UA SSW 2025 Progress Report

PROGRESS REPORT

2025

CREATING LEGENDARY CHANGE

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

TEACHING. ADVOCATING. MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

OUR MISSION

The University of Alabama 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.

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, research-based 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.

SCAN THE QR CODE TO VISIT OUR STRATEGIC PLAN DASHBOARD

RANKINGS, FACTS, & FIGURE

TOP 25 Online MSW

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

25TH Affordability

28TH

19:1 Student:Faculty Ratio

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

$5.3M

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

191,450 Hours

Annual Community Service

Ranked 25th Nationally for Affordable Online Master’s

BLACK BELT INTERNSHIP INITIATIVE

The School of Social Work’s Black Belt Internship Initiative continues to strengthen communities across rural Alabama, with students contributing over 80,000 hours of service in 17 counties during the 2024–2025 year, creating an estimated $2.7 million economic impact.

Launched in 2023, the initiative provides students with immersive, community-driven practicum placements, such as helping establish the Selma-Dallas County Children’s Policy Alliance with 21 local partners,while building a pipeline of future social work professionals dedicated to serving the Black Belt region.

Scan the QR Code to view our 2025 Black Belt Internship Initiative video

MEGAN DAVENPORT MSW Practicum Coordinator & Instructor

DR. DONNA T. HORNSBY Clinical Assistant Professor

DR. LACEY JENKINS Assistant Professor

DR. VANESSA L. JONES Clinical Assistant Professor

MEET OUR NEW FACULTY! The University of Alabama School of Social Work proudly welcomes our newest faculty members, whose knowledge, passion, and commitment will impact our community and strengthen our mission to advance 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 leading legendary change in the field of social work.

DR. PHILIP KIERCE Clinical Assistant Professor

JOHNNA MATTHEWS Instructor

CHRISTA MCCRORIE Continuing Education Coordinator & Instructor

DR. PEIYUAN ZHANG Assistant Professor

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR NEW FACULTY ADDITIONS HERE!

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 that impact communities locally and globally.

DR. BRIAN BRIDE Received a $2.4 million grant from HRSA to support workforce development training across Alabama for mental health services.

DR. LINDAMARIE OLSON

DR. TENESHA LITTLETON Conducting funded research about the health, social, and economic needs among custodial grandparents raising their children in the Alabama Black Belt.

Selected as an inaugural fellow of the Alabama Life Research Institute (ALRI) to examine how brain imaging technology can lead to better understanding about trauma among youth.

DR. NICOLE RUGGIANO Selected as a Council on Research Leadership Fellow by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU).

OUR FACULTY LEADERS

DR. HYUNJIN NOH DR. SHERRON WILKES Appointed by Kay Ivey to the Advisory Received the CSWE award for Early Board for the Governor's Office of Minority Career Faculty Service and Leadership Affairs in Social Work Education

DR. NICOLE RUGGIANO Named the Chair of the AL House Alzheimer's Task Force Subcommittee on Research & Innovation

DR. DALILA JOHN Named a Faculty Teaching Fellow by the University of Alabama Teaching Academy

AMY MCLEAN Accepted into the CSWE Teaching Academy

RAHIM THAWER Awarded the Leader Award by the Toronto Area Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW)

DR. TENESHA LITTLETON Selected as a RCMAR Scholar by The Resource Center for Minority Aging Research

DR. LINDAMARIE OLSON Alabama Life Research Institute Research Fellow

A YEAR OF EVENTS During the 2024-2025 year, the School of Social Work hosted a wide range of events that impacted our 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, leadership, and growth.

VISIT THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK’S EVENTS PAGE

CSWE APM The UA School of Social Work is proud to have had many of it’s faculty and students present at the 2024 Annual Council on Social Work Education Conference.

WASHINGTON DC POLICY & ADVOCACY FLY-IN

ALUMNI TAILGATE

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.

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

The 2024 Tailgate featured the 2nd Annual Alumni Awards.

ALABAMA SOCIAL WORK HALL OF FAME The School of Social Work was honored to induct dedicated social work leader James Slaughter into the Alabama Social Work Hall of Fame.

VOTING CAMPAIGN

During the fall, we launched a voting campaign encouraging students to register and head to the polls, highlighting the importance of civic engagement in social work’s mission to amplify voices and create legendary change.

This year, the School of Social Work proudly celebrates 60 years since its establishment in 1965—marking six decades of legendary change. Since its founding, the School has been dedicated to educating compassionate and skilled social work professionals who advance equity, service, and justice in their communities. The 60th anniversary serves as a time to honor our rich history, recognize the lasting impact of our students, alumni, faculty, and staff, and celebrate the School’s continued commitment to transforming lives through social work. Through special events and storytelling initiatives, we are reflecting on our legacy while looking ahead to the next 60 years of innovation and impact.

RESEARCH

A STORY IN NUMBERS RESEARCH FUNDING

13TH NEW AWARDS LED OR SUPPORTED

BY SSW

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

NUMBER OF FACULTY-STUDENT PARTNERSHIPS FOR RESEARCH

26

PROPOSALS SUBMITTED

BY SSW FACULTY

$19.3M

CONTINUING AWARDS LED BY SSW

AWARDS SUPPORTED BY SSW 11 CONTINUING

43 PROPOSALS SUBMITTED 15 WITH SSW COLLABORATORS

$6M 27%

TENURE TRACK ASSISTANT PROFESSORS WITH GRANT FUNDING

9 6

NEW AWARDS LED BY SSW NEW AWARDS SUPPORTED BY SSW

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

DISSEMINATING KNOWLEDGE

INCREASE IN ANNUAL PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

96

124

CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOP PRESENTATIONS

OUR STUDENT LEADERS Aaliyah Gates Named CSWE Minority Fellowship Program Master's Fellow MSW Student Aaliyah Gates was selected as a 2025-2026 CSWE Master’s Minority Fellowship Program Fellow, a prestigious national program supporting social work students dedicated to addressing mental health and substance use needs in racial and ethnic minority communities.

Elisa Robinson Named BSW Program Representative on the CSWE Board of Directors BSW Student Elisa Robinson has been elected to serve on the CSWE Board of Directors as the BSW Program Representative. She brings a deep commitment to social and economic justice, paired with a strong work ethic and leadership, offering a valuable perspective that will help advance social work education nationally and internationally.

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 3,200 gifts contributed by 920 dedicated donors. Together, these contributions have reached an impressive total of $7.1 million, fueling our mission to create a lasting impact in social work education, research, and community service.

21 NEW SCHOLARSHIPS 2 ENDOWED FACULTY POSITIONS 59% OF SUPPORT FROM SCHOLARSHIPS 15% OF SUPPORT HAS COME FROM PROGRAM SUPPORT, INCLUDING THE DC FLY IN

221 FIRST TIME DONORS 27% OF SUPPORT FROM FACULTY $7.1M IN GIFTS FROM OVER 3200 GIFTS

The University of Alabama School of Social Work Box 870314 | 670 Judy Bonner Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0314 Telephone: (205) 348-7027 | Email: ssw@ua.edu socialwork.ua.edu