2024 Progress Report | The University of Alabama School of Social Work's Annual Report

PROGRESS REPORT

2024

CREATING LEGENDARY CHANGE

TEACHING. ADVOCATING. MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

OUR MISSION The University of Alabama’s School of Social Work prepares scholar-practitioners and researchers committed to ending adverse social conditions and promoting societal well-being through teaching, research and service.

LEGENDARY CHANGE. "Legendary Change," our school's new theme and hashtag, embodies the University of Alabama School of Social Work's unwavering commitment to transforming communities and improving lives through innovative teaching, impactful research, and dedicated service. Rooted in our mission to prepare scholar-practitioners and researchers, Legendary Change reflects the tireless efforts of our students and faculty to tackle pressing social challenges, dismantle systemic barriers, and promote societal well-being. Our students are not just advocates for change but leaders in creating lasting, transformative impacts that resonate across generations. Through their work, they carry forward a legacy of social justice, equity, and empowerment—truly making a legendary difference in the world.

A MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN DR. SCHNAVIA SMITH HATCHER I’m excited to present the school’s annual progress report, celebrating our achievements, and eagerly looking forward to the future. As we reflect on the past year, it’s clear that our commitment to excellence in education, student advocacy, and professional development continues to thrive. Our students have embraced international internships in countries like Spain, Ghana, Guatemala, and Ireland, gaining invaluable cross-cultural experiences that foster personal growth and enhance their professional development. These experiences equip them to navigate the complex challenges of today’s world, reinforcing the global perspective essential to modern social work.

Our experiential learning program remains a cornerstone of our curriculum, offering hands-on opportunities that bridge classroom learning with real-world application. Through these placements, our students are making a meaningful impact on individuals, families, and communities, showcasing the essential role of social work in society. In addition, students demonstrated their dedication to social justice and advocacy during the Washington, D.C. Policy and Advocacy Fly-In, where they actively engaged with policymakers. This year, we saw a record number of participants, and we expect this momentum to continue. As we look ahead, we’re excited about the opportunities before us and remain dedicated to innovation and excellence. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our faculty, staff, students, and partners for their unwavering support. Together, we are shaping a brighter future for social work.

Schnavia Smith Hatcher

RANKINGS, FACTS, & FIGURE

25TH

TOP 25

Affordability

Online MSW

19:1 Student:Faculty Ratio

Ranked in the Top 25 Online Master in Social Work — College Choice

28TH

Best MSW Program Best Graduate School in the U.S. and 18th Among Public Graduate Schools — U.S. News & World Report

191,450 Hours

$5.3M Total Endowments $2.8 million of this amount is in scholarship endowments

Annual Community Service

Ranked 25th Nationally for Affordable Online Master’s

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK’S STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL 1 EDUCATION Offer distinctive curricular programs that provide our students with an exceptional learning experience to prepare them as global citizens.

GOAL 2 RESEARCH & SCHOLARSHIP Cultivate interdisciplinary, community-engaged, researchbased knowledge to address social problems, transform lives and develop solutions & future researchers that change our world for the better.

GOAL 3 CULTURE Promote a healthy environment with broad representation to support the contributions of a range of leaders with distinctive ideas within the discipline and to promote the overall wellbeing of our faculty, staff and students.

GOAL 4 SERVICE & OUTREACH Promote a healthy environment with broad representation to support the contributions of a range of leaders with distinctive ideas within the discipline and to promote the overall wellbeing of our faculty, staff and students.

OUR MISSION The University of Alabama’s School of Social Work prepares scholarpractitioners and researchers committed to ending adverse social conditions and promoting societal well-being through teaching, research and service.

Teaching Research Service

DR. BRIAN BRIDE Hill Crest Endowed Chair in Mental Health

DR. SAMANTHA GUZ Assistant Professor

KEISHA PICKENS Instructor

RAHIM THAWER Instructor

DISTINGUISHED ADDITIONS TO OUR EXCEPTIONAL TEAM The University of Alabama School of Social Work proudly hosts distinguished faculty renowned for their expertise, research, and dedication to advancing social change. This year, we are excited to welcome new additions to our faculty, who bring fresh perspectives and innovative approaches to both research and practice, further enriching our commitment to fostering legendary change in the field of social work.

LEGENDARY FACULTY. LEGENDARY IMPACT. The faculty at The University of Alabama School of Social Work are dedicated to creating a lasting impact through innovative research, leadership, and a commitment to addressing critical social issues in communities locally and globally.

DR. ELLEN CSIKAI Conducting Fulbright-funded research in Murcia, Spain

DR. CATHERIN CARLSON Conducting funded research in Uganda and the Philippines

DR. HEE YUN LEE Conducting funded research in Korea

DR. NICOLE RUGGIANO Visiting Scholar at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland

FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS

DR. HYUNJIN NOH Chosen as a Sojourns Scholar Leadership Fellow by the Cambia Health Foundation

DR. SHERRON WILKES Named 2023 Social Work Pioneer 51st Alabama-Mississippi Social Work Education Conference

DR. SCHNAVIA SMITH HATCHER Nominated to the Grand Challenges for Social Work Leadership Board and appointed to the Executive Committee

DR. DALILA JOHN Appointed to CSWE's CRECD Council

DR. SEBRENA JACKSON Received the CSWE award for Distinguished Recent Contributions to Social Work Education Award

DR. LAURA HOPSON Received the CSWE award for Early Career Faculty Service and Leadership in Social Work Education

DR. LAURA HOPSON Social Work Month Award for Empowering Social Workers

DR. LAURA HOPSON Selected as a RCMAR Scholar by The Resource Center for Minority Aging Research

DR. LEAH CHEATHAM AND BRENDA SMITH Appointed as Co-Editors-In-Chief for high-impact journal, Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal

DR. LEAH CHEATHAM AND BRENDA SMITH Appointed as Co-Editors-In-Chief for high-impact journal, Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal

A YEAR OF EVENTS During the 2023- 2024 year, the School of Social Work hosted a wide range of events that fostered community, inspired learning, and celebrated our students, faculty, and alumni. From professional development and engaging workshops to community service initiatives and networking events, each gathering strengthened our commitment to social work excellence and our mission of creating #LegendaryChange. These events offered invaluable opportunities for connection and growth.

VISIT THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK’S EVENTS PAGE https://bit.ly/UA-SSW-Events

CSWE APM The UA School of Social Work is proud to have had many of it’s faculty and students present at the 2023 Annual Council on Social Work Education Conference.

HOMECOMING TAILGATE The Annual School of Social Work Alumni Tailgate is a tradition that brings together our Alumni and celebrates the impact they making.

The 2023 Tailgate featured the 1st Annual Alumni Awards.

ALABAMA SOCIAL WORK HALL OF FAME The School of Social Work was honored to induct dedicated social work leaders Audrey Ellis and Beatrice Johnson into the Alabama Social Work Hall of Fame.

WASHINGTON DC POLICY & ADVOCACY FLY-IN During this two-day intensive program, students received training in policy research, analysis, and advocacy from experts at organizations such as the National Association of Social Workers, the Council on Social Work Education, and others.

DR. ETHEL HALL ANNUAL CELEBRATION Each year, the SSW honors Dr. Ethel H. Hall’s profound contributions to creating a more equitable society during Black History Month in February.

MLK UNITY MARCH The UA School of Social Work and members of the Tuscaloosa community walked as one at the 2024 MLK Unity march.

2023 UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN EXCEEDS $400,000 GOAL The School of Social Work successfully hosted the annual University of Alabama United Way campaign, aiming to raise $400,000 to support those in need throughout West Alabama. The campaign theme chosen by the school?

Supporting a Stronger World: United for Impact.

Thanks to the generosity of donors, we raised $401,643 and surpassed our goal, embodying the spirit of the campaign. This achievement reflects the collective efforts of the UA community, whose contributions are making a lasting difference both locally and beyond.

RESEARCH A STORY IN NUMBERS RESEARCH FUNDING

16TH

100% NSF RANKING AMONG SOCIAL WORK PROGRAMS IN FEDERAL RESEARCH EXPENDITURES

TNEW AWARDS LED OR SUPPORTED

BY SSW

7

$3.5M

FACULTY & PHD STUDENTS RECEIVING HONORIFIC AWARDS

TOP INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH COLLABOROTORS

26

TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSORS WITH GRANT FUNDING

AWARDS SUPPORTED BY SSW 11 CONTINUING

43 PROPOSALS SUBMITTED WITH SSW COLLABORATORS 15 PROPOSALS SUBMITTED

BY SSW FACULTY

$22.3M

113

9 6

NEW AWARDS LED BY SSW NEW AWARDS SUPPORTED BY SSW

NEW & CONTINUING EXTERNAL FUNDING FOR SSW FACULTY-INVOLVED RESEARCH PROJECTS

FACULTY & PHD STUDENTS RECEIVING HONORIFIC AWARDS

KOREA | SCOTLAND THE PHILIPPINES SPAIN | UGANDA

CONTINUING AWARDS LED BY SSW

DISSEMINATING KNOWLEDGE

99

ARTICLES SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS Outstanding Dissertation Award Doctoral student Edson Chipalo was recognized at the 2023-2024 Outstanding Graduate Student Awards Ceremony for his outstanding work on his dissertation. This award acknowledges his academic excellence and the significant contributions of his research to the field.

Terrell Richardson Named CSWE Minority Fellowship Program Doctoral Fellow Terrell Richardson, a PhD student at the University of Alabama School of Social Work, has been selected as the 2024-2025 CSWE Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) doctoral fellow. Dr. Daphne Cain is his proud advisor.

The purpose of the program is to reduce health disparities and improve health-care outcomes of racially and ethnically diverse populations by increasing the number of culturally competent behavioral health professionals with doctoral degrees available to underserved populations in the public and private nonprofit sectors.

MEET DSW CANDIDATE SHAKIMA Q and A with Shakima Tozay

Shakima Tozay, a Doctoral candidate at the University of Alabama School of Social Work, has not had the usual pathway to navigate the field of social work. Selfdescribed as a “military social worker,” Tozay is well-versed in multiple different social work disciplines and social workadjacent fields. Her introduction to the field of social work started during her time in the military as a residential addictions counselor and a foster care case worker.

After pursuing a master’s and doctorate in Social Work, Tozay was selected to be a CSWE Policy Fellow for the 2022 Cohort.

Q- First, tell us a little about yourself, your background, where you are from, where you live and what you do now. Whatever you feel comfortable sharing.

A- I was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. I joined the U.S. Navy at age 17. I have lived in many states and traveled abroad to Antarctica, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Alaska, Hawaii, and even Antarctica. My service in the military brought me to Washington State, where I currently live with my spouse. I worked as an Operations Specialist in the Navy as a radar technician while stationed on the U.S.S. Camden A.O.E. 2, stationed out of Bremerton, WA. I left the service in 2001 to pursue a different career and continue my education. I was unsure what to do, so I worked several jobs to figure out the best fit. I worked as a nurse’s aide, teacher’s assistant, foster care case aid, and residential addictions counselor. Holding many of these roles introduced me to the social services field.

Q- What first attracted you to Social Work, and what led you down this path?

A- I always say Social Work found me. I started a zig-zag path. I initially gravitated towards law, teaching, and nursing. Still, I continued to seek out social services roles because I enjoyed the work and was passionate about making a real difference in the lives of people who needed it.

Having grown up in the Bronx, I also witnessed a lot of trauma experiences at a young age. Social work’s social justice focus drew me to the profession. It was the only profession that seemed to center on advocating for disadvantaged communities and giving these communities the tools to navigate complex systems to receive the right care and services. I decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary arts and sciences with a minor in education because I was still not sold on being a social worker then. As a child, I wanted to be a teacher and saw my strengths in that light, but a shift happened for me, and I pursued my master’s in social work from the University of Washington shortly after graduating. I believe I was drawn to the versatility of the degree, and I’ve heard from co-workers in the field how significant it was to obtain the M.S.W. to move into other roles and leadership positions and be more marketable. So, I jumped both feet in, applied, and was selected for the program.

Read the Article https://bit.ly/UA_SSW_Shakima

BLACK BELT INTERNSHIP INITIATIVE Ashia Winston Serves Rural Alabama Tuscaloosa native and graduate student Aisha Winston spent the past academic year serving her local community and others in rural Alabama as part of the UA School of Social Work’s new Black Belt Internship Initiative.

“Alabama’s Black Belt holds a rich history of migration and integration of social justice and has become a region defined by its dire socioeconomic situation,” she said.

While the health disparities facing the Black Belt are not new, Winston said she sees hope in what its residents, and other advocates, are trying to accomplish.

The 2023-2024 academic year served as the pilot year for the internship program. In August four graduate students from Alabama’s Black Belt region will return home to address health care disparities. Currently, second-year master’s students chosen for the internship are required to be from that region with plans to put their education into action in those communities.

The students will work with civic leaders, state politicians and families to help find solutions for the area’s underserved population in the arenas of policy, needs and awareness, funding, and grants. Additionally, they will work with those community partners to find the gaps between needs and solutions.

Read the Article https://bit.ly/AshiaWinston_BlackBelt

ADVANCEMENT RECORD BREAKING SUPPORT The University of Alabama School of Social Work has experienced a remarkable 20% year-over-year increase in individual donors, marking our highest donor count since the onset of COVID-19. This growth reflects our supporters' strong and renewed commitment, with over 3,100 gifts contributed by 920 dedicated donors. Together, these contributions have reached an impressive total of $6.7 million, fueling our mission to create a lasting impact in social work education, research, and community service.

16 NEW SCHOLARSHIPS

210 FIRST TIME DONORS

2 ENDOWED FACULTY POSITIONS 59% OF SUPPORT FROM SCHOLARSHIPS OF SUPPORT HAS COME FROM 14% PROGRAM SUPPORT, INCLUDING THE DC FLY IN

16 NEW SCHOLARSHIPS 27% OF SUPPORT FROM FACULTY $6.7M IN GIFTS FROM OVER 3100 GIFTS

The University of Alabama School of Social Work Box 870314 670 Judy Bonner Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0314 Telephone: (205) 348-7027 Fax: (205) 348-9419