School of Social Work S.T.A.R.S. 2021

School of Social Work

S.T.A.R.S.

Celebrating Students, Teaching and Field Education, Alumni, Research and Scholarship, and Service, Advocacy, and Outreach Thursday, May 6, 2021

Mission The program mission of the School of Social Work is to prepare future social work professionals for leadership in areas of culturally-informed, community-engaged practice, policy, and research, with a particular emphasis on persistent and emerging social problems in rapidly diversifying urban areas locally, nationally, and globally.

A MESSAGE FROM THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK No one could have imagined this academic year would have continued to be impacted by COVID-19, yet we remain...

NINER STRONG We hoped to have been in person to share acknowledgements, hugs, and some final goodbyes.

However, social distancing will not stop us from celebrating virtually! Please enjoy this remote version of S.T.A.R.S. as we celebrate our Students, Faculty, Alumni, and Community Partners.

- School of Social Work

GOOD NEWS! We wanted to start the S.T.A.R.S. event off with some wonderful news from around the School of Social Work that was submitted to us.

Vanessa Brache, BSW Class of 2021, will be starting the MSW Advanced Standing Program at UNC Charlotte this summer!

Jessica Bravo, Advanced Standing MSW Class of 2022, has been awarded the Zonta Scholarship!

The Zonta Club Scholarship was established by former members of this organization of professional women to support increased access to education for women. This scholarship was made possible by the generous contribution of The Zonta International Charlotte Chapter.

Caleigh Greenhill, BSW Class of 2021, will be starting the MSW Advanced Standing Program at UNC Charlotte this summer!

Maria Navarro, BSW Class of 2021, was hired by Pats Place Child Advocacy Center, the field placement agency for BSW, as a part-time Family Advocate over the summer. Maria will be starting the MSW program at UNC Charlotte!

Abaigeal Peck, BSW Class of 2021, has been accepted to the Advanced Standing Macro Track Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore!

Breanna Ussery, MSW Class of 2021, has been hired by Atrium Health Behavioral Health!

We wish all of our 2021 BSW and MSW graduates nothing but the best with their exciting next steps! We look forward to engaging with our new and continuing social work students, faculty, and staff in 2021-2022!

YEARS OF SERVICE For nearly 50 years, moving from a concentration, to a department, and now a School, the School of Social Work has produced strong social workers that contribute to our community and beyond. It's with great pleasure that we acknowledge those who continue to pour into our students and unit.

THANK YOU!

5 YEARS OF SERVICE Dr. Schnavia Hatcher Leigh Norwood Levacy Smith

15 YEARS OF SERVICE Dr. Shanti Kulkarni

30 YEARS OF SERVICE Dr. James Dudley

CHILD WELFARE SCHOLARS

The Collaborative is a university-based partnership that provides statewide educational and professional support to prepare BSW and MSW students for careers in public child welfare.

Moses Balls Lacy Brigman Lydia (Leigh) Fransen Haley Gosnell Caleigh Greenhill Suzanne Jones

Jessica Moser Ella Grace Renich Lindsey Rigney Alexandra Smith Jaida Kere Watkins

EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH SCHOLARS To earn the Early Childhood Mental Health certificate students take courses offered by the School of Social Work, the Department of Special Education, and the Department of Child Development focused on on children birth to five years of age and their families.

Sidney Skerlak Priscilla Sweitzer

BSW HONORS

Social Work Honors students in our program are required to have a 3.5 GPA, take four social work honors courses, and participate in a research project in their senior year. Additionally, they must present or defend their research in the presence of the BSW Honors Committee. This year, we have 1 honors student who has met the university honors requirements. Margaret Phipps, successfully defended her Honors Project, "The Effects of Homelessness on the Educational Experiences of 13-18-year-olds: A Systematic Review."

Margaret Phipps

DISCIPLINARY COMMUNICATION CONSULTANTS (DCC) Communication Consultants are senior social work students who demonstrated exemplary writing and oral communication skills and are hired to work within the unit serving as writing consultants. Each year, we have been fortunate to receive university funding to hire 4 undergraduate social work students to serve as our consultants. These students maintain a caseload of approximately 20 junior level social work students and meet with them providing feedback and support with these written assignments and presentations. We would like to honor our distinguished DCC’s for 2020-2021.

Haley Gosnell Caleigh Greenhill

Jasmyn Lowe Margaret Phipps

BACHELOR OF SOCIAL WORK AWARDS 2021 The BSW Program recognizes the achievement of continuing and graduating students and their numerous contributions to the community. We would like to congratulate recipients of the 2021 BSW Program awards.

- BSW Program Committee

BSW LEADERSHIP AWARD

The BSW Leadership Award is given to Senior BSW students who exemplify excellence in campus leadership. These students have demonstrated leadership among their peers within the School of Social Work.

Haley Gosnell

Caleigh Greenhill

BSW COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AWARD The BSW Community Engagement Award is given to a Senior BSW student who exemplifies excellence in campus and community engagement. This student has demonstrated leadership on campus and within the community.

Deja Stover

BSW STUDENT RESEARCH AWARD

The BSW Student Research Award is given to a Senior BSW student who exemplifies excellence in research. This student has demonstrated a commitment to research and often has gone above and beyond with research.

Suzanne Jones

OUTSTANDING BSW FIELD STUDENT Veronica Monroig-Calvo

OUTSTANDING BSW FIELD INSTRUCTOR Monica Thomas

OUTSTANDING MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK GRADUATE AWARDS 2021 "Outstanding" is defined here as the best MSW graduates in each cohort with respect to their academic performance in the classroom and field, in community engagement, in research involvement, in social work and related extra-curricular activities, through demonstrated leadership and integrity, and outstanding demonstrated potential for social change---- best "all-around." The MSW candidates are voted on by all School of Social Work faculty in a first round, followed by a second round of voting by MSW full-time faculty.

OUTSTANDING MSW GRADUATE - 1-YEAR ADVANCED STANDING PROGRAM Chandradai Chandler Finalists: Wesley Dorsey & Esmeralda Martinez

OUTSTANDING MSW GRADUATES - 2-YEAR PROGRAM Melanie Edwards & Allison O'Connor Finalists: Noah Granade, Ciprianna Haynes, & Lacey Rowan

OUTSTANDING MSW GRADUATE - 3-YEAR PROGRAM Alejandra Guzman-Banda Finalist: Brittany Nichols

OUTSTANDING MSW FOUNDATION FIELD STUDENT Emma Weichmann

OUTSTANDING 3-YEAR MSW FOUNDATION YEAR FIELD STUDENT Caitlin Hubbard

OUTSTANDING MSW ADVANCED YEAR FIELD STUDENT Nikola Taylor

OUTSTANDING MSW FOUNDATION YEAR FIELD INSTRUCTOR Beryl Miller

OUTSTANDING MSW ADVANCED YEAR FIELD INSTRUCTOR Lee Wilson

PROFESSOR OF THE YEAR IN TEACHING Kris Taylor

OUTSTANDING SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK ALUMNUS Jarris 'JB' Bell, MSW 2013

RESEARCH & SCHOLARSHIP Dr. Ticola Ross

SERVICE, ADVOCACY, & OUTREACH Amy Peters

VIRTUAL MEMORIES Here are a few of the (mostly) virtual memories within the School of Social Work and student organizations over the 2020-2021 academic year.

SSW Faculty & Staff came together to plan for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Our Field Office held the virtual Spring 2021 Field Instructor Training to prepare field instructors for another great year of Field Education with our social work students!

GSWA collected and distributed care packages to unsheltered neighbors throughout the community in November 2020.

GSWA distributed 115 holiday cards to a local living community for older adults in December 2020.

VIRTUAL MEMORIES Other 2020-2021 events within the School of Social Work and student organizations!

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR S.T.A.R.S. Thursday, May 6, 2021