like it wasn’t for me,” Lindsey said. “I went to career counseling and pretty quickly discovered that social work was the right fit. I just knew I wanted to help people.”

Lindsey knew she’d made the right decision when she became part of the welcoming, encouraging community at the GSSW. “In class, it was easy to be competitive, but everyone was always just cheering each other on,” Lindsey said. “I felt like I had the opportunity to build relationships with everyone.”

Lindsey’s ministry and missions experience led her to follow a calling by pursuing a social work degree. She hopes to work in foster care and adoption, both domestically and internationally.

One trip in particular to India during her sophomore year got Lindsey’s attention in a major way.

“I was overwhelmed by the amount of beggar children on the streets,” Lindsey said.

“They would tug on our skirts as we crossed the streets, signaling with their hands that they were hungry. I’d never seen poverty in such extreme circumstances, and I knew no child should have to live like that.”

Lindsey’s internship with Antioch Community Church’s STARS Mentoring Program allowed her to gain first-hand experience as she mentored children through book clubs at local elementary schools. She said that job gave her the opportunity to directly utilize the community development skills she studied in class.

“Another intern and I started a case management program, and many of our STARS parents contacted the church if they needed something,” Lindsey said. “We were able to set up a system for them to get the things they need, and everything I knew to do for that I learned in class.”

Lindsey graduated in May and is taking a gap year before entering the MSW program, but it won’t be much of a break.

“I plan on working with the kids’ ministry at Antioch and participating in their discipleship school,” Lindsey said. “I’d like to spend the spring semester in Europe working with the refugees there. The refugee crisis is always changing, so I’ll go wherever I’m needed.” ◆

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ENNA ESPINOSA HAS WANTED TO BECOME A social worker since she was in the seventh grade. Participating in a peer counseling program at her high school gave her some perspective into the field, and ever since, Jenna’s love for counseling has only grown.

“I loved helping people, but I knew helping doesn’t stop at passion,” Jenna said. “It needs skills and information, and I wanted to learn how to do that effectively.”

Jenna, a native of Hockington, Mass., came to Baylor wanting a change of scenery. Her mother, who graduated from Baylor, encouraged her to apply, and Jenna never regretted her decision to move to Texas.

“I visited Baylor and the GSSW and just fell in love with it,” Jenna said. “After just one intro class, there was never a question of whether or not this was right for me.”

Jenna’s interest, after focusing on poverty studies and social justice, lies in using her social work degree to work with marginalized populations. Her internship at the Salvation Army of Waco allowed her to interact with community members in need.

Additionally, her passion for community development and assistance drove Jenna to go above and beyond the requirements of her supervisors.

“I helped develop a Christmas emergency program at the Salvation Army,” Jenna said. “I really think the GSSW helps you reconcile your own values and ethics in the context of social work.”

Jenna graduated in May and is continuing her education by pursuing her MSW and, eventually, she hopes to become a community developer in areas of high poverty. She says a big part of her desire to continue serving in this way is the encouragement and instruction she’s received from the GSSW faculty.

“The faculty are so approachable and easy to build relationships with,” Jenna said. “A few have been really instrumental in shaping my idea of social work and challenged me in ways I didn’t think I would be challenged.”

Jenna’s dreams of helping those in need through furthering her education have only flourished with the support of the community at the GSSW. She’s thankful for the opportunity to learn and work among people who desire to maintain relationships and share the learning experience together. ◆ Garland School of Social Work

MSWawards

Meet the 2016 graduate-level award winners by elizabeth starr

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VEN BEFORE REALIZING SOCIAL work was the right field of study for her, Kasey Shaw knew she wanted to enter a career in which she could use her passions and talents to help others.

As a psychology and Spanish double major at HardinSimmons University, the Lubbock native decided she eventually wanted to be a counselor. She began to research graduate programs and found the Garland School of Social Work.

“Social work seemed like a really perfect fit between the clinical and practical engagement of needs,” Kasey said.

She began to do research on graduate programs for social work and quickly decided that Baylor was the right place for her.

Kasey was instantly attracted to the GSSW because of its faculty and their outstanding reputations in the social work community.

“Being at the GSSW was great because of the faculty’s engagement and desire to build relationships with students,” Kasey said. “I was constantly challenged by my colleagues and classmates – there’s a lot of room for personal and professional growth.”

During her time in the MSW program, Kasey worked as an

intern at the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities and at the Advocacy Center for Crime Victims and Children as a victim and crime trauma counselor.

“I think my last internship is part of what confirmed that this is the right fit for me,” Kasey said. “It was an honor to get to sit with people and be there for them during such hard times.”

Her work with the Advocacy Center presented new challenges almost daily, but Kasey enjoyed the fast-paced work and the ability to focus on her faith while professionally serving crime victims. She feels confident and excited about her opportunity to continue working at the Center as a counselor after graduation.

“Personally, I get a lot of significance and meaning through my faith perspective for the work,” Kasey said. “I really do feel like this is a calling.” ◆ www . baylor . edu / social _ work

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MY JIMENEZ’S LOVE FOR HIGH SCHOOL students and hunger for social justice were some of the determining factors when she was deciding on a master’s program. As an intern for The Cove, a new project of Waco ISD intended to support the city’s homeless youth, Amy had the opportunity to mentor and work with students on a daily basis.

“I’ve always loved high school kids and I led Young Life all through college,” Amy said. “It’s just a crucial time in someone’s life, especially experiencing poverty.”

Amy studied international studies during her time as an undergraduate student, but after learning more about human trafficking and working at a camp for underprivileged teenagers in the summers, she knew she wanted to serve others with her work.

“I worked with [Kanakuk’s] Kids Across America for two summers, and that was the first time I worked with high school students in a leadership capacity,” Amy said. “That was also the first time I was exposed to kids who didn’t have the same opportunities as me, just because we were born in different cities with different families.”

The more she got to know the GSSW faculty, the more Amy came to understand both the practical and emotional aspects of the social work field.

“The professors invested in us, because they know and love this field so much,” Amy said. “They wanted us to be competent and shine a great light on what social work is.”

Amy’s internship with The Cove allowed her not only to work closely with high school kids, but also to see all the work involved in establishing a nonprofit. Working to get The Cove off the ground, she served with the student advisory committee of the project, using her community practice concentration to find out exactly what homeless teens in Waco need most.

“If we wouldn't have been involving the voices of students who have been homeless, we wouldn't have been successful,” Amy said. “We created a space for their voices to be heard.”

Amy’s love for students and for the work she does impacts her perspective of social work personally and professionally.

“The kids I work with are just kids with big dreams, even despite their circumstances,” Amy said. “If people can see what God sees in a person impacted by homelessness, they’d know they have so much to offer the world.” ◆

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alumniupdates

Graduates take new positions, take on new responsibilities gssw

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GML ALUMNUS Paul Abu Conteh, MSW '15, serves as the program manager for Restore Hope in his home country of Sierra Leone, but this semester he also began as lecturer in the Department of Sociology and Social Work, at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. Paul is

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teaching two undergraduate classes, and the department has asked him to help develop an academic journal. He wanted to thank Baylor for preparing him for such "an amazing call to service."

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as the chief of supply and services.

DANA SMITH, BA '04 AND MSW '05, recently accepted a position with the Communities In Schools national office as the director of Organizational Development. She worked with Communities in Schools North Texas for nearly 11 years in a variety of capacities, most recently five years as the CEO.

BEATRIZ FLORES AGUILAR, MSW '12, excitedly shared that not only has she promoted to Major in the United States Army, but she has also been asked to serve on the planning task force for the next presidential inauguration set for January 2017,

Congratulations to all on these new adventures ◆

Alumnus lives out how social work is good business alumnus

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A DECADE AGO, many corporations wouldn’t have offered a social worker a position on staff. However, as companies are being asked to address the environmental and social impacts of their operations, social workers are ideally suited to help address stakeholder concerns.

This is where Brandon Tidwell, MSW '02, found himself in 2007.

Brandon has always been fascinated with the intersection of social work and business operations. Over the last 10 years, Brandon has served in corporate social responsibility (CSR) roles at FedEx, Darden Restaurants, Blue Shield of California and now SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

“When I worked for the New Memphis Institute, my role was to identify emerging leaders from business, non-profits and government agencies. The program immersed these professionals into the community and then asked them to use

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, agrees msw could their skills and talents to build the capacity of non-profits in Memphis.”

world

It was here that Brandon found himself at the intersection of three sectors, learning how business leaders could begin to address social and environmental issues.

“That’s when a friend recommended me for a job at FedEx, working in their charitable giving department. My role was to shape and deliver programs that engaged FedEx’s people and resources to solve social and environmental challenges," Brandon said. "We supported the development of improved transit throughout Latin America to reduce congestion and enhance the quality of life for citizens. We also invested heavily in conservation projects to improve the quality of the environment.”

After five years in CSR, Brandon began his MBA at the University of North Carolina to gain further insights and experience on how to make the case for social and environmental programs.

He moved to Darden in 2011, where he focused on seafood sustainability, environmental programs, and finding opportunities to address social and animal welfare issues. Here he was able to use his background as a social worker and community organizer to leverage corporate

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resources to solve social challenges and creating new opportunities for the business.

Brandon moved on to healthcare reform and helping Blue Shield of California live out its non-profit mission. Brandon helped re-engage the workforce in addressing community needs, created a renewable energy strategy to reduce health impacts and costs, and identified community-based programs that to improve health and connectivity for low-income individuals throughout California.

Today, Brandon has begun a new role as the director of Corporate Responsibility at Sea World. From the start, he’s used his experience as a social worker and business professional to help the company navigate how they can best address stakeholder concerns while growing the business and advancing animal welfare and conservation on a global scale.

"My passion is to tell the story about how social workers can make a positive impact in the business world," Brandon said. "Businesses can make a positive impact on the world, not just make a profit, and we can be a part of that movement! There is a role for social workers in the world of business, a set of skills not taught in business schools." ◆ Garland School of Social Work

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Alumni make waves around the state and nation in various ways alumni

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CONGRATULATIONS are in order for our alumna Beatriz Flores Aguilar, MSW '12, for being crowned Ms. Texas Belleza Latina 2016 in February.

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mission partnerships with enterprises that share common core values."

She also spends time equipping and mobilizing members to serve individually and collectively.

DESTINY FERNANDEZ, MSW '16, has been working with Prosper Waco and has developed online resources for people in the community to "Get Help

ALUMNA CASONDRA Brown, MSW '06 and BOA member, tells her story from victim to victor. In January, Casondra talked with KHOU11 about her new book and play, "Case Closed" that came out in February. Casondra was the victim of a rape when she was a teenager, and justice wasn't served for

more than 15 years after the assault.

She received a call one day from the Houston Police Department telling her they were sorry but evidence from her case had been backlogged and they were just getting around to processing the evidence. Casondra wrote a book and a stage play about her ordeal.

ALUMNA HEATHER MUSTAIN, MSW '14, serves as the minister of missions at Wilshire Baptist Church in Dallas, Tex. She was recently featured on the Baptist Women in Ministry blog, introducing us to what a minister "looks like" and the notion that the term can take many forms. Heather's primary responsibilities are to cast a vision for missions for the church and to enter into "strategic www . baylor . edu / social _ work

Locally". Her work provides once central location for citizens around the area to find help for a number of issues, from domestic violence to veterans resources.

ALEXIS CHRISTENSEN, MSW '12, recently penned a post for the National Association of Christian Social Workers' blog Shared Grace. She explores race relations, law enforcement and the role of Christian social workers in the middle. Her piece "The Call to Reconciliation" can be found here: bit.ly/2bSJAod. BRETT GREENFIELD, BSW '13 and MSW '14, recently authored a guest column in the Waco Tribune exploring the recent decision by the state of Texas to lower "the education requirement for CPS caseworkers and no longer requires even a bachelor’s degree to fulfill the full-time job responsibilities of ensuring the safety and protection of children."

Brett defends the importance of social

change makers + work education and shows the direct link between that and the well-being of the children in this system. Read more here: bit.ly/2d361b4.

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THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE of Spacecoast Living features one of our dual degree alumnas, Evelina Petrenko, MSW '09. This year, their annual arts issue contains feature profiles on five local artists, one being Evelina. She was born is Moscow but currently lives in Melbourne, Flor., and has a love of abstract expressionism. She says her art comes from her subconscious and does not plan out her pieces. Being an artist and social worker, she "sees the therapeutic benefits of painting as a way of communicating feelings."

RUCKER PRESTON, MSW '16 and Kristen Bulgrien, MSW '15, have tirelessly fought against predatory lending tactics in Texas. Rucker recently testified in Austin before the Investments and Financial Services House Committee, and the two of them participated in a documentary

by Deidox Films exploring the true story of church communities rising to protect the poor from predatory lending.

"The Ordinance" documents a groundbreaking battle in Texas towns to protect citizens from predatory lenders. The story illustrates the power of the local church to combat injustice and stand for the poor and vulnerable. When state and local governments stepped aside, Texas churches and faith-based organizations stepped up. â—†

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studentinspiration Houston graduate makes commitment to serve

-risk youth back home + to as "son" and still is today. You see, William lacked the support at home, much like most of the other youths in the Third Ward. William was one of three children to different men his mother never married, and William's father, who was never around, was shot and killed when he was just 10 years old.

"I feel like I owe most of my success to one person." William said, "and his name is Steve Gartrell."

At 13, William was part of an organization called School Yard Sports, playing basketball for them. One day, Steve, a counselor there, went around asking kids what they wanted to be when they grew up. One by one, their answers were nearly all the same: pro athletes, hip-hop rappers and R&B stars. Then Steve asked William that question, and his answer was: "I want to be a meteorologist." According to William, Steve's mind was blown, and that was the beginning of their extraordinary friendship. "[Steve] took on the role of being my dad. And to this day, he is 'Dad', and I am his son. He was never afraid to come into this violent environment and get me," William recalled, "to take me to basketball games, to show me what professional was. He just invested so much time, money, whatever you can think of in me. He was there. He was always there. He calls me God's Will."

Steve became William's friend, mentor, and father and with that came an even stronger drive to do better, be better and serve better. William was able to escape the cycle of poverty and crime of his neighborhood, not only with Steve's help, but

member of first houston cohort dreams of giving back to at

by nikki wilmoth

T

ALK TO WILLIAM FLAKES JUST ONE TIME, and you will instantly know he has a genuinely sweet spirit and a compassionate heart as he talks about his upbringing, about social work and about the at-risk youth in his old neighborhood where he longs to serve.

William was a member of the very first cohort of Advanced Standing students at the Garland School of Social Work in Downtown Houston. While opening that campus was historymaking for Baylor University, it was life-changing for William.

"I grew up in one of the roughest neighborhoods in Houston, in the Third Ward community," William said. "I never thought in my wildest dreams that I would end up at a place like Baylor University, but I applied because my professor [at the University of Houston-Downtown] was like, 'William, DO IT! DO IT!' I thought, the worst I can hear is no. So I did it, and here I am."

When you look up the definition of the word dedication, you just might find William's name there as an example.

Growing up in a drug-infested, crime-ridden neighborhood, education wasn't really encouraged nor was it considered much of an option in breaking the cycle of crime and poverty.

"Kids in my neighborhood usually dreamed of athletics or rapping as their ticket out," William said, "but I longed for more."

William explained how he owes much of his success and drive to one man, "a Caucasian" man that he became known

William and his truck, above. At right, on the road with his laptop, going to class in his truck!

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Garland School of Social Work

also with the influence of half siblings he found out about at his biological father's funeral.

"With them, Will began attending church and learning of God's presence in even the worst of times and situations," Steve wrote in a letter entitled God's Will. "It has been Will's strong faith and his desire to show that faith through his life and works that has enabled him to rise above his circumstances."

William graduated from Stephen F. Austin High School in 2000 and began college classes at the University of HoustonDowntown, majoring in Criminal Justice, but stopped and started numerous times. It was during this time, while trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life, he began working for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) as a guard in the residential treatment centers. This is where he found his calling in the field of social work.

"I just kept thinking, 'What do I really want to do? What am I really good at? What is my calling?'," William said.

"Through church and the criminal justice system, I found my calling. I noticed there was really nothing between the residential treatment centers and the penitentiary. So, I decided to finally finish my degree in social work so I can help sever that pipeline and become that in-between space."

William eventually quit TDCJ but started his own trucking company to help pay for his courses. He finally finished up his degree at UHD in 2015, and went directly into the new MSW program at the GSSW in Houston. Even though he had his degree in social work, he admitted he was a bit overwhelmed with graduate studies, with working, with being a family man.

But he was so determined to earn his MSW he even attended classes from the cab of his semi using Wi-Fi! "When I got there [GSSW-Houston], it’s funny because

when I would feel so behind I would think to myself 'Everyone knows more than me!'" William said. "I didn’t even know what theories were. Or what therapies were. I just really knew one thing, and that was to be solutionfocused. My Dad said, 'Will, they may have more book knowledge, but William and his family daughters Makayla you've lived social work! and Katelynn, son William and wife, of 19 You've got this!'" years, Tiffany.

And he did! Will graduated in May with a 3.9 GPA, and has ONE goal in mind—to start a non-profit to meet head-on the challenge he saw while working for TDCJ, to sever the pipeline from poverty-stricken neighborhoods to the prison system.

"I have already started it [his nonprofit], and it’s called The CORE. It centers around revitalization and empowerment and will focus on helping at-risk youth," William said.

He has already formed a board and is currently looking for funding and a location in the Houston area. His programs will be after-school and athletic-based and will include job training skills and education.

"I basically want to give kids healthy opportunities that will help them transition into the real world, and minimize opportunities for crime and prison," William said. "I literally come from nothing, but I am living proof that all things are possible, and I just want to be what God needs me to be for someone else." ◆

Left: William being hooded at the GSSW convocation. Right: William being interviewed by KWTX's Brandon Marshall, along with Dr. Rob Rogers, at convocation. www . baylor . edu / social _ work

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communityimpact

Research helped lead to Waco-area mobile farm stand msw

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by nikki wilmoth

H

OW FAR DO YOU HAVE TO drive to find groceries for your family? Do you have a car to get you to the grocery store? Access to healthy food is something many people take for granted, especially when it comes easily.

But not everyone has the luxury of easy access to affordable, nutritious food, and geographical regions without that kind of access are called food deserts.

The Garland School of Social Work (GSSW) knows a bit about food deserts. We say here at the GSSW that research is at the heart of what we do. And not research just for research’s sake, but research that has the potential to make a difference in the lives of individuals and communities.

The World Hunger Relief Veggie Van was born out of just that kind of research—research on food deserts in Waco by an MSW class at the GSSW. According to Matt Hess, executive director of World Hunger Relief, Inc. (WHRI), the research produced by this class, along with discussions through Live Well Waco (the healthy living arm of Prosper Waco), led WHRI to develop a new project to combat these food deserts.

“The Veggie Van isn’t a new idea,” Matt said. “It’s an idea that has been around since the time people started growing and selling vegetables, and it’s not all that revolutionary to put vegetables in a movable cart of some sort

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to make it easier to purchase. The idea of creating one in Waco floated around a few times at a number of community meetings. This MSW class’s research, though, found the academic research and examples of successful programs that tied food deserts to food security but especially to malnutrition, obesity, and other diet-related diseases.”

The research through the GSSW class helped guide Matt and his group from WHRI, in partnership with other groups in the area, in the development and implementation of the Veggie Van. The class presented their research that showed best practices they discovered from around the country, some of which Matt said was already being investigated by the Waco-McLennan County Health District and other groups, and some of which seemed like more long-term goals. What they thought could be “pulled-off” pretty quickly in Waco was a mobile farm stand of some kind.

“There was me and approximately half a dozen other representatives from other non-profits there for the presentation, and we all looked at each other and said ‘You should do that!’” Matt laughed and said. “It eventually came down to the fact that most non profits are not set up to sell things, and we were; a quarter to a third of our income comes from point-of-sale products or services, so we took the lead on it.”

From there, Matt took the information from the students’ presentation and reformatted into grant applications and now even shares the research with others from around the state and country looking to combat food deserts, food insecurity, and diet-related health issues.

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+ The Veggie Van is now working toward a number of measurable outcomes including the top key metric for Live Well Waco: community obesity rates. With that in mind, the Veggie Van hopes to help reduce the obesity rates of McLennan County by five percent by 2020.

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“We currently have 12 locations we serve, but we have been very intentional about serving all of Waco,” Matt added. “We want to make it as accessible and affordable as possible for everyone. We provide 50% discounts on vegetables to those on SNAP and to senior citizens and provide healthy, nutritious food to those living in those food desserts including at the Waco Downtown Farmers Market.

We hope to continue to expand as we grow, and we will get there!”

The Veggie Van project and research is not the first time WHRI has worked with the GSSW. The group has hired a number of GSSW interns and alumni dating all the way back to 2003.

“We developed a program with a social work intern in the early 2000s, maybe 2004 or so, called Living on the Other Side [LOTUS], a global poverty service learning program for youth and adults,” Matt said. “Individuals and groups can come and stay overnight in an experiential-type learning environment to better understand what life is like for the millions of hungry people around the world.”

This LOTUS project, developed in conjunction with a GSSW student, is still part of the programming at WHRI today. Impact. It is what we strive for at the Garland School, by turning students into alumni who are passionate, caring and competent and who make an impact on the world around them. ◆ Garland School of Social Work

facultyactivity Publications: Crow, J.. R., Myers, D. R., Ellor, J. W., Dolan, S. L., and Morissette, S. (2016) Military Deployment of an Adult Child: Ambiguous Loss and Boundary Ambiguity Reflected in the Experiences of Parents of Service Members. Marriage & Family Review. Posted on-line December 2015, vol. 52.

Ellor, J. W., (2017) Spirituality, Cathy Cress, Handbook of Geriatric Case Management (4th ed), Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning. Pp. 173-185.

Ellor, J.W., Bowen, J. (2016) Spirituality and Aging, found in Rudolph, P, Perkinson, P., (EDS). Occupational Therapy with Aging Adults: Promoting Quality of Life through Collaborative Practice, St. Louis, Elsevier Press. Pp. 289-299.

Ellor, J. W., & Dolan, S. (2016). Lessons Learned from Disaster Behavioral Health for Social Workers and Congregations. Social Work and Christianity.

Harris, H. (2015). Much to do about protest: The Keith-Lucas theory for mourning. Social Work & Christianity: An International Journal, 42(4), 413-429.

Harris, H. (In Press-2016). The helping process and Christian beliefs: Insights from Alan Keith-Lucas. In T.L. Scales and M. Kelly, Editors (Eds). Christianity and social work: Readings on the Integration of Christian Faith and Social Work Practice (5th ed.). New York, NY: North American Association of Christians in Social Work.

Harris, H., & Kramer, C. (In Press). Perinatal loss and grief: Part one-The pain and the promise. The Journal of Family and Community Ministries, 28(1), 108-129.

Harris, H., & Kramer, C. (In Press).

Perinatal loss and grief: Part two-An awakening spiritual role and response.

The Journal of Family and Community

www . baylor . edu / social _ work

Ministries, 28(1), 130-145.

Harris, H., Lee, C., Yancey, G. (2015).

Cognition in adult bereavement: Preliminary findings from five hospice bereavement focus groups. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care, 11(3-4), 283-306.

Harris, H. & Scheibner, A. (2015). Learning to give voice in ministry to persons with dementia: Student monologues.

Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging. 27(1), 34-47 issn:1552-8030 McIngvale, E. (2015). What Does OCD Look Like? Me. International OCD Foundation Newsletter, Vol. 29, Issue 4,Winter 2015.

McIngvale, Elizabeth, Patrick S. Bordnick & John Hart (2015). A Self-help Website for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: Who is Accessing the Website? Journal of Technology in Human Services, 33:2, 191-203, DOI: 10.1080/15228835.2015.1027030.

Polson, E. C. (2015). Putting civic participation in context: Examining the effects of congregational structure and culture. Review of Religious Research.

Advance online publication. doi: 10.1007/s1364401502234 Polson, E. C. (2015). Social diversity and civic engagement: The effects of ethnic and social heterogeneity on the community involvement of American congregations. Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly. 44(5), 968-987.

Presentations: Arroyo, C. Useful Things I Learned in my First Year as a Baylor Lecturer. Academy for Teaching and Learning Panel for Lecturers, 27 October 2015.

Arroyo, C. Deconstructing Stereotyping.

Microteaching Demonstration, Baylor University Adjunct Teaching Workshop, 8 August 2015.

Bell, J., McIngvale, E., Smith, E.S. & Vitale, R. (2015). How I became an IOCDF spokesperson: A journey to advocacy, International OCD Foundation Conference, Boston, MA. Bell, J., McIngvale, E., Smith, E.S. & Vitale, R. (2015). Everyone orientation, International OCD Foundation Conference, Boston, MA Dickey, J. (2015) International social work: Here and now- Ethical implications for domestic practice. (3 hour CEU Training), Buckner International Staff Retreat, Burnett, TX Fisher, Kerri (January, 2015) Cultural Humility as a Spiritual Practice: Why Christians Must See Color. Christian Association of Student Learners, Hardin Simmons University, Abilene, TX. Fisher, Kerri (May, 2015) Worlds Apart: Intergenerational Service Provision for Millennials, “X”ers, Boomers and other alien life forms. Child Welfare Conference, Stephenville, TX. Harris, H. (2015). Lived Experiences of People who identify as LGBT and Christian. Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting.

Denver, Colorado.

Harris, H. (2015). Ethics in Teams: Compass or Code. Children’s Hospital.

Dallas, TX. Harris, H. (2015). The Cognitive Impact of Grief in Children: ADHD or ????.

Association for Death Education and Counseling, San Antonio, TX. Leis, K., McIngvale, E., Smalley, T., Trondsen, C. (2015). Coping with Angry Outbursts: OCD and Anger, International OCD Foundation Conference, Boston, MA McIngvale, E., (2015) Keynote speaker, From Sufferer to Advocate: The Power (cont. on pg. 34)

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recruitmentfocus

Meet our new enrollment and alumni services director DR. CRYSTAL DIAZ-ESPINOZA, MEd '10, BA '06, could not be more excited about coming home to Baylor University. After leaving Waco to pursue her PhD in Tennessee, and working for the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, she is now back at Baylor as the director of Enrollment and Alumni Services at the GSSW. With a renewed vigor for recruitment, Crystal's background and research in the field of enrollment management will only bring a spark to recruitment efforts for all three programs.

"I’m so excited about the energy around graduate recruitment and the focus on intentionally growing our programs," Crystal said.

"As an alum, I believe that what Baylor offers students is second to none, and I am looking forward to helping expand our programs and be more visible within the state and across the country."

Crystal explained how her overall goal for the office is to leverage the strong foundation that has already been built and take enrollment efforts, particularly for graduate programs, to the next level. She hopes to plan intentionally created targeted recruitment strategies. She hopes to find as many ways as possible for prospective students to connect with faculty and current students.

Crystal also hopes to do more in the areas of career and professional development and alumni engagement.

"We hope to begin offering monthly seminars to help students think about ways to enhance their professional skills," she added, "and we aim to create more virtual space for alumni to share their stories and let us know how we can serve them. Alumni met with our office last spring and gave us some wonderful insight on how we can better engage with them, and we are looking forward to implementing some of those ideas. In the short time I’ve been here, I already know what GSSW offers students is unmatched in the country, and I hope to find ways for us to tell our story to as many people as we can so they know they can find a home in Waco or Houston as they pursue their graduate degree."

Crystal and her husband, Mito, moved back this summer and are excited about looking for a new home in the Waco area. ◆

Faculty Activity (cont.)

of Helping, OCD Georgia, Atlanta, GA.

McIngvale, E. & McIngvale, J., (2015) Keynote speakers, The Walk for Mental Health Awareness 4th Annual Luncheon, Ripley House, Houston, TX. McIngvale, E., Sisson, M. & Trondsen, C. (2015). The Hidden Side of OCD: Addiction, Depression, and Suicide, International OCD Foundation Conference, Boston, MA. McIngvale, E., Van Kirk, N., Bjorgvinsson, R., Baither, R., & Elias, J.A. (2015). Enhancing therapeutic outcomes from both sides of the couch: Bridging the gap between patient

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and practitioner in order to enhance treatment outcomes. 22nd annual conference of the International OCD Foundation, Boston, MA. *Parrish, D. E., Oxhandler, H.K., Duron, J., & Bordnick, P. (2015, January).

Feasibility of virtual reality environments for adolescent social anxiety disorder. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Social Work & Research, New Orleans, LA. Polson, E. C. (November 2015). Putting civic participation in context: Examining the effects of congregational structure and culture. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action, Chicago, IL.

Stanley, M.A., McIngvale, E., Van Kirk, N., Shy, S. & Mathew, S. (2015).

Recognition and Treatment of OCD among Veterans and Active Duty Military Personnel, 22nd annual conference of the International OCD Foundation, Boston, MA. Major Awards: McIngvale, E., Speaker and Recipient of the 2015 Houston Galveston Institute’s Champion of Change Award, Houston, TX. Myers, D., University Outstanding Teaching Award (Tenured Faculty).

School of Social Work (2016).

Yancey, G., Baylor University Master Teacher Award (2016).

Garland School of Social Work

legacyaward

First Diana R. Garland Legacy Award presented longtime

school

of

social

by nikki wilmoth

AS WE LIVE INTO OUR NEW culture without Founding Dean Diana Garland, we do not live without her legacy here at the school or in the field. Just this summer, a new task force at the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) commissioned a task force on clergy misconduct, Diana's research passion, in her memory.

Just like the CBF, we feel her presence all around us, sometimes in a classroom discussion, sometimes in a committee meeting and sometimes in the compassion of others. It is that compassion that moved us to create a special award given in memory of Diana, recognizing outstanding work in and around social work education and advocacy. At this year's Family Dinner, we presented the very first Diana R. Garland Legacy Award.

"There was a lot of energy in the school supporting an award for someone who shares Diana’s vision for social impact," Dean Jon Singletary said. "The faculty and staff loved the idea and they were all on the same page about who should be recognized first."

The first award was presented to Ms. Patricia Ayres.

Pat stood alongside Diana when the idea of a School of Social Work was only a dream. Back then, the program was very small, but Pat shared the vision and desire to see the program grow into a nationally renowned example of social work, built upon the integration of faith and ethical practice. Pat once reflected about how once the social work program moved into the parking garage, administration would hold meetings during campus class change so people could see how the building shook as all the cars came and went out of the garage, and Pat joined in pursuit of a building.

Diana knew that for the program to www . baylor . edu / social _ work

work

supporter

first

awa r d e e

of

legacy

awa r d

+

grow into a school, she needed not only backing from friends, social workers, and others in the field, but also endowment that would live in perpetuity. The Diana R. Garland Endowed Chair in Child and Family Studies put a stake in the ground for the school to be established and grow, and Pat played a

significant role in making that happen and in rallying other supporters to partner in the effort. For more than 40 years, Pat has shown commitment to issues of social justice, political advocacy, children and families and environmental concerns through service on boards of various organizations, like Texans Care for Children and Bread for the World. She was so pleased when the school became a school, and to see social work in a Christian context. She truly lives out the vision and impact Diana valued so deeply.

"Pat Ayres has been a wonderful advocate for Baylor Social Work since its early days. She not only served on our board, but is an active voice promoting the school and the value of the integration of faith and ethical practice, just as loudly as she has

promoted awareness of other important issues around the country," Davin Denk, GSSW development director, added.

Congratulations, Pat Ayres…thank you for being such a tireless advocate for the Garland School of Social Work and the impact it can make on individuals and communities around the world. ◆

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DIANA R. GARLAND SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

One Bear Place #97320 Waco, TX 76798-7320

CALENDAR

of events

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nov 3-6 17-20 23-25

FIND FREE RESOURCES AND RELEVANT RESEARCH Did you know you are eligible for a free subscription to The Journal of Family and Community Ministries? The Journal is full of practical resources and research relevant to all aspects of ministry from senior adults and congregations to education and coping with suicide. And it is all free! Just click on subscribe at www.familyandcommunitymisitries.org. There is also a free print version dedicated to Diana R. Garland. If you are interested in receiving it, you may find information on the journal's website, as well.

ober 2016 Fall Preview Day - Houston Fall Break Fall Preview Day - Waco ember 2016 CSWE Conference (Atlanta) NACSW Conference (Cincinnati) Thanksgiving Break

december 2

5 Last Day of Class january 20

9 First Day of Class

16 MLK Holiday march

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2017

6-10 Spring Break

COME SOCIALIZE WITH US

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