OutReach 2016-17 Annual Report

mmemorative Co

Is s u e

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

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ANNUAL REPORT

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2016–2017

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Moments of Evolution and Progress pg 25

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INSIDE

04 STUDENTS

Two students launch internship program with the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney's Office

40 FACULTY/STAFF

Professor Kevin Corcoran weaves innovation into social work classes

53 ALUMNI

BSW alumna Raevan Howard wins District 2 seat on the Tuscaloosa City Council

25

From left, former social work student officers Nancy Payne, Margie Berry and Cynthia Smith are pictured outside of Little Hall in 1975.

Editor

Writers

Designer

Copy Editor

Dean and Professor

Adrienne Nettles

David Miller Adrienne Nettles

Sam Lober

Matthew Zabel

Dr. Vikki L. Vandiver

OutReach is published by The University of Alabama School of Social Work, Box 870314, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0314 © 2017 The University of Alabama School of Social Work All rights reserved. Information contained in this publication is gathered from sources considered reliable. The School of Social Work cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions in this publication. The University of Alabama is an equal opportunity educational institution/employer.

INSIDE

2016-17 OutReach

FEATURES

50th Anniversary

02 Message from the Dean 25 Cover Story: 50 Moments of Evolution and Progress 26 Five Decades of SSW Deans

STUDENT NEWS 04 MSW Students Intern with Tuscaloosa County District Attorney 10 Field Student Briefs 14 Field Spotlight: Washington, D.C. Fly-In

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New Associate Director of Development and Alumni Relations

SCHOOL NEWS 20 SSW Creates Continuing Education Program INTERNATIONAL NEWS 36 Faculty International Research Collaborations FACULTY/STAFF NEWS 42 New Faculty and Staff 48 Faculty and Doctoral Scholarship 51 In Memoriam

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Homecoming Weekend 2017

ALUMNI NEWS 53 Alumni Spotlight: BSW alumna Raevan Howard 57 Alumni Notes 60 Restoring Our Past, Building Our Future Naming Opportunities Like us on Facebook

Twitter

facebook.com/SocialWorkatUA

@UA_SocialWork

socialwork.ua.edu

Mission Statement

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The University of Alabama’s School of Social Work prepares scholar-

Buford Peace Award

practitioners and researchers committed to ending adverse social conditions and promoting societal well-being through teaching, research and service.

School of Social Work |

01

Message From the Dean

Celebrating 50 Years of Excellence in Social Work The University of Alabama School of Social Work welcomed its first Master of Social Work class in fall 1967. We’re celebrating the 50th anniversary of this important milestone in our school’s rich history with schoolwide events for alumni, students, current and retired faculty and staff through April 2018.

Dr. Vikki L. Vandiver Dean and Professor

The arrival of the school’s first 27 MSW students began our journey as a school and set into motion who we are today — a top producer of social work professionals for the state and a leader in social work education. Today, we have more than 7,000 social work alumni who are making impacts in communities and around the world thanks to their UA degrees. Read about the School of Social Work’s top 50 memorable moments in our cover story on page 25.

From our beginning, our progress as a school has depended on building relationships in our communities and the deep commitment of our faculty and staff to helping our students achieve their academic dreams. I hope you will read about how Kevin Corcoran, professor of social work, is doing his part to bring innovation into the classroom to help our students excel on page 40.

From left, alumnus Coy Stout and Jeffrey Falk at UA Homecoming 2017.

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| The University of Alabama

As we celebrate our legacy at UA, I continue to be amazed at our growth — rising in stature from a school of fewer than 30 students to more than 600 students today — and success over the last five decades. We could not continue to move upward without the generous support of social work alumni like Coy Stout (’92, ’94 MSW) supporting our students and programs. It was a pleasure to have Stout as a member of our alumni panel at the school’s first Policy and Advocacy Washington, D.C. Fly-In held in March. I know the career advice he provided our students will serve them for years. You can read about our inaugural Washington, D.C. Fly-In on page 14.

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

From left, Joyce and Harold Shambley (alumnus), Dean Vikki Vandiver, Professor Kevin Corcoran, Associate Dean Javonda Williams, Executive Director of Fundraising Initiatives Allison Leitner, and alumna Shuryvonne Dixon.

As dean, one of the things I’ve enjoyed most during our 50th anniversary year is hearing wonderful stories from our alumni about their time with us, their beloved faculty members and their special memories of our school building, Little Hall. To celebrate our legacy at UA and your stories, we have incorporated our newly renovated Little Hall school building into our 50th anniversary celebrations. Little Hall, originally built as a men’s gymnasium in 1915, has been our school’s home and the hub of social work student life on UA’s campus since 1967.

In October, many of you had the opportunity to tour our new state-of-the-art building when we welcomed alumni back to campus to join our students, faculty and staff for our 50th anniversary Homecoming celebration.

The celebration included a reception at the Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum and a Homecoming parade watch on the front lawn of Little Hall. It was great to see so many of our alumni, students, faculty and staff cheering on the Crimson

Tide and celebrating the school’s growth and transformation over the last 50 years.

I was honored to have Stout also join us at our Homecoming festivities along with social work alumnus Harold Shambley (’77) and his wife, Joyce. Stout and Shambley are among UA social work alumni who have endowed scholarships to support our students as part of the Restoring Our Past, Building Our Future. Through the initiative alumni and friends of the school may establish naming opportunities in the new renovated Little Hall building. You can learn more about the initiative and Little Hall naming opportunities in Little Hall on page 60.

You also will have the opportunity to learn about the initiative during our 50th anniversary celebration. We will culminate our 50th anniversary celebrations April 6 with a Little Hall Open House to showcase our beautiful new facility and the plaques that bear the names of our alumni and supporters who have established naming opportunities by endowing a scholarship.

I want to thank our 50th Anniversary Committee — which comprises alumni, students, faculty and staff — for planning these events in celebration of our golden anniversary. You can learn about our upcoming 50th events and make suggestions to the committee at socialwork.ua.edu/50th.

I hope that you will mark your calendar to attend our Open House in April honoring our legacy and rich history at The University of Alabama. This is a great opportunity for you to reconnect with our school, other social work alumni, or return to UA’s campus for a visit.

I look forward to commemorating the School of Social Work’s rich history with you in April and for many years to come.

Sincerely, Vikki L. Vandiver Dean and Professor

School of Social Work |

03

Student News SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS LAUNCH INTERNSHIP WITH LOCAL DISTRICT ATTORNEY

By David Miller

MSW alumna Theresa Sprain (left) and second-year MSW student Katrena Dale completed their internship with the Victim Services Division of the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney's office.

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| The University of Alabama

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

Katrena Dale would immediately feel the sting of the news she had to deliver.

One of her clients in a custody case had recently disclosed to her that she smokes marijuana, which, in Alabama, is a misdemeanor crime.

Dale had to file her first report of child abuse.

“It hurt me because the client really cared about her kids and didn’t know [marijuana use] was considered child abuse,” said Dale, a first-year graduate student in the School of Social Work at The University of Alabama. “She could potentially have her kids taken away from her.”

In spring 2017, Dale and MSW May graduate Theresa Sprain were victims’ services interns at the Tuscaloosa County District Attorney’s office, where they completed individual assessments for victims and helped establish support groups for victims of domestic violence and for mothers and fathers during custody and child support hearings.

“This is a new partnership and part of a larger initiative of integrating social workers into innovative community engagement practicums,” said Joanne Terrell, program coordinator and UA social work instructor.

“We started from the ground up – there had never been a successful social work placement at the DA’s office.”

For the DA internship, Dale used her field experience as a counselor with Tuscaloosa Child Abuse Prevention Services, where she helped educate children at Tuscaloosa-area schools to discourage bullying and peer pressure. Terrell, who has worked for more than 30 years in the criminal justice system, also prepared Dale for the peaks and valleys she’d experience during the program.

A unique experience Despite their preparation, Dale and Sprain didn’t know the entire scope of the semesterlong program, which began in January 2017.

The DA’s office wasn’t sure, either, but district attorney Hays Webb, who was elected in 2016, and Marilyn Anderson, a victims’ services officer, were keen to strengthen the

Their work really helped bolster the work of our victims’ services office.

— Tuscaloosa County District Attorney Hays Webb

office’s communication and work with victims.

Prior to the interns’ arrival, the DA’s office identified and contacted 1,800 victims of felony crimes who hadn’t received correspondence over a number of years, Webb said.

Sprain and Dale helped identify 200 more victims who weren’t identified in the office’s previous efforts. Dale and Sprain also provided additional courtroom support for victims of misdemeanor crimes by assessing their needs. They established the first line of communication with the victims and connected them to services that could help them better deal with their circumstances.

“When we met in November, we told them they’re not plugging into something that’s already created,” Webb said. “There wasn’t a definitive plan or particular tasks early on, but their benefit was, with a well-running program, they’d get to say ‘we’re the only people who’ve ever started such a program in Tuscaloosa County.’ Their work really helped bolster the work of our victims’ services office.”

Enhanced victim support Webb and Terrell said that the focus on working with victims makes this internship program unique in Alabama, In contrast, services and programs to better assist defendants are more common. Terrell started the social work internship program in the public defenders’ office in Tuscaloosa, where Webb spent part of his nearly 20 years as a defense attorney.

Their shared experiences working with defenders illuminated the need for enhanced victims support.

“Even if a trial date is set, victims’ services officers can only work with victims whose offenders are about to go to trial,” Terrell said, “but in the meantime, victims are out there,

angry and upset, and that’s where Hays wanted to channel his focus.”

With this in mind, Sprain said she and Dale focused on mostly domestic violence cases, where they assessed individual needs, like counseling, food and clothing, and worked with agencies like Turning Point to link victims advocates in the courtroom.

Sprain and Dale worked closely with the child support court to establish support groups for both custodial and non-custodial parents. This collaboration included weekly psycho-educational support groups, which provided a therapeutic outlet for single mothers and parents struggling through the child support process. It provided a safe place for parents to cope, ask questions and address needs. Many of those parents did not have another outlet for support. For the non-custodial parents, the support groups mostly helped them find employment.

“Due to lack of employment, many of the fathers are in contempt of court for not paying. They get sent to jail and still cannot pay,” Sprain said. “Our goal is to help them provide for their children in the best way possible. Some of the mothers and their children do not have a safe place to go home to. Instead of making them wait hours in a courtroom, we can provide a supportive and healthy place to cope. We are able to provide these services to meet victims’ and families’ needs, which helps me sleep a little better at night.”

The internship program continued in the fall with two undergraduate students, and again in the spring 2018 with two master’s level students. While some successes are quantifiable, like the number of victims who are connected to services, the most positive outcomes are measured anecdotally. For Dale, some were as simple as finding resources to help a client pay her first power bill after her divorce.

“She was a victim of domestic abuse and needed help getting on her feet because her husband paid all the bills,” Dale said.

“She had kids and was trying to find a job. Moments like that are what made this internship a great experience and shaped me incredibly.”

School of Social Work |

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Student News

BSW Program

From left, social work students Mary Kay Social work student Matthew Amick with his

Johnson, Caroline Prichard, Caitie Manuel and

poster titled "Addiction Recovery Identity

Claire Carpenter at the 2017 Undergraduate

Development."

Research and Creative Activity Conference.

Research and Creative Activities Conference Five BSW students participated in the 2017 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (URCA) Conference at the UA Ferguson Student Center in March.

BSW students Caitie Manuel, Caroline Prichard, Mary Kay Johnson, Claire Carpenter and Matthew Amick presented posters in the social work research category. Amick’s poster titled “Addiction Recovery Identity Development” earned him first place in the competition. He

collaborated with his faculty mentor Tricia Witte, associate professor of human development and family studies, on the poster project.

Carpenter, Johnson, Manuel and Prichard received second place for their poster titled “Saving State Budgets: A Cost-benefit Analysis of Legalizing Marijuana.” Kevin Corcoran, professor of social work, served as the group’s faculty mentor with the poster project.

The URCA conference is a premier annual

Laura Hopson, Associate Professor and BSW Program Director event at The University of Alabama that provides undergraduates an opportunity to highlight their research or creative activity. In addition to bringing attention to the excellent work of UA students, the conference allows students to gain experience presenting, compete for cash prizes and form relationships with their faculty mentors and fellow conference presenters.

Assistant Professor Gaynell Simpson and associate professors Tania Alameda-Lawson and Amy Traylor served as judges at this year’s poster competition.

Child Welfare Job Previews Study

BSW student Caroline Pirchard presented at the 2016 Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.

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| The University of Alabama

Why do child welfare agencies struggle to recruit and retain high-quality, effective case workers? BSW student Caroline Prichard presented research on that question at the 2016 Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting in Atlanta.

Prichard and her faculty mentor Brenda Smith, associate professor of social work and PhD program director, presented the findings from their study titled “Do Child Welfare "Realistic" Job Previews Reflect Evidence on Retention and Turnover?” at the meeting. Their research indicates that many of the factors

contributing to the retention and turnover of child welfare workers are not highlighted in the job preview videos. Their study was published in the Children and Youth Services Review journal.

The conference theme, “Advancing Collaborative Practice Through Social Work Education,” was selected to reflect the importance of collaborative practice across different contexts to prepare future social work professionals.

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

MSW Program Outstanding Student-Initiated Engagement Effort Award

MSW student John Kiplatrick, center, is pictured with friend Robert Goler and VRR board member Dr. Reginald Eggleston after a presentation at Faith Baptist Church in Mobile, Alabama on Veterans Day weekend.

Army Lt. Col. John Kilpatrick, an MSW student, was recognized with a 2017 Outstanding Student-Initiated Engagement Effort Award for creating the nonprofit Veterans

Recovery Resources. Awarded by the Council on Community-Based Partnerships at The University of Alabama, the honor recognizes students for their outstanding achievements in engagement scholarship.

Kilpatrick is founder and executive director of Veterans Recovery Resources, a Mobile-based non-profit organization that provides affordable substance abuse and mental wellness services to veterans and their families living along the Alabama Gulf Coast. The program is designed to assist the specific needs of veterans regardless of their ability to pay.

Kilpatrick's faculty adviser is David L. Albright, Hill Crest Foundation Endowed Chair in Mental Health and associate professor of social work. Kilpatrick and Albright share military advocacy and health care connections on the Gulf Coast, which allows them to share ideas

Elements of Social Work in Acting MSW student Kristin LaCount is passionate about acting and helping others. LaCount found similarities between her two loves while working as an extra on the set of the Hallmark movie “Christmas In Homestead” in 2016.

The movie, which first aired Thanksgiving Day 2016, followed a famous actress who unexpectedly finds love in the small town of Homestead, Iowa while shooting a holiday-themed movie. LaCount played a makeup artist in the movie, which was filmed in Dahlonega, Georgia.

“As a student in the School of Social Work, I’ve really learned to put myself out there,” she said. “There are many factors of acting that can rollover into social work, such as reading body language, marketing yourself, learning to talk to people and listening to what and how people are talking.”

LaCount is pursuing a master’s in social work with a concentration in children, adolescents

From left, MSW student Kristin LaCount in costume and on set with the movie's main actress Taylor Cole.

and families through the school’s Distance MSW program. She hopes to become a certified drama therapist and eventually would like to work in a children’s hospital. She is expected to graduate in May.

Sebrena Jackson, Assistant Professor and MSW Program Director and experiences to serve veterans in the state, particularly in how social workers fit within the health care delivery system.

In April, Kilpatrick was honored with faculty and other student leaders in engagement scholarship initiatives at the 11th Annual Awards Luncheon at the Bryant Conference Center. He is expected to graduate in May from UA.

Sickle Cell Research In February 2017, recent MSW graduate Sharon Andrews was selected by Mobile Infirmary Hospital’s chief medical officer to help study patients with sickle cell disease.

Andrews, who completed her field internship in May at Mobile Infirmary, was recommended for the study by her supervisor in case management. For two weeks of the study, Andrews shadowed the chief medical officer and his team studying patients with sickle cell disease. She completed biopsychosocial assessments to help the team identify patients’ needs and hopefully decrease emergency room visits by patients suffering with sickle cell.

Andrews works as a social work supervisor with the Baldwin County Department of Human Resources.

School of Social Work |

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Student News

PhD Program Research on Women and Education Conference

Doctoral student Burcu Ozturk was a presenter at the 42nd annual Research on Women and Education Fall Conference, which offers students and faculty the opportunity to explore their research with like-minded colleagues, network and form mentoring relationships.

Her panel discussion, “Perceptions of Turkish Women Towards Domestic Violence Against Women,” focused on a research study highlighting how, like many societies, Domestic

Burcu Ozturk (first from the left) at the Research on Women and Education Conference.

Violence Against Women is a substantial issue in Turkey. Her study’s goal is to provide a better understanding of how Turkish educated women perceive such violence and to what extent they

Brenda Smith, Associate Professor and PhD Program Director are aware of and using the remedial sources for domestic violence.

The conference was held in November 2016 in Burlington, Vermont.

Bringing HIV Education to Parolees, Probationers In 2016, doctoral student Brad Barber participated in a research study aimed at improving HIV education and bringing free HIV testing to convicted offenders in Alabama’s prison system.

For the study, Barber collaborated with Bronwen Lichtenstein, a UA professor of criminal justice, to study two groups: newly sentenced parolees who were given HIV education training and parolees and probationers already in the system who were not offered HIV education, but offered free HIV testing. They also worked with West Alabama AIDS Outreach and the Tuscaloosa Parole and Probation Office to find a plausible solution.

Their study found that while more than 30 percent of new offenders volunteered to be tested, only 3 percent of those already in the system volunteered — meaning that education among parolees significantly influences their willingness to be tested. And in a population where HIV is prevalent, testing and treatment are imperative.

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| The University of Alabama

Doctoral student Brad Barber and UA Professor Bronwen Litchenstein are shown with their research poster.

Following the pilot study, the Alabama Department of Public Health funded West Alabama Aids Outreach to expand the program to seven rural probation and parole offices within the 10 counties they serve. The study also was published in the July 2016 issue of the Journal of

the International AIDS Society.

In October 2016, Lichtenstein and Barber presented their findings from the study at the 2016 Third International Conference on Law Enforcement and Public Health held in Amsterdam.

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

Three Minute Thesis Competition Quentin Maynard, a doctoral student, placed fourth among 15 UA students who competed in UA’s Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) competition finals in November 2016.

Maynard presented his research thesis “What Happens When the Request for a Hastened Death is Denied?” during the competition. He finished in fourth place, earning a $250 scholarship.

His research broadly focuses on planning for the end of life among older adults. Working with his faculty mentor Ellen Csikai, professor of social work, Maynard studies the psychosocial factors surrounding hastening death and the impact that legislation has on people at or near the end of life.

He plans to use his cash prize to help pay for his education or travel to conferences.

The University of Alabama Graduate School hosts the annual 3MT® competition, which challenges graduate students to demonstrate their research and presentation skills concisely

for cash prizes and travel grants. The competition also helps students master creating a pitch, or elevator speech, for their ideas, and it teaches them how to present themselves and their research to interviewers and potential employers.

In February 2017, Maynard and Csikai were honored at the Social Work Hospice and Palliative Care Network’s 5th General Assembly conference.

They earned the top prize for their poster: “Defining a ‘Good Death’: A Systematic Review Describing the Psychosocial Elements” in the research and program evaluation category.

The conference was held February 2017 in Scottsdale, Arizona. The conference’s theme was “We’re All In: Advancing Inclusive Practice in Hospice and Palliative Social Work,” reflecting the organization’s commitment to promoting psychosocial care among diverse populations.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: Visit graduate.ua.edu/current-students/3mt/ to watch a video of UA’s 2016 3MT competition.

Rotary International

In Memoriam

Scholarship

Doctoral student Qingyi Li was awarded a $3,500 Spain Hickman Scholarship from the Rotary International Club of Tuscaloosa.

Li plans to use the scholarship to continue pursuing her research interests. Her research focuses on assessing the risk factors for children who are abused, and exploring the link between abuse, maltreatment and criminal offenses. She hopes to use her research to examine the changes in the risk of recidivism for children who are delinquents and who receive cognitive behavior therapy to identify an effective method for managing future risks of recidivism in children.

Each year the Rotary Club of Tuscaloosa awards scholarships to talented UA international students who participate in study abroad or activities that align with the mission of Rotary. The mission of Rotary International is to provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through its fellowship of business, professional and community leaders.

Li was recommended for the scholarship by her faculty mentors: Brenda Smith, associate professor of social work and PhD program director, and Tyrone Cheng, former professor of social work. After she graduates from UA, Li plans to become a social work professor and return to China, where effective measures for assessing the risks of recidivism in juvenile delinquents are rare.

BSW student Ann Emory Robinson Harris passed away on Oct. 30, 2016.

She was a Capstone Scholar in UA’s School of Social Work and received the Distinguished Scholar Award in 2015 for being an outstanding student. She was a member of the Phi Alpha Social Work Honor Society and the Sigma Alpha Lambda National Leadership and Honors Organization.

School of Social Work |

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Student News

Field Education Program Field Student Briefs

SSW’s Field Education Program works to advance social work education through innovative and enriching field placement opportunities in Alabama, Washington, D.C and abroad. Here are some of our top 2016-17 field stories in the words of BSW and MSW students.

Allison Curington Director of Field Education and Instructor

Field Placement:

Community Works – Tuscaloosa, Alabama A nonprofit offering educational programs and skills training in a wide variety of fields, including plumbing and carpentry.

Connecting with Individuals MSW student CAROLINE LOVE discovered that Community Works has identical values of social work.

“My favorite facet of the program is

connecting with individuals who think they have run out of chances and who need resources and encouragement. The sheer joy they exude when they enroll in a program, complete it and obtain a new career is my motivation.”

From left, Christa Hackney, field instructor and ADAP senior case advocate, with BSW students Sarah Segall and Will Bomar.

Field Placement:

Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program

Active Advocacy

– Tuscaloosa Alabama ADAP, located on The University of Alabama campus, provides legal services to Alabamians with disabilities to protect, promote and expand their rights. ADAP also provides information and referral services, public education programs and individual case advocacy services.

BSW students WILL BOMAR and SARAH SEGALL had little idle time during their field placement with ADAP, where they conducted initial intake calls with client families. They also attended school meetings on behalf of students with disabilities, analyzed client educational and mental health records, and helped staff to address client concerns.

“My experience with ADAP was absolutely incredible. I saw the result of our intervening

gave me a true passion for those with disabilities, and I couldn’t be more in people’s lives. ADAP

thankful for that.”

– Will Bomar, BSW student

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| The University of Alabama

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

“My time with ADAP was a great learning experience for me as a social work student. It

provide me with a new outlook on what people with disabilities are challenged with daily. I am grateful for the knowledge and continues to

experiences that ADAP provided me.”

– Sarah Segall, BSW student

Carroll Phelps

Debra Nelson-Gardell

Field Coordinator of the Washington, D.C. Internship Program and Instructor

Associate Professor and Coordinator of International Initiatives

Field Placement:

Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital – Washington, D.C. MedStar National Rehabilitation offers continuum care in a variety of areas, including inpatient acute rehabilitation, day treatment programs and outpatient therapy.

Rewarding Opportunity BSW student MOLLIE MOSS’ field internship at Medstar was enhanced by the opportunity to work with UA MSW alumna Evan Alderson, now a case manager for the Brain Injury Unit at Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital.

“Completing my field placement at Medstar in Washington, D.C. was an incredible

put into practice all that I have studied in the classroom for the last experience. I had the opportunity to

three years. Something that really added to my experience at NRH was working under my supervisor, Evan. Her experience in the workplace and understanding of what it is like to be a student intern at NRH aided us both.”

From left, Evan Alderson, case manager in the Brain Injury Unit at Medstar National Rehabilitation Hospital, with BSW DC student Mollie Moss.

School of Social Work |

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Student News

Field Student Briefs (continued) “One of the most impactful experiences I had occurred through my interactions with a child who had an intellectual disability. The child only communicated non-verbally. I learned to become really conscious about my non-verbal cues and eventually she began to

learned the value of communication and the importance of understanding human behavior.”

trust me. Because of these types of relationships, I

MSW student Dan Townsend with his colleagues at Urban Ministry.

Field Placement:

Urban Ministry – Birmingham, Alabama Urban Ministry is a faith-based nonprofit agency seeking to alleviate poverty in Birmingham through programs, such as housing, that promote wholeness and compassion.

BSW student Heiomy Beltran-Negron during her field placement in Ghana.

Field Placement:

Save Them Young Mission – Tema, Ghana Save Them Young is a children’s orphanage located about an hour away from Ghana’s capital.

Authentic Experience Abroad Working with her off-site social work supervisor Beth Okantey, BSW student HEIOMY BELTRAN-NEGRON had the opportunity to teach and work one-on-one with clients at the orphanage.

Compassion for Helping Others MSW student DAN TOWNSEND was amazed at the pace at Urban Ministry when he began his field placement. His work at the agency ranged from assisting and observing staff in crisis intervention and case management sessions to learning assessment tools and making referrals for emergency nutritional assistance and medical appointments. He also helped to connect clients with services in the community.

“I can say that my field placement at Urban was

a revelatory

experience. I came to this place with the compassion and honest desire to help people, but thanks to the director and the staff here, I learned the forms and processes by which we, as social workers, accomplish change and healing.”

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| The University of Alabama

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

Field Placement:

University Medical Center

“With this opportunity, I was able to help

– Tuscaloosa, Alabama UMC is operated by The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences. The center provides direct health care services to the community and training for medical students and resident physicians under the supervision of skilled and dedicated college clinicians.

Serving Others

serve patients who are currently in the hospital along with doctors and medical students. It

AWESOME learning experience.” has been an

A group of MSW students learned firsthand about working with diverse populations and providing resources to help people in difficult situations as interns at the medical center.

“The University Medical Center gave me the

- Nakelia Franklin, MSW student

“With this as my first-year placement, I

develop skills that will make me a great social worker.

I learned how to professionally interact with

opportunity to learn to work with so many different populations. I had the amazing

individuals, build rapport, evaluate needs,

opportunity to be a part of the foster clinics

and locate resources to help patients in

on Thursday afternoons. The experience just

difficult situations. I am now so much more

confirmed my desire to work with children.

knowledgeable about resources and policies.”

Everyone at UMC is really helpful and willing

opportunity to

had the

- Stephani Beard, MSW student

to answer questions, which made my learning experience even richer.”

This opportunity allowed me to understand how

-Maude Jacques, MSW student

significant social workers are in these settings.

I have had the chance to work alongside my

“I thoroughly enjoyed my experience working

supervisor, colleagues, doctors, nurses and

at the Tuscaloosa County Jail and University

many other knowledgeable professionals who have

taught me valuable lessons

for my social work career."

Front row from left, MSW students Nakelia Franklin and Stephani Beard. Back row from left, MSW students Drew Kellough, Anastacia Rogers, Retisha Winton, and Brooke Frazier. MSW student Maude Jacques is not pictured.

- Brooke Frazier, MSW student

“I had the opportunity to work in various clinics with diverse populations throughout the center.

I really enjoyed the OBGYN and psychiatric clinic, as I have never worked with this population before. Through interning at UMC, I can now say I have experienced many types of medical situations that require a social worker.

This

was an amazing experience.”

- Anastacia Rogers, MSW student

Medical Center. I know what I want to do in the future to improve the lives of incarcerated people. This combined experience in medical,

provided me with a great set of tools to use as I work with this population.” detention, and court settings has

“My time spent in the Geriatric Clinic at University Medical Center was an eye-opening

learned more than I could have possibly imagined

-Retisha Winton, MSW student

experience. I have

about what it means to give to people who are often considered difficult or unwanted. It has been a wonderful experience to work alongside such a diverse and progressive faction” - Drew Kellough, MSW student

School of Social Work |

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Field Spotlight

UA and OSU partner for first Washington, D.C. Fly-In

By Adrienne Nettles Social work students learned firsthand how dizzying, difficult and demanding policy advocacy is on Capitol Hill during the first University of Alabama School of Social Work Policy and Advocacy Washington, D.C. Fly-In. A group of 50 students from The University of Alabama School of Social Work and The Ohio State University College of Social Work participated in the Fly-In, which was held in the nation’s capital in March. The two-day event offered students a unique crash course in policy research, strategy and advocacy.

Social work students analyzed and advocated for one of three bills – S3434: Violence Against Women Veterans Act; HR1290: Improving Access to Mental Health; and HR253: Family First Prevention Services – to members of Congress and their staffs.

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| The University of Alabama

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

An Advocate for Others For the first day of the Fly-In, students toured the U.S. Capitol building and were welcomed to Washington, D.C. by faculty from both schools, members of Congress and social work leaders. Council on Social Work Education President Darla Coffey, former Alabama Sen. Luther Strange, Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Alabama; and Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, gave advice to students during the welcome reception. The reception was held at the Rayburn House Office Building, the congressional office building for the U.S. House of Representatives in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Coffey shared with students the moment she was inspired to pursue a career in policy and advocacy work. She said she met a man early in her career who was serving in the military while working on his medical degree.

He discovered he was gay and struggled to be true to who he was while following through with his commitment to serve his country, she said.

This was before passage of the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy, she said.

“It was in that moment that I realized that a clinical social worker sees his experience in a very different way than perhaps a psychologist or someone trained in another health profession,” Coffey said. “I saw it wasn’t my job to help him adapt to who he is but to empower him to change what could be and to know how I could partner with him in changing all of that.”

Coffey said having the power to advocate for

From left, UA social work students Fredericka Brinkley and Alexi Bolton at the Capitol Visitors Center during the Washington, D.C. Fly-In March 21.

Instructor Carroll Phelps, field coordinator of the Washington, D.C. Internship Program, looks on as MSW student David Conner advocates for bill HR253: Family First Prevention Services with Hunter Hobart, legislative assistant to U.S. Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Alabama. others is a privilege that social workers have as part of their profession’s mandate.

“It’s part of our mandate as social workers,” she said. Referencing Dr. Seuss, she added, “Unless someone like you cares a whole lot, nothing is going to get better. This is really what advocacy is about.”

Her words were echoed by members of Congress from Alabama and Ohio.

“We’re all united in our belief that we can make a difference,” Sewell told students. “I hope you learn from your visit to be engaged.

Find your niche and do it passionately.”

Sewell also gave students advice on how to be effective advocates for our nation’s most vulnerable populations.

“The most moving stories are human stories. Tell us what you’re passionately advocating for and do it with vigor,” she said.

“The best way to advocate is to talk about realworld problems and real people.”

Beatty added, “You’re in the helping business. One of the ways you can help us…is to use your voice,” she said.

UA MSW student Jennifer Brougham said hearing from members of Congress was invaluable. She is pursuing a master’s degree

Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, speaks to UA social work students and students from Ohio State University about advocacy. in social work with a concentration in children and families and plans to apply to the MSW DC program in 2018.

“You learn so much in two days. It’s a hands-on experience you can’t get in the classroom,” said Brougham, who met with staff from the offices of Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, and Rep. Robert Aderholt, R-Alabama, during the Fly-In. Carroll Phelps, coordinator of the Washington, D.C. Fly-In, said the program was

School of Social Work |

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Field Spotlight created to teach students how to research, analyze and present important legislation through effective advocacy. Phelps also coordinates the school’s Washington, D.C., MSW DC and BSW DC internship programs.

Students’ preparation for the Fly-In was buoyed by the D.C. Program’s long-standing working relationships with social service agencies in the D.C. area. Students prepared policy fact sheets and practiced how to advocate effectively for the Fly-In's three bills, Phelps said. Students worked with staff members from the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), First Focus, the Child Welfare League of America and the Veterans Administration Central Office to help select the legislation and they provided expert advice to the students as they analyzed the bills and created fact sheets, she said.

“We want students to understand all the facets of a bill so they can be more effective advocates,” Phelps said. “Knowing the potential costs and plan for funding of the proposed legislation, the background and legislative history, and other details are crucial. It shows the member of Congress you’ve done your homework on that particular bill and how it will affect clients in their home state.”

OSU student Leah Uhrig said Coffey’s talk was encouraging and has inspired her to share the experience with other social work students.

“All of the advice Dr. Coffey shared about continuing to promote social work throughout your career and the importance of identifying yourself as a social worker no matter what field you end up in is important,” said Uhrig, who plans to become a legislator in her home state.

“We need to encourage fellow students and remind them to identify as social workers as they move through their careers.”

Advocacy on ‘The Hill’ Due to the UA School of Social Work’s long-standing relationship with NASW, Fly-In students met at the association’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. for the workshop “How to Impact Policy Through Advocacy.” Students worked in groups to discuss and prepare for advocating bills: HR1290: Improving Access to Mental Health, HR253: Family First Prevention Services Act

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| The University of Alabama

The University of Alabama and Ohio State University social work students and faculty pose for a photo outside the U.S. Capitol during the Washington, D.C. Fly-In. and S3434: Violence Against Women Veterans Act with members of Congress.

Heidi McIntosh, deputy director of programs at NASW, shared the important role that social workers can play in advocacy at the local and national levels. Students also heard career advice from Angelo McClain,

NASW’s chief executive officer; Kathleen Waugh, chief operating officer at NASW, and others on the front lines fighting for passage of the three bills.

“Everything we do and everything social workers do and the decisions we make are political,” McIntosh told students. “The sooner

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

we realize that and lend our voice to that, we begin to impact communities, children and families in special ways.”

During the workshop, Julie Shroyer, with the lobbying firm Polsinelli, also offered students advocacy tips. OSU and UA students were placed into groups to visit with members of Congress or their staff to advocate for passage of bills HR252, HR1290 and S3434.

“Kudos to you for being here,” Shroyer said before students dispersed for the Hill. “It takes a lot of hard work and being that voice in the room and fighting, fighting. You have to learn to work with both sides of the aisle.”

Learning about policy and advocacy firsthand from people working in Washington, D.C. is a great opportunity for social work students, said Alexis Ferruccio, an MSW student in UA’s Washington, D.C. Internship Program. Ferruccio is expected to graduate in May. “I’m really passionate about policy, writing policy and impacting social work on the macro level,” she said. “The Fly-In is a great way for students to work with Congress, further our education and gain experience in working for policy and with policy.”

Every job that I’ve had came from the opportunities I had as a field student in the School of Social Work.

— UA alumna Amy Mansue

“Every job that I’ve had came from the opportunities I had as a field student in the School of Social Work,” Mansue told students.

“I will never be the smartest person in the room, but no one will outwork me. I learned that at The University of Alabama.”

Cone added that students should commit themselves to an area in social work that they are passionate about. As a student, she shied away from research classes, but today she works at a top research agency.

“Don’t let the little things become barriers,” she said.

Stout said he was once a science and premed major before he changed his major to social work.

“Always keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to get up in the morning and meet new people,” he said. “Stay really well-networked.”

UA Communications Specialist David Miller contributed to this article.

Mentoring Future Social Workers UA and OSU concluded the two-day FlyIn with a student reception at Van Scoyoc Associates, where students participated in a panel discussion with: • UA alumna Katy Cone, a psychosocial behavior specialist with the Intramural Clinical Management and Operations Branch of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a branch of the National Institutes of Health • UA alumnus Coy Stout, vice president of Managed Markets, Gilead Sciences • UA alumna Amy Mansue, president of the southern region for RWJ Barnabus Health • OSU alumna Eva Shinka, National Intrepid Center of Excellence, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Each panel member shared how they launched their careers in social work and how they used the skills they learned as students to become leaders in their fields.

UA and OSU social work students preparing to advocate for bill HR1290: Improving Access to Mental Health before members of Congress during the workshop “How to Impact Policy Through Advocacy” held at the NASW headquarters in Washington, D.C.

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In the Field

From left, Laura Hopson, associate professor of social work, and MSW students Courtney Witkay, Grier Colley, Alexis Ferruccio and Kionna Jones helped to plan and direct field's "Hope/Fear" wall project in 2016.

In April, the Field Education Program hosted Student Travel Tales, a lunch session where social

Field team members volunteered at Tuscaloosa’s Temporary

work students shared their Washington, D.C. Fly-In and South Korea internship experiences.

Emergency Services for United Way's 2017 Day of Action in July.

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| The University of Alabama

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

Allison Currington, director of SSW's Field Education Program, speaks at the UA Community

Students leaving messages on the the “Hope” wall, a school project

and Police Forum hosted by the School of Social Work in April. About 100 students attended

on campus that social work students conducted to create stronger

the forum, which included a panel discussion with law enforcement representatives from the

bonds between students and the University community. Roughly

University of Alabama Police Department and the Tuscaloosa Sheriff’s Office.

400 students participated in the four-day event.

Field team members volunteered with the Area Agency on Aging of West Alabama Adopt a

Social work faculty, staff and field team members

Senior Program in December 2016. The team delivered Christmas gifts and visited with 35

volunteered at Tuscaloosa’s Temporary Emergency Services

seniors at Park Manor Health and Rehabilitation in Northport.

for United Way's 2017 Day of Action.

Caroline Bennett, senior piano performance major from Gainesville, Georgia, attaches a note

Messages left by UA students on the “Hope” wall at the Ferguson

to the “Hope” wall, a project organized by the School of Social Work.

Student Center on campus.

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School News SSW Creates Continuing Education Program

By David Miller

The University of Alabama School of Social Work is now a hub for social work licensure preparation and continuing education.

The school partnered with UA's College of Continuing Studies to establish a continuing education program, which offers annual and biannual prep courses for required areas of the licensure test. The school’s program also provides continuing education units for topics like psychopharmacology and supervision and ethics at monthly workshops held on campus.

Although the school has endorsed continuing education events in the past, the new program allows the school to choose and develop its own workshops based on the needs of alumni and social workers across the state and emerging areas of focus in the field.

“It’s been on the horizon for a while for the school to provide CEUs for Alabama social workers and be the central hub for licensure in the state,” said Kathleen Welker, instructor and coordinator of instructional technology in the School of Social Work. “Additionally, we wanted to launch an organized program that would include opportunities to continue education in trauma informed practice, psychopharmacology and military families and ethics. We’re going to position ourselves to be a leader for social work professionals to continue their education.”

Social workers have two years to obtain continuing education credits toward their license renewal. In Alabama, licensed social workers must accumulate at least 30 contact hours during that span, and of those 10 must be in a classroom setting such as a workshop, conference, or professional development course. A minimum of three hours must be in ethics. One contact hour is one clock hour of an organized learning experience. Our courses and workshops are open to anyone “who wants to continue learning,” Welker said.

Amanda Bergeron, program manager for CCS, said the scope of Social Work’s continuing education program is the largest of its kind that

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More than 70 social workers and educators attended “Supporting Veterans’ Children through Transitions,” the first workshop of the newly formed Social Work Continuing Education program.

has been implemented through CCS, which is helping to develop marketing materials and manage logistics for events. Bergeron said she anticipates hosting at least six events through the rest of the year and 12 in each calendar year.

In June 2017, the program began with “Supporting Veterans’ Children through Transitions,” a daylong workshop that enabled youth-serving educators, professionals and parents to support the transitional issues children face when their parents separate from the military. The course also addressed the challenges of children whose parents have died or experienced combat-related injures or illnesses. UA partnered with the Military Child Education Coalition, which conducts 20 to 30

workshops across the country each month.

“We’re grateful for the School of Social Work and the College of Continuing Studies helping us in this effort to get the word out,” said Amanda Hulsey, MCEC workshop director.

“We’ve reached the state just by going through this platform with The University of Alabama.

There’s obviously a need when we have 75 people in the room, not just for the continuing education opportunity, but also about how they can help the people in their community.”

For upcoming continuing education workshops and licensure courses, visit socialworkceu.ua.edu.

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

African-American Heritage Month

by David Miller

What is your favorite and least favorite thing about social media? Columbia University researcher Desmond Patton used the question to open his February lecture "Teen Talk with Tweets" for the School of Social Work’s 2017 Dr. Ethel H. Hall African-American Heritage Month Celebration.

Desmond Patton Patton, an assistant professor of social work at Columbia University, studies the links between social media and offline community violence, particularly in young people of color who live in urban areas.

In February 2017, he brought his research to The University of Alabama, where he also hosted the Colloquium: “Innovating Gang Violence Prevention with Qualitative Analysis and National Language Processing” during the school’s two-day celebration. His lectures were attended by teens from the local community, relatives of Hall, and UA faculty and staff.

“Within social work’s thesis, there are a lot of policies that say we should not be connected with clients because of privacy issues,” said Patton. “There’s a misunderstanding in the role social media plays in the lives of young people. It’s truly an e-society, a community setting. I think we’re slow to understand young people are communicating a host of life experiences online – stress, who they want to be and why – that pertain to social workers.”

During his lectures, Patton discussed safe and unsafe practices across social media platforms, good and problematic uses of social media and analyses of social media posts, some of which were written by youth who attended the event.

“There have been traditional methods of outreach using people in communities to discourage violence in real time, but it hasn’t caught up to the rise of social media,” Patton said. “We’ve considered social media as a risk factor, but I use it as a tool for intervening and preventing.”

Patton uses qualitative and computational methods, including interview-based studies and collaborative projects with computer scientists. He is conducting a mixed-method study using qualitative interviews with Chicago youth to develop algorithms to detect “Internet banging” and other forms of trauma on social media. He also uses social media data from Chicago neighborhoods to examine how street life moves online.

“One thing that’s important – these are youth – they’ve always made poor decisions, like driving recklessly or smoking,” Patton said. “We live in a viral culture where popularity is important, particularly for social media, in order to get or maintain attention. When you overlay

There have been traditional methods of outreach using people in communities to discourage violence in real time, but it hasn’t caught up to the rise of social media. We’ve considered social media as a risk factor, but I use it as a tool for intervening and preventing.

— Desmond Patton

that with a high-risk community and codes of the street that dictate how you should behave when confronted with disrespect, if you don’t do it online, there are consequences offline.”

Patton has discussed his research in other academic and social work settings, and his work has been featured in such national news outlets as NPR and USA Today.

Desmond Patton, assistant professor of social work at Columbia University, delivered the keynote address at the school's 2017 Dr. Ethel H. Hall AfricanAmerican Heritage Month Celebration.

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School News

Phi Alpha Symposium

By David Miller

Members of The University of Alabama and Tuscaloosa communities learned about the history of the Bryce Hospital, now the Bryce Campus at UA, during the 2016 Alan V. Kaufman Phi Alpha Symposium.

Steve Davis, historian for the Alabama Department of Mental Health, and Steve Flanagan, coordinator of psychiatric social services at Pickens County Medical Center Senior Care, discussed the social work and mental health care practices of the historic hospital at the symposium, Bryce Campus: A Retrospective.

UA bought the Bryce Campus in 2010 and has moved multiple offices and departments to the property, including the UA School of Social Work, while Little Hall was under renovation.

“We wanted to answer the community’s questions about the historical buildings that are being renovated to restore history and expand the University as a whole,” said Carol Drolen, associate professor of social work at UA and Phi Alpha advisor.

With the school located in Capital Hall on the Bryce Campus in 2016, the symposium’s topic was timely.

“We found it fitting … because of the history of Bryce Hospital and mental health care, being that it is something that we as social workers work to improve every day,” said Erika Marsh, then-Phi Alpha president. “According Steve Davis, historian for the Alabama to government sources, 60 Department of Mental Health, speaks at the percent of mental health 2016 Alan V. Kaufman Phi Alpha Symposium. professionals are clinically trained social workers.”

Davis, a UA alumnus, has worked in multiple capacities for the Alabama Department of Mental Health for more than 40 years. He said people are typically surprised that Bryce Hospital still stands on Ruby Tyler Parkway in Tuscaloosa. He also discussed the progressiveness of Peter Bryce, a psychiatrist for whom the facility was renamed, and his relationships with former UA President Josiah Gorgas and his wife and former UA librarian Amelia Gayle Gorgas.

“There’s a wealth of history here, like the patient records we have starting in 1861,” Davis said. “Bryce, at one time, had 5,299 patients on campus – people are surprised by how big it became. There’s often a general lack of any knowledge of our history, how many patients were there, the commitment laws in Alabama that didn’t change until the 1970s, and how antiquated they were.”

The symposium is named for Alan V. Kaufman, professor emeritus of the UA School of Social Work.

Members of the Phi Alpha Social Work Honor Society are pictured with guest lecturers Steve Flanagan and Steve Davis (center).

Phi Alpha Teddy Bear Drive The Phi Alpha Honorary Society-Psi Chapter’s annual Teddy Bear Drive raised more than 80 teddy bears for fifth-graders at Big Sandy Elementary in Tuscaloosa County in February 2017.

Led by recent MSW graduate Aubrey Smith, Phi Alpha collected a total of 85 teddy bears to give to fifth grade students at Big Sandy Elementary.

Fifth graders at Big Sandy delivered them to the school’s kindergartners on Valentine’s Day as part of a service project. The project’s goal was to demonstrate and reinforce the act of kindness and selflessness.

Started by Smith, the teddy bear program through the School of Visit vimeo.com/203874836 to watch Social Work’s Phi Alpha Aubrey Smith’s last Teddy Bear Drive. honor society is in its fourth year. One of the concepts of the social work program is that anyone can make a difference.

In previous years, Phi Alpha has delivered Valentine’s Day teddy bears to children at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa.

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE:

Photo courtesy of Tuscaloosa News Aubrey Smith of the Phi Alpha honor society speaks to fifth grade students from Big Sandy Elementary about the teddy bear program and being positive role models.

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Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

Honors Day Convocation

By Adrienne Nettles

UA social work alumna Melanie Bridgeforth, executive director of Voices for Alabama’s Children, encouraged social work students to become strong advocates for the state’s most vulnerable populations – children and families – at the School of Social Work’s Honors Day Convocation in April.

“The University of Alabama sets aside Honors Day to recognize students who Melanie Bridgeforth demonstrate excellence in their academic programs,” said Vikki L. Vandiver, dean of the School of Social Work.

“For educators, there is no more joyous time than when we give recognition to our students for their academic excellence and constant pursuit of their academic dreams.”

In her message to students, Bridgeforth shared her own story of becoming a social worker and advocate. At age 3, she was called bossy by her preschool teacher and always received excessive talking marks on her report card because she thought in her mind she always had something very important to say. She also shared how she was a “girl with so much compassion she often cried when she saw someone eating alone.”

As an adult, she turned those qualities into strengths. Her parents taught her the importance of sacrificing her own comfort and sometimes her own popularity to stand up for those who didn’t have a voice, Bridgeforth said.

“My parents told me I could do anything as long as I remembered to fight for the common good,” she said.

Those childhood lessons were the ingredients that helped her become an advocate for vulnerable populations. She also credits the School of

Faculty and staff from the school's Field Education Program are pictured with Melanie Bridgeforth, guest speaker for the school's 2017 Honors Day

Social Work for solidifying her path in life and career in advocacy.

Bridgeforth said she has dedicated her career to advocating for vulnerable populations, in particular children in the state of Alabama. Prior to Voices for Alabama’s Children, she served as the government relations director for the American Heart Association.

During her tenure with the association, she played a pivotal role in several public policy victories, including passage of numerous smoke-free laws in municipalities across Alabama. She was integral to the passage of regulation requiring in-hospital heart defect screening of all Alabama newborns to reduce infant deaths from undetected heart issues. She also served as a policy analyst for Voices for Alabama’s Children, where she oversaw public policy and legislative and research activities for the organization.

Javonda Williams, associate dean for educational programs and student services, said the school chooses Honors Day speakers whose words of encouragement epitomize what the School celebrates on the special day – excellence, commitment, determination and courage.

“It takes courage to change the lives of children,” Williams said of Bridgeforth.

Tuscaloosa REACTS Conference Trauma can have devastating consequences in a child’s life — consequences that may or may not be obvious to parents, teachers, or other caregivers.

The Tuscaloosa County Juvenile Justice Work Group, which comprises community leaders, service providers and University of Alabama Glenn Saxe faculty and researchers, held the Tuscaloosa Recognizing the Effects and Approaches to Childhood Trauma Summit in March. The summit educates people about the causes and effects of childhood trauma. The event was sponsored by the School of Social Work’s Youth Services Institute and UA's College of Continuing Studies.

Glenn N. Saxe, the conference’s keynote speaker, presented his research on the impact of traumatic events on children and their families and ways to help them to recover. Saxe created a Trauma Systems Therapy program to teach other mental healthcare professionals how to diagnose and treat children following traumatic events. The program addresses a child’s emotional needs and social environment, and it is being used to successfully treat children throughout the country and around the world.

Area leaders like Tuscaloosa Mayor Walter Maddox, service providers and community members attended the one-day conference at UA’s Bryant Conference Center. Many Tuscaloosa-area providers also shared their experiences and expertise in addressing children's needs.

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SSW By the Numbers 2016-17

34

613

Total number of

Total number of

Full-Time Faculty

Students Enrolled

26 Total number of

Full-Time Staff

18:1 Student/Faculty Ratio

300

30%

are African American

10.5%

are Male

BSW MSW PhD 202

75%

380

31

of MSW Students are

Distance Learners

Affiliated Field Agencies

$5.2 million

170,500 Hours of Annual Community Service

in total endowments, of which $2.7 million is in scholarship endowments

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Calculated at the beginning pay rate for state of Alabama social workers, these hours represent service worth in excess of $3 million.

50

Moments of Evolution and Progress

The University of Alabama School of Social Work welcomed its first Master of Social Work (MSW) class in 1967, starting the school’s 50-year journey in social work education.

“One of the most memorable things about being a student in the first class was how the professors at that time thought students needed to know everything that was written about social work.

We did a lot of reading,” said Sharon Shelton, a graduate of the school’s first MSW class of 27 students and a former assistant dean for the school. “I was placed in four locations for my field placement because again our professors wanted us to have experience in several areas. It was an exciting time to be a student in social work.”

As we continue to expand our reach, impact communities and transform lives through innovative teaching, research and service, we have tried to capture the 50 most memorable moments in our school’s history in honor of our 50th anniversary.

These milestones reflect the hard work and dedication of our founders, students, alumni, faculty, staff and leadership to find innovative solutions to social problems in our communities, state, nation and the world over the past five decades.

We hope that these moments will inspire you to continue the work that you’re doing to help others and bring change in the world. You also can share your special memories as a UA social work student, alumni, faculty member or staff member with us to help commemorate our 50th anniversary. Visit us at socialwork.ua.edu/50th to share your memories, upload photos and learn about 50th anniversary events.

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The Early Years Need for social workers 1958

1915

First social work courses 1930s

Little Hall Little Hall was constructed as The University of Alabama’s first stand-alone gymnasium. It was named for William G. Little, the student who first brought football to the University.

1910

– The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) noted the small number of professionally educated social workers in Alabama.

(There were fewer than 100 professional social workers in the state and 72 percent of the state's 67 counties had no professional social workers.)

1920

1930

– Social work courses were offered through UA’s Department of Sociology to help prepare personnel for relief work through the Department of Pensions and Security during the Great Depression.

1940

1950

1960

Feasibility Study 1965

– Following NASW’s findings, efforts began to establish a school of social work on the campus of The University of Alabama. The Council on Social Work Education conducted a feasibility study to examine the resources and need for such a school in Alabama. The study led a group of social workers affiliated with the NASW– Alabama Chapter to mobilize a committee to generate political support for a graduate school of social work in Alabama.

Five Decades of SSW Deans Since the first MSW class arrived at UA in 1967, the following deans have shaped and guided the School of Social Work.

Founding Dean Howard B. Gundy was appointed a year prior to the arrival of the first MSW class to assist hiring faculty and staff and planning for the new school.

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| The University of Alabama

Howard B. Gundy Founding Dean 1966 - 1971

Pardo Frederick DelliQuadri 1972 - 1981

Legislature establishes UA SSW

First MSW class

1965

UA renovated Little Hall to accommodate the social work education program and for the arrival of the school’s first class of 27 MSW students. On Sept. 9, the school hosted its first MSW orientation (right).

– On March 22, the Alabama Legislature voted to establish a graduate school of social work at The University of Alabama. On the day the bill was approved, members of the committee that coordinated the campaign for the bill personally handed state legislators a pink carnation as they came into the chamber.

1967

Founding dean

Changing social work’s image

1966

March 1969

– Howard B. Gundy (right) began work as the first dean of the School of Social Work, hired the initial group of faculty members and began to recruit students.

– A Tuscaloosa News article noted that “social work is a profession which is becoming increasingly important in trying to come to the aid of individuals and families involved in contemporary problems”…in part due to the “increased numbers (of social workers) trained in their profession through the establishment of the new School of Social Work at The University of Alabama.”

1965

1970 MSW program accredited 1969

– The MSW program received initial accreditation from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), and has been continuously accredited since that time. The first class of MSW students also graduated from UA.

James Ward First African-American Dean 1982 -1988

Lucinda Roff 1988 - 2000

James “Ike" Adams 2000 – 2009

Vikki L. Vandiver 2014 - Present

Not pictured are interim deans Phillip Crunk (1971-72); Doris Williams (1981-82); Lucinda Roff (2010-14); and dean James Hall (2009-10).

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1970s

BSW Program 1970

– UA's undergraduate degree program in social work was placed within the School of Social Work, and the program has been continuously accredited by CSWE since its establishment.

New Dean DelliQuadri On Sept. 1, Fred DelliQuadri (center) was named dean. Under his leadership, the school experienced phenomenal growth thanks to support from federal funding, including child welfare traineeship grants. During his 10-year tenure, the school helped create the Alabama-Mississippi Social Work Conference, established a continuing education program, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in criminal justice, and an advanced standing, one-year MSW program.

1972

1970 Legal Aid Clinic 1973

– Social work students, along with UA law students, staffed the Legal Aid Clinic, a university pilot program designed to demonstrate how legal services could be delivered to public assistance recipients.

First student newsletter

W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library

Center for the Study of Aging

1974

1971

– The School established a Center for the Study of Aging to conduct research and to educate social workers to meet the needs of the state’s aging population. Its director was Lorin Baumhover.

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| The University of Alabama

W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library

– The first issue of the school’s student newsletter Innerface debuted and was dedicated to Randy MidKiff. The purpose of the newsletter was to provide students and faculty in the school an “open channel of communication through which information can be disseminated.”

First AfricanAmerican VP on SGA 1975

– School of Social Work student Sylvester Jones became the first African-American student to serve as executive vice president of the Student Government Association at UA.

1979 First AfricanAmerican DSW graduate

UA president’s letter on SSW

Ethel H. Hall, for whom the School’s African-American Heritage Month program was named after 10 years later, became the first African-American to earn a doctorate from the School of Social Work. She was denied admission to UA in the early 1960s during UA’s struggle to integrate.

As times changed, she later was hired to teach bachelor’s and master’s social work courses at UA.

1974

– Former UA President David Matthews wrote a letter in the local newspaper noting that “the school in an eight-year history has succeeded in achieving a respected position not just in the Southeast but nationwide.”

1980 Doctor of S ocial Work 1975

– The school created a Doctor of Social Work program and recruits its first director, Ben Avis Orcutt. Orcutt served as professor of social work and directed the doctoral program until her retirement in 1983.

W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library

Phi Alpha honor society 1976

– The school established a chapter of Phi Alpha Social Work Honor Society to promote the academic achievements of students and faculty.

W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library

$1 million NIMH Grant 1979

– Associate Professor Thelma Mueller (pictured above today) secured a $1 million National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) grant to coordinate a four-year project to train and place experienced graduate students in the offices of rural family physicians. The grant was the largest in the school’s history at the time.

School of Social Work |

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1980s Hong Kong program 1981

Washington, D.C. Program

– Faculty member Phillip Crunk (below) established a cooperative MSW program with Hong Kong’s Shue Yan College.

UA social work faculty traveled to Hong Kong to teach first-year courses to Hong Kong students, who could then complete their second year of the degree program at UA.

1980

– Charles S. Prigmore established the Washington, D.C. Field Internship program, providing MSW students field placements and learning opportunities about policy and advocacy in the nation’s capital. Prigmore was hired under Gundy in 1967, and his arrival as one of the school’s first faculty members was reported in the local newspaper. He retired from The Capstone in 1984.

Roff named dean 1987

– Lucinda Roff, a young social work faculty member in her 30s, was tapped to become dean, and she served for 13 years.

During her tenure, enrollment grew dramatically. Under her leadership, the school also received funding from the Alabama Department of Human Resources to strengthen child welfare services, assisted Lithuania’s Vytautas Magnus University in developing a MSW program, and increased its endowment to more than $2 million. In 2010, Roff returned from retirement to serve as the school’s interim dean for four years before retiring for a second time, capping a 40-year tenure with the school as a faculty member and dean.

1980 First AfricanAmerican dean

Gundy Award The Howard B. Gundy Award was established to honor the school’s founding dean and to recognize outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni for their distinguished service.

1981

– James H. Ward was named the school’s dean, making history as the first AfricanAmerican dean at The University of Alabama.

With his appointment, Ward said he had no idea he’d made history when he was hired to head up the School of Social Work. He accepted the position because he was “impressed with the leadership and direction that is articulating from the president’s office.” He also was swayed by the school’s capacity to respond to state and regional needs and the school’s diverse student population and competent faculty.

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Social Work Society 1984

– The School of Social Work established the Social Work Society, a support group of alumni and friends, to help develop private giving as a source of support for scholarships and school initiatives. In September, the society held its annual meeting and members networked (shown above) before the Alabama Social Work Hall of Fame luncheon.

1988

1990s Youth Services Institute 1990

– Raymond Sumrall (below) established the school’s Youth Services Institute, a research, training and technical assistance center, that provides internships for students and partnerships with juvenile justice agencies in the state. Over the years the program has grown considerably. In 2011, the institute opened the Working on Womanhood (WOW) Program, a multidisciplinary, holistic treatment program for female, juvenile offenders. The program provides training and research opportunities for students and faculty.

Social Work Hall of Fame 1997

– The Social Work Society created the Alabama Social Work Hall of Fame to honor distinguished Alabama social workers. Inductees are displayed on the school’s Hall of Fame wall.

1990

2000 First endowed chair 1999

– Jordan Kosberg was appointed as the University Endowed Chair of Social Work, marking the first endowed chair position for the school.

Coordinated MSW/MPH PhD Program 1992

1999

– The School of Social Work created a coordinated master’s degree with the School of Public Health at The University of Alabama at Birmingham.

– The Doctor of Social Work (DSW) Program is replaced with a PhD program to prepare social work scholars for careers in research.

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2000s

Dean “Ike” Adams 2000

– James “Ike” Adams was appointed dean. During his nine-year tenure, he focused on expanding the school’s child welfare training program and initiates off-campus master’s offerings using interactive television.

Board of Friends 2000

– The Board of Friends was created to provide guidance about long-range planning and to assist the school in securing financial resources to support students and academic programs. In September, the Board hosted the All Class Alabama Social Work Hall of Fame Reception (shown above).

2000 Focus on Aging 2000

– The School of Social Work began receiving extensive support from the John A. Hartford Foundation, which funds curriculum development in gerontology, enrichment of field placements with geriatric content, and development of faculty scholars and doctoral students with research interests in aging.

Buford Peace Award 2002

– MSW alumnus Tony Walker (right) established the Lahoma Adams Buford Peace Award to recognize and encourage faculty members to collaborate and to become active in causes that promote peace and justice.

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Center for Mental Health and Aging 2003

– The School of Social Work partnered with the College of Arts and Sciences to create the Center for Mental Health and Aging under the leadership of Lucinda Roff and Louis Burgio. The two professors are recognized as leaders in studies on aging.

Consortium on child welfare 2003

– The School of Social Work created the Alabama Higher Education Consortium on Child Welfare with the Alabama Department of Human Resources to promote cooperation among state social work education programs that educate students for child welfare careers.

2010s

Online MSW program 2011

– The school inaugurated a primarily online MSW program, serving distance learners with online courses, skills labs in cities across Alabama, and field placements near students’ homes.

Initiation of this program significantly boosted enrollment in the MSW program.

BSW Honors Program

2010

2013

Wilson Hall demolition Wilson Hall, which housed some of the School of Social Work’s faculty and staff offices on its third floor, was demolished. Space in Farrah Hall was later renovated to hold social work doctoral classes and for the school’s expanding faculty.

– In collaboration with UA’s Honors College and with the support of the school’s Bachelor of Social Work committee, Javonda Williams, associate dean for educational programs and student services, created the school’s BSW Honors Program for undergraduate social work students.

2010 China Collaborative The Council on Social Work Education chose the school to participate in the China Collaborative, a five-year program aimed at supporting Chinese universities in developing professional social work education.

Coordinated MSW/JD 2011

– The UA School of Law and School of Social Work offer a coordinated Master of Social Work and Juris Doctor program. The first student to major in this program was UA alumna Jilisa Milton (’12), who is expected to complete the program in May 2019.

2012

Vandiver named dean 2014

– Vikki L. Vandiver (center) from Portland State University was appointed the school’s new dean. In the first three years of her deanship, Vandiver began Donuts with the Dean, meet-and-greet sessions with students to learn about their academic careers and plans. She also led and oversaw the renovation of the school's 103-year-old building Little Hall, advanced graduate student enrollment, and doubled fundraising within the school.

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2010s

continued

Little Hall renovation approved The University of Alabama Board of Trustees approved a $9 million renovation project for Little Hall.

2015 2015 $8 million SBIRT grant July 2016

– The School of Social Work secured $8 million in funding from the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration to implement integrated health care in Alabama. For the five-year project, the school has partnered with the Alabama Department of Mental Health to expand a mental health screening and referral program to underserved areas of West Alabama. David Albright (center), Hill Crest Foundation Endowed Chair in Mental Health, and Kathy House, with ADMH, are co-project directors.

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Construction begins on Little Hall Spring 2016

– Construction work began to transform Little Hall, a 103-year-old building, into a state-ofthe-art facility for social work education, with a third-floor addition and new collaboration labs.

2016 Restoring Our Past, Building Our Future Fall 2016

– The Board of Trustees of The University of Alabama approved the school’s Restoring Our Past, Building Our Future initiative for naming opportunities in the newly renovated Little Hall. Dean Vandiver pitched the new initiative to alumni groups and potential donors. Through the initiative alumni and friends of the school can establish an endowed scholarship and permanent naming recognition in Little Hall in their name or in honor of a loved one. Pictured are Raymond and Jean Rayfield, who endowed a scholarship through the initiative to name the registrar's office. Jean Rayfield served as the school’s first registrar.

Washington, D.C. Fly-In March 2017

– The Field Education Program hosts the school’s first Policy and Advocacy Washington, D.C. FlyIn with The Ohio State University College of Social Work.

Through the program, BSW, MSW and PhD students learn firsthand about policy and advocacy.

New website July 2017

– In collaboration with the University’s Division of Strategic Communications, the school launched a redesigned website with a focus on student recruitment and services.

2017

2018

DID YOU KNOW?

Little Hall reopens August 2017

– Faculty and staff moved back into Little Hall with newly furnished offices, state-of-the-art classrooms and a new third-floor reception area for events. Students began classes in the new building in spring 2018.

Dr. Doris Moss Williams, who passed in March 2004, was the first African-American interim dean of UA's School of Social Work. Williams’ prestigious career also included serving as director of SSW's master's program and professor-in-residence at the school’s program in Hong Kong. She was later named dean of Grambling State University's School of Social Work.

For more on Williams and other important stakeholders in our 50-year history, visit socialwork.ua.edu/50th.

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International News SOCIAL WORK FACULTY ENGAGE IN INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS

By Adrienne Nettles

UA Social Work faculty members are conducting cutting-edge research in Uganda, China, Cuba and Hungary to improve lives, communities and access to education.

This fall, the School of Social Work announced plans to continue partnering with faculty researchers at Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (SWUFE) in Chengdu, China under a new partnership.

The new partnership grew out of the school’s five-year China Collaborative project with Yunnan University in Kunming, the capital city of China's southern Yunnan province. The China Collaborative project began in 2012 through the Council on Social Work Education’s Katherine A. Kendall Institute and allowed faculty from UA’s School of Social Work to work directly with Yunnan University to develop teaching resources for master’s level social work programs. The partnership also provided faculty exchanges and research collaborations.

In summer 2017, UA social work faculty members Debra Nelson-Gardell, coordinator of international initiatives, and Sebrena Jackson, assistant professor of social work and director of the MSW program, represented UA at the project’s final meeting in Beijing.

From left, Debra Neslon Gardell, associate professor of social work, Professor Xiangshu Deng of China, and Dean Vikki Vandiver after signing the new SWUFE agreement.

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From left, Debra Nelson-Gardell, associate professor of social work, and Sebrena Jackson, assistant professor of social work attended the final meeting for the school's China Collaborative partnership.

“Over the course of the five-year partnership and through sharing expertise between the collaborative partners, we developed relationships that promise to outlast the original agreement and that continue to enrich the partner schools,” Nelson-Gardell said. “The SWUFE partnership will allow us to continue to support scholarship, including research and teaching, along with increased opportunities for students from both institutions to benefit from the fertile ground of cross-cultural collaboration and learning.”

The new partnership with Southwestern is among cutting-edge research projects UA social work faculty members are conducting

across the globe to improve our communities and lives, said Vikki L. Vandiver, dean of UA’s School of Social Work. In the fall, Vandiver met with Xiangshu Deng, a professor and director at Southwestern, to sign the new agreement.

Nelson-Gardell said the new agreement is just the beginning of the School’s relationship with Southwestern. UA is planning another agreement with Yunnan University, she said.

“In the coming years, we hope to have research and teaching collaborations and an exchange program between UA and social work educators in southwestern China that also will benefit students, Nelson-Gardell said.”

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

We hope to develop some type of intervention that will take into account the cultural views about treatment and communications preferences so that patient wishes are followed.

— Professor Ellen Csikai

Sebrena Jackson (right), assistant professor of social work, is pictured with UA School of Social Work field liasions during the National Association of Black Social Workers' International Education Conference in Accra, Ghana.

Online Education in Ghana As director of the school’s MSW program, Jackson also oversees its primarily online master’s program. Her expertise and work in online education earned her an invitation to speak at the National Association of Black Social Workers’ 40th International Education Conference in Accra, Ghana in August.

Jackson’s presentation, “Social Work Distance Education Opportunities and Challenges,” explored how schools in Ghana can offer distance education to students. The UA School of Social work offers student field placements in Ghana so UA social work already has a presence in the West African nation, Jackson said.

“We are in the early stages of exploring if UA social work can teach a class there or establish a collaborative agreement with a school that will allow students in Ghana to benefit from our online courses,” she said.

Researching Cancer in Older Adults Ellen Csikai, professor of social work, is conducting cancer research in Cuba and Hungary.

In March 2017, Csikai traveled to Cuba to continue her research collaboration at the National Institute of Cancer in Havana.

Ellen Csikai, professor of social work, (third from the right) with members of her research team and community leaders in Hungary.

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International News

The research project titled “Cross-cultural Perceptions and Attitudes Influencing Communication about Serious Illness and Quality of Life Among Older Adults in Cuba and the U.S.” involves interviewing older adults with cancer and their family members to learn how they prefer to communicate with health professionals. The researchers are comparing the interviews with Cubans with those of oncology patients at DCH Regional Medical Center in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Csikai said.

“We hope to develop some type of intervention that will take into account the cultural views about treatment and communications preferences so that patient wishes are followed,” she said.

In 2012, Csikai began similar research with her colleagues at the Faculty of Health, an educational unit of the University of Debrecen in Nyíregyháza, Hungary. In October, she traveled to Hungary to continue her research.

In addition to conducting interviews with cancer patients and families about treatment decisions in advanced disease (about endof-life care) and communication with health professionals, additional components were added to the study. The new components involved working with focus groups made up of hospice nurses and social caregivers who shared their observations of communication held with patients and families during care in the home.

“We are still examining the data to determine how this research can be used to increase patients’ understanding of their disease and what to expect as the disease progresses,” Csikai said.

Csikai said she will return to Cuba in April and Hungary in the fall to continue her work on these two ongoing studies. She plans to integrate the two into an intervention that can receive funding for implementation.

Studying Mental Health and Family Violence in Uganda

Catherine Carlson, assistant professor of social work, recently began a research project that aims to understand the mental health needs of adolescents in Uganda.

Through understanding the mental health needs of this population, Carlson said she

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Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

Catherine Carlson (second from right), assistant professor of social work, is pictured with her research collaborators from Raising Voices and Makerere University during a workshop in Kampala, Uganda.

hopes to inform Ugandan educators about mental health and develop school-based services to help adolescents improve their mental health. Her study is funded by a National Institute of Mental Health grant.

Carlson also has conducted research on intimate partner violence against women and violence against children in Uganda. In her study, she examined violence in these two groups and explored the shared perceptions and experiences of the two groups. Her study found that the patriarchal family structure creates an environment that normalizes many forms of violence, simultaneously infantilizing women and reinforcing their subordination, alongside children. She also found that, based on participant experiences, there are four potential patterns that suggest how intimate partner violence and violence against children not only co-occur, but more profoundly

intersect within the family, triggering cycles of emotional and physical abuse. They are: • Bystander trauma • Negative role modeling • Protection and further victimization • Displaced aggression Carlson said she hopes her research will help Ugandans develop better programs to help victims of intimate partner violence against women and violence against children. Her study was recently published in the Social Science & Medicine Journal, and she presented her research at the 2017 Sexual Violence Research Imitative Forum, the premiere international conference on violence research, held in September in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

GLOBAL OUTREACH

Wenjie Chai

Integrating Social Work and Chinese Culture

By David Miller

Wenjie Chai has spent a considerable amount of time caring for her children and her elders in the countryside of the Anhui Province of China.

It’s common for those who live in rural areas to travel significant distances to work in metro areas, where jobs are abundant and pay is higher. Children and the elderly, who often live with their working-age family members, spend stretches of time alone. Combined with an underdeveloped social work infrastructure, chronic health conditions are prevalent and children find themselves in dangerous situations in these rural areas.

“In China, the environments and living conditions in the countryside and in the city are very different,” said Chai, who was a visiting scholar in The University of Alabama School of Social Work. “Many children are left behind by their parents, so they have to live with their grandparents or other relatives. Sometimes they are neglected, and almost every summer, there are children who drown in rivers.”

Chai focused her time at UA studying welfare of children and families and community development. She arrived in Tuscaloosa in December 2016 for her one-year stay as a visiting scholar, the latest international visitor in the school’s commitment to help shape social work education across the globe.

Chai sat in on a mixture of undergraduate and graduate courses, including child welfare, aging and research methods. She visited nongovernment organizations in the state to learn more about how they’re organized, managed and

funded. Chai is a full-time teacher and works part-time at an NGO in China.

“The developing of nongovernment social work agencies is new in China,” Chai said.

“There are many fields in which our government cannot do enough. So those families and the children need more help. More and more NGOs in China face many management problems.

Most have no professional full-time workers and rely on volunteers who already have full-time jobs and a salary.”

Chai was eager to apply the knowledge gained at UA once she returned to China, where she’s exploring the possibility of pursuing an advanced degree in social work.

Chai, like many in the country who hold significant roles in social work education, does not have an undergraduate or master’s degree in social work. Chai has two degrees in history.

“Because of social work education’s youth in China, there are many people who have little or no formal background in social work,” said Debra Nelson-Gardell, associate professor of social work and the school's coordinator of international initiatives. “They have affiliated kinds of background, like history, economics, and so on. What else is different about [Chai] is that, while she is considering pursuing a doctorate in social work, she has taken a greater apparent interest in the teaching of social work than some of our other visiting scholars have done.”

The UA School of Social Work, along with six other universities around the United States, participated in a five-year Council of Social Work Education collaborative program with universities in mainland China to help develop teaching resources for MSW programs.

“One significant goal of the China Collaborative was to offer whatever we could to assist in the development of the infrastructure of graduate social work education in China. This very sincere interest from Chai is in line with that.”

Chai said social work professors in China must have experience as a visiting scholar abroad. She said the social work education experience in the United States differs greatly, mainly in how field education is built into course curriculum.

Chai said her pursuit of social work education is equal parts “must” and “want-to.”

“Many are making the same transition as me,” Chai said. “I’m very interested in the children that are left behind in the countryside [the social work issues are of particular interest].”

The China Collaborative also has provided faculty exchanges and research collaborations.

“Wenjie is actually not from that geographic area we were assigned to,” Nelson-Gardell said. “So this collaborative has resulted in UA’s name being much more recognizable in the Chinese social work education community. People know about us because of the collaborative, which is very exciting.

“Working with the China Collaborative and our visiting scholars certainly keeps my passion for international work ignited. I learn more and more about Chinese social work – we have the same social issues: children in need of care, rural poverty, fair resource access for racial and ethnic minorities – so my own knowledge and cultural experiences are enhanced.”

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Faculty and Staff News

Faculty Spotlight

Weaving Innovation Into Classes

by David Miller

On a cold winter day, 7-year-old Kevin Corcoran laid across an air vent on the floor of his parents’ home.

He began to mimic the highpitched, rapid Kevin Corcoran thumping sounds of Professor of Social Work the curtains twisting and unfurling as the warm air shot from the vent. That day would mark the first of many “inventions” for Corcoran, who idolized his grandfather’s ability to make all sorts of “cool noises.”

“I actually invented the water bed,” Corcoran said. “My brother and I would fill the plastic bags inside the large cartons of milk and make ‘water pillows.’ Years later, someone else created the waterbed.”

Though he wouldn’t receive credit for the waterbed, Corcoran’s inventive and entrepreneurial spirit runs concurrent with his dual academic training in both law and social work.

Inventions to Improve Social Work Corcoran, a professor of social work at The University of Alabama, has encouraged students at each of his academic appointments to think of practical, creative and innovative ways to impact the field of social work.

Some of his students at UA created a tote

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bag that had simple meal recipes printed on each side. The recipes were influenced by items available through the WIC program. The students made 200 bags that could each hold 40 pounds of food and gave them away for free to food banks. Corcoran’s students also created the “Love Cub,” a teddy bear with recordings of words of encouragement for children who are admitted to hospitals.

“I gave them a six-word assignment to ‘invent something that improves social work,’” Corcoran said. “The idea is that, if you can be creative over here, you can be creative over there. They all get so enthusiastic about their inventions. It enhances their sense of what they can do.”

Corcoran said social workers don’t often think of themselves as creative, but while they serve in field placements, they begin to develop ideas to make broader impacts on the field.

Gabrielle Franklin, an MSW student, was initially skeptical of the assignment.

She didn’t know of anyone who had taken Corcoran’s class, which was one of the first classes she would take after transferring from Tuskegee University last summer.

“When [Corcoran] told us about the assignment, I was intrigued and curious as to how we would actually go about it,” Franklin said.

Franklin teamed with four other social work students to conceptualize a mobile application to help connect people with substance abuse issues to resources in the Birmingham area,

like AA meetings, shelters and churches that provide counseling services. The app also included a link to EasyRATs.com, an online mental health assessment Corcoran created.

“We wanted to create something that focused on decreasing recidivism,” Franklin said. “When we started researching, we found that substance abuse has a major part in recidivism, so we wanted to focus on the root of the problem.”

Kevin Corcoran, professor of social work, with a student from The Capitol School during a book signing for the book “Big Al, Big Al, What Do You See?” at Bryant Museum.

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

They all get so enthusiastic about their inventions.

It enhances their sense of what they can do.

— Professor Kevin Corcoran

The book “Big Al, Big Al, What Do You See?” was co-authored by Kevin Corcoran, professor of social work, and students from The Capitol School.

The next step for Franklin and her team was to partner with the groups that offer services to fully integrate their information into the app and to market it to their clients. Then, they’ll need someone to build the app for various mobile platforms – an added expense that Corcoran has offered to fund. Corcoran said he offers financial backing to any team that wants to advance their idea.

Corcoran offered to pay to publish the book and split the proceeds between Capitol School and the School of Social Work, where Corcoran would distribute the book and accept donations to help fund the innovation scholarship. The Capitol School plans to sell its copies of the book.

“I’d always wanted to do a book in this style,” Richey said, “so this is like a dream come true for me. The kids are beyond excited – they’re published.”

“Kevin impressed me as an entrepreneur. I thought he was for real, but I didn’t know if I’d be able to follow through and get it there.”

To date, more than 2,500 copies of the book have been published. Corcoran’s goal is to see the scholarship endowed to reach $25,000 in the next three years and allow for a paid internship at The Capitol School.

Similarly, Corcoran also plans to fund the scholarship through “Little Al, the Alabama cheering glove,” a gray glove painted and embroidered to look like an elephant that has

Students’ inventions for the field of social work are sometimes as practical as board games for children.

a button to make elephant sounds. Corcoran said he conceptualized the spirit glove shortly after arriving at UA and discovering that, unlike other universities, UA didn’t have recognized hand gestures for fans to use at sporting events.

Learn about SSW's Innovation Scholarship on page 61.

From Innovation to Funding Corcoran plans to tie in the innovation components of his classes to a scholarship in the School of Social Work. The requirement for the $3,000 “Social Work Innovation Scholarship” has the same simple concept from his classes: invent something that improves the field of social work.

“It also has to have the word ‘Alabama’ in it,” Corcoran said. “And if the invention is profitable, remember your alma mater.”

Corcoran plans to fund the scholarship through a collaboration with 7-, 8- and 9-yearolds at The Capitol School in Tuscaloosa. The Capitol School students wrote a book titled, “Big Al, Big Al, What Do You See?,” a picture book inspired by the painted tissue paper collages in “Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?” and “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.”

The students began a written project as an exercise on adjectives and illustrated the book after Corcoran contacted Missy Richey, primary academic teacher at the school.

Kevin Corcoran, professor of social work, with students from The Capitol School. Students held a book signing for “Big Al, Big Al, What Do You See?” at Bryant Museum.

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Faculty and Staff News

New Faculty

New Staff

Kimberly Gibson Education: BSW and MSW, The University of Alabama Gibson, who has more than 10 years of practice experience, joined the school’s Field Education Program as the MSW Field Coordinator in June 2016. She teaches the school’s Integrative Seminar, serves as a field liaison and regularly volunteers as a field representative on school committees. Gibson began her social work career with The Boyd School, where she worked with male residents with emotional and behavioral disturbances in a moderate residential treatment facility. Prior to The Boyd School, she was employed at Hospice of West Alabama as a volunteer coordinator/medical social worker.

Catherine Carlson Education: Bachelor’s in sociology and music from Emory University, MSW from the University of Georgia and PhD in social work from Columbia University

Amy Dillon

Lauren Holmes

Research Program Assistant March 2017

SBIRT Field Data Supervisor March 2017

Melanie Jessie

Shanna McIntosh

SBIRT Health Educator February 2017

SBIRT Project Director September 2016

Adrienne Nettles

Kelly Seaman

Communications Specialist September 2016

MSW Program Assistant October 2016

Carlson joined the School of Social Work as an assistant professor of social work in August 2017. Prior to arriving at UA, she completed a post-doctoral fellowship with the Columbia University Psychiatric Institute’s National Institute of Mental Health T32 in Global Health, where she was employed since 2013.

Sha-Rhonda Green Education: Bachelor’s in psychology from Brewton-Parker College, a master’s degree in sociology from Georgia Southern University, MSW from the University of Georgia and a PhD in human services from Walden University Green joined the school as an assistant professor (NTRC/Instructor) in August 2017. She was previously a mobile mental health crisis assessor/therapist for Benchmark Human Services in Georgia. She is a licensed clinical social worker with more than 15 years of social work and mental health practice experience.

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Morion Siler MSW Student Coordinator June 2017

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

New Faculty Appointments

David Albright

Tania Alameda-Lawson

Amy Traylor

David L. Albright, Hill Crest Foundation Endowed Chair in Mental Health and associate professor of social work, was awarded tenure in April 2017. The honor reflects Albright’s dedication to serving military veterans and service members through his innovative research focusing on the health promotion and education of military personnel, veterans, their families and communities.

In September 2017, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey also recognized Albright for his field of expertise with his appointment to the Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council. Ivey issued an executive order appointing the Council to combat the state’s current opioid crisis and develop strategies to reduce the number of deaths linked to opioid use. Albright is one of 36 members serving on the council. He is co-chair of the Council’s Treatment and Recovery Support Committee, which develops strategies to increase access to treatment for opioid use disorders and to services designed to support long-term recovery. He also currently serves on several other state boards, including the Alabama Executive Veterans Network as chair of the Health Committee.

Tania Alameda-Lawson has been promoted to associate professor and awarded tenure. Her research within the School of Social Work focuses on communityengaged social work practices. AlamedaLawson’s research interests and expertise include interdisciplinary, community-based participatory methods to develop and research interventions that strengthen and create opportunities for disadvantaged children, youth, families, schools, and communities.

She is especially interested in developing and researching interventions that eliminate or mitigate the effects of toxic stress on children’s education and well-being. Her research is undergirded by empowerment theory, resilience and strength-based approaches. She is currently a co-PI, with two faculty from the College of Education Alabama TOPS, a university-schoolcommunity initiative focusing on children’s out-of-school time in an economically disadvantaged community in Tuscaloosa. Her work has been published in leading social work and education journals. Nationally, she has served as consultant for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Mott Foundation, the Center for the Study of Social Policy in Washington, D.C. and multiple public school districts across the country. Internationally, she has consulted for UNICEF in Guatemala, and the governments of Pasto, Colombia and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Traylor has been promoted to associate professor and awarded tenure. Her research interests include issues related to adolescent and young adult substance abuse and mental health, as well as the use of emerging technologies in social work research, practice, and education.

Since arriving at UA, Traylor has collaborated on a research project aimed at developing virtual reality environments for use as a component of intervention for girls residing in juvenile detention facilities in Alabama. In addition, she has worked to develop interdisciplinary relationships within the College of Engineering to facilitate the creation of virtual environments for a variety of projects. The use of virtual reality technology in assessing reactions to drug cues has been a common theme in Traylor’s research collaborations. Her research has also focused on assessing reactions to smoking, alcohol, and marijuana cues in adult populations. She also was awarded a National Institutes of Health grant to develop and test virtual environments aimed at providing a novel intervention component for adolescents receiving treatment for marijuana use. Her virtual reality laboratory is one of three dedicated virtual reality labs housed in a school of social work in the country.

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Faculty and Staff News

Faculty Accolades

David L. Albright Engagement Award/ Centennial Lecturer

Associate Professor David Albright, Hill Crest Foundation Endowed Chair in Mental Health, delivered Fordham Law School’s Graduate School of Social Service Centennial Lecture in November 2016.

Allison Curington Top Field Director/ Social Media Blog

Allison Curington received the Field Education Director of the Year Award at the 2016 Alabama/Mississippi Social Work

Bob McKinney STFM Fellow

Bob McKinney (’08 MSW), assistant professor of behavioral science in UA’s College of Community Health Sciences and School of Social Work, was named a 2018 Behavioral Science/ Family Systems Educator Fellow by the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. He was one of 16 family medicine faculty members from across the U.S. to receive the highly competitive fellowship.

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For his talk titled “A Vision for Social Work in the Next 100 Years: Staying the Course in Response to Our Veterans,” Albright, a former infantry officer in the U.S. Army, addressed the ways in which the social work profession can promote the well-being of veterans on individual, family, organizational and community levels.

Albright’s work with veterans also has been recognized by The University of Alabama.

In 2017, Albright received an Excellence in Community Engagement Award from the Council on Community-Based Partnerships at UA. He was honored with the Council's

Outstanding Faculty/Staff Initiated Engagement Effort award for his project Dallas and Marengo Counties Veterans Needs Assessment. The award is presented to faculty, staff, students and community partners who have identified needs in the community, developed means to address those needs, acted to achieve outcomes, and demonstrated measured success in achieving those outcomes. Albright and other recipients were honored at the Council’s 11th annual Excellence in Community Engagement Awards program in April.

Education Conference in Phenix City, Alabama.

Curington, director of the school’s Field Education Program, was recognized for her outstanding leadership in forming the Alabama Consortium of Field Directors, for her innovative ideas for teaching field instructors and for her knowledge and coordination of an online training venue for field instructors across the state.

In 2017, Curington was featured in the blog of Laurel Hitchcock, assistant professor of social work at the University of Alabama at

Birmingham. Curington worked with Hitchock to develop a social media toolkit for social work field educators. Hitchcock’s blog titled "Modeling Practice: Social Media Guidelines in Social Work Field Education” explained how their toolkit could be used to help field educators deal with the ethical and practical issues related to the use of social and digital media in field education. Hitchcock’s blog also featured a Q&A with Curington about The University of Alabama School of Social Work’s field program social media policy.

As a fellow, McKinney attended the society’s 2017 annual spring conference and the 2017 Forum on Behavioral Science in Family Medicine Conference. He also will attend the 2018 spring conference, where, under the mentorship of seasoned behavioral science educators, he will present a scholarly project.

The society also will highlight his research in its publications and on its website.

The society’s yearlong fellowship is for family medicine faculty who have responsibility for coordinating or teaching behavioral science/family systems curriculum.

At UA, McKinney is the director of the University Medical Center Department of Social Services, where he supervises social work field students and student employees

as they address the often unmet patient needs regarding their social, environmental, and familial situations. McKinney teaches about the social determinants of health and mental health and works in clinical teaching environments alongside interprofessional colleagues and learners.

McKinney, who is one of fewer than 50 people in Alabama to be licensed and certified for private, independent practice by the Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners in all five recognized areas of practice, is currently a doctoral candidate in the School of Social Work.

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

Cassandra E. Simon Black History Month Lecturer

Cassandra E. Simon, associate professor of social work, delivered the keynote lecture for Louisiana State University’s 2017 Black History Month Celebration in February.

Sebrena Jackson Innovation Scholar/ Social Worker of the Year

Sebrena Jackson, assistant professor of social work and MSW program director, received the 2017 Innovation Scholar in Residence Award.

She was one of eight UA faculty members to receive innovation scholar awards from UA’s College of Continuing Studies.

Kevin Corcoran Choice Magazine Honor

Kevin Corcoran, professor of social work, was honored as editor-in-chief in what is considered the most comprehensive manual to the field of social work.

Dr. Simon’s lecture titled “Black Stories, Black Lives, Black Truths: ‘Alternative Facts’ and Misinformation in the Black Narrative” focused on her life and career. Her most meaningful achievement is being the first African-American valedictorian of the Louisiana’s historically white Lake Charles High School for which she received a key to the city in 2013.

A breast cancer survivor and trained diversity leader, Simon stressed her commitment to educating others in the areas of cancer and culture as part of her lecture. She also shared

her dedication to helping to create a just society and contribute to the greater good through educating others on multiculturalism, diversity and social justice. She presented her lecture as part of LSU’s Blacks in Academia Lecture Series.

Simon received her bachelor’s degree from the University of New Orleans, MSW from Louisiana State University and doctorate from the University of Texas at Arlington.

As MSW program director, Jackson oversees the school’s MSW primarily online program.

Jackson and other scholars were honored for their forward-thinking proposals to bring innovation to online teaching and learning.

Scholars propose a range of projects aimed at increasing student engagement, building academic community and exploring emerging technologies in their online courses and then work with an innovation team throughout the year to bring their projects to fruition.

Jackson was honored as the National Association of Social Workers-Alabama Chapter’s 2017 Social Worker of the Year. She received the award at the NASW-Alabama Chapter Annual

Conference’s award ceremony at the Bryant Conference Center.

The award recognizes a member of the National Association of Social Workers who exemplifies the best of the profession’s values and achievements through advocacy for clients, social policy, program development, research and leadership. In addition to serving as member of the social work faculty, Jackson is founder of the National Social Work Enrichment Program. The program partners with state departments of human resources, colleges and universities, and local social service agencies to offer youth rich learning experiences in the summer.

Corcoran published the third edition of the “Social Workers' Desk Reference,” a 1,473 page, 5.5-pound, 163-chapter book that took two years to compile and featured nearly 60 new chapters in 2015. The reference, which some schools, including UA and the University of Texas, use as a textbook, was listed to Choice Magazine’s 2016 Outstanding Academic Titles.

Corcoran became editor of the third edition after the passing of Albert R. Roberts, who authored the first two editions, which began in 2002. Corcoran worked with previous researchers who had authored chapters in the

first two editions to update their sections and sought “young people and new things,” like web-based assessments, telemedicine and new interventions.

Every year in January, Choice publishes the list of Outstanding Academic Titles, which is based on the reviews of 6,000 academic books. Criteria for the list include importance relative to field, originality, value to undergraduate student and overall excellence in presentation and scholarship.

This award is given to the top 10 percent of works reviewed.

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Faculty and Staff News

Faculty Accolades continued

Laura Hopson and Tania Alameda-Lawson Seed-Funding Awards

Karen Thompson Outstanding Educator

Leah Cheatham Manuscript Honors

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Tania Alameda-Lawson and Laura Hopson, both associate professors in the School of Social Work, were among winners of 2017 Excellence in Community Engagement awards from the Council on Community-Based Partnerships at The University of Alabama.

Alameda-Lawson and Hopson were honored for their project “Collective Parent Engagement and Service Learning at Davis-Emerson Middle School.” They received $5,000 in research seed funds to support their work.

Alameda-Lawson and Hopson received their funding award at the Council’s 11th Annual Excellence in Community Engagement Awards program in April at the Bryant Conference Center.

Karen Thompson (’90 BSW, ’92 MSW), a social work adjunct faculty member, was honored as Outstanding Adjunct at the school’s Third Annual Academic Awards Ceremony. She also received the Outstanding Commitment to Field Education Award in May 2017.

In addition to her social work teaching duties, Thompson serves as executive director

of Temporary Emergency Services Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping individuals and families in crisis situations.

The 2017 Academic Awards were held at the Cypress Inn Pavilion in Tuscaloosa.

L eah Cheatham, assistant professor of social work, received awards from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) for two published manuscripts.

Cheatham received honorable mention for the Journal of Social Work Education’s 2016 Best Quantitative Article as a coauthor of the manuscript “Development and Validation of the Social Worker’s Attitudes Toward Disability Scale.” Criteria for the award included the importance and timeliness of the content, originality of thought, innovative conceptualization of the topic, and presentation of conclusions and/ or recommendations that added significantly to the professional knowledge base and to social work education.

She also received honorable mention for CSWE's Council on Disability and Persons with Disabilities’ 2016 Disability Manuscript Award. The award recognizes scholarship that contributes to the understanding of disability, including the knowledge about disability and social work education curriculum materials focused on disability and people with disabilities.

Cheatham and award winners were honored at CSWE’s 2016 Annual Program Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

Staff Recognitions Elester Smiley Promotion to Accounting Assistant

Elizabeth Lary Staff Excellence Award

Mary Sella Rayfield Award

Barry Durand DSO Appreciation Award

Elester Smiley was promoted from the position of accounting clerk II to accounting assistant. The promotion reflects Smiley’s dedication to helping to elevate the school and assuming more responsibilities in the school’s fiscal office, including overseeing the job vacancy announcements, student scholarships and employee travel.

Smiley joined the School of Social Work in 2015. She has more than 30 years of experience in accounting and financial reporting. She is a native of Wilcox County, AL.

Elizabeth Lary was honored with the school’s inaugural Staff Excellence Award for going above and beyond in her position as the school’s events coordinator.

Established in March 2017, the award recognizes the exemplary performance of a staff member who consistently excels in his or her position and demonstrates integrity

and a strong commitment to the mission and values of the school.

In 2016-17, Lary planned and oversaw more than 75 school events on campus and at local, state and national conferences. She was honored by her peers at the school’s annual Academic Awards ceremony in April.

Mary Sella (’88), a coordinator of student services, joined the School of Social Work in October 1989. In April 2017, she was honored with the Jean B. Rayfield Award for her dedication to serving social work students for more than two decades. Given by the school’s Undergraduate Social Work Organization, the honor recognizes a member of the school’s

faculty or staff for outstanding service to students. In her current role, Sella advises BSW and MSW students, recruits new BSW and MSW students, and teaches an orientation course designed for pre-professional BSW students. She also coordinates the school’s section of Bama Bound orientation for new incoming BSW students.

Office Associate Barry Durand is known for his helpful and energetic spirit in managing the school’s front desk and mailroom. In April 2017, he received the Doctoral Student Organization Appreciation Award for his commitment to excellence in customer service. From assisting students, faculty and staff with projects to keeping the school’s

supplies filled in a timely manner, Durand has shown his dedication to helping his colleagues and students.

Durand was honored by his peers and students at the school’s 2017 Honors Day Convocation.

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Faculty and Staff News

Faculty and Doctoral Scholarship Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles Guo Y., & Cheng, T. (2017). A comparative study of mental health care utilization between Foreign-born adults and US-born adults. Journal of Community Psychology. 45(2), 145-159.

Yuqi Guo Doctoral Student

Guo Y., & Albright, D. L. (2017). Effectiveness of telehealth technologies of self-management for older adults with a chronic condition: A comprehensive review of the literature. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare.

Guo, Y. & Sims, O. (2016). HCV Health policy developments in response to the National Viral Hepatitis Action Plan: A brief update. Social Work in Public Health. 32(2), 77-81.

Cheng, T. C., & Li, Q. (2017). Adolescent delinquency in child welfare system: A multiple disadvantages model. Children and Youth Services Review, 73, 205–212.

Qingyi Li Doctoral Student

Guo Y. & Sims, O. (2017) Assessment of recent HIV testing among older adults in the United States. Social Work in Health Care, 56(9), 855-864.

Noh, H., Guo Y., Halli-Tierney A., & Anderson K. G., (2017). Hospice staff perceptions of information needs among patients and families during hospice admissions visits. Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing, 19(1), 82-88.

Avani Shah Assistant Professor

Washington, K. T., Guo, Y., Albright, D. L., Lewis, A., Parker Oliver, D., & Demiris, G. (2017). Team functioning in hospice interprofessional meetings: An exploratory study of providers’ perspectives. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 31(4), 455-462.

Sims, O. T., Guo, Y., Shoreibah, M. G., Venkata, K., Fitzmorris, P., Kommineni, V., Romano, J., & Massoud, O. I. (2017). Alcohol and substance use, race, and insurance status predict nontreatment for hepatitis C virus in the era of direct acting antivirals: A retrospective study in a large urban tertiary center. European Journal of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 29(11), 1219-1222.

Brenda Smith Associate Professor

Wayne, R.H., & Smith, B.D. (2016). Threats to perceptions of fairness in the termination of parental rights. Juvenile and Family Court Journal, 67(4), 26-40.

Smith, B.D., Prichard, C., & Boltz, L.D. (2016). Do child welfare realistic job preview videos reflect evidence on retention and turnover? Children and Youth Services Review, 71, 210-216.

Doctoral Student

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DiNapoli, E. A., Pierpaoli, C. M., Shah, A., Yang, X., & Scogin, F. (2017). Effects of home-delivered Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for depression of anxiety symptoms among rural, ethnically diverse older adults.

Clinical Gerontologist, 40(3), 181-190.

Shah, A., Scogin, F., Pierpaoli, C. M. (2017) Older adults' attitudes toward depression screening in primary care settings and exploring a brief educational pamphlet.

International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 33(1), 1099-1166.

Bethany Womack

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Li, Q., & Cheng, T. C. (2017). New evidence in physical violent behaviors among schoolaged children: A multiple disadvantages model. Children and Youth Services Review, 81, 301-308.

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

Kay, E.S., & Smith, B.D. (2017). State-level HIV criminalization laws: Social construction of target populations? Journal of Policy Practice, 16(2), 133-146.

Maynard, B. R., Lind, K., Berglund, A. H., Albright, D. L., & Labuzienski, L. (2017). Social work doctoral education: Are doctoral students being prepared to teach? Journal of Social Work, 17(1), 91-114.

Smith, B.D., Womack, B.G., & Knierim, M. (2017).

Political advocacy in the context of “show me your papers”: How do human service administrators respond to policy upheaval? Journal of Policy Practice, 16(2), 166-186.

Leah Cheatham Kim, H., Abell, N., Cheatham, L. P., & Paek, I. (2017).

Development and initial validation of the Attitudes Towards Education for Older Adults (AEOA) Scale.

Educational Gerontology, 43 (7), 341–355.

Assistant Professor Thomas, K. H., McDaniel, J., Haring, E. L., Fletcher, K. L., & Albright, D. L. (2017). Belonging and support: Women veterans’ perceptions of veteran and military service organizations. Journal of Veterans Studies, 2(2), 1-12.

Drolen, C.S. (2016) First impressions: Stopping by a marijuana shop, Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 16(4), 448-453.

Stansbury, K., Marshall, G.L., Hall, J., Simpson, G.M., & Bullock, K (2017). Community engagement with African American clergy: Faith-based model for culturally competent practice. Journal of Aging and Mental Health, 1-6.

Carol S. Drolen

Washington, K. T., Guo, Y., Albright, D. L., Lewis, A., Parker Oliver, D., & Demiris, G. (2017). Team functioning in hospice interdisciplinary group meetings. Journal of Inter-professional Care, 31(4), 455-462.

Fletcher, K. L., & Albright, D. L. (2016). Barriers to supporting military-connected children in civilian schools.

Journal of Military and Government Counseling, 4(2), 66-89.

Gaynell Simpson Assistant Professor

Albright, D. L., Fletcher, K. T., Pelts, M. D. & Taliaferro, L. A. (2017). Use of college mental health services among student veterans. Best Practices in Mental Health, 13(1), 65-79.

Cesnales, N. L., Albright, D.L., & Thyer, B.A. (2017).

Group differences in health-related quality of life among persons living with HIV/AIDS. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 27(3), 198-205.

Martin, J., Albright, D. L., & Borah, E. (2017). Expanding our understanding of military social work: The concept of military and veteran connected populations. Journal of Family Social Work, 20(1), 5-8.

Van den Berk-Clark, C., Balan, S., Albright, D. L., & Price, R. K. (2017). Deployment psychological trajectories of National Guard couples. Best Practices in Mental Health, 13(1), 119-129.

Associate Professor

Rozario, P., & Simpson, G. M. (2018). Social support and self-rated health of African American informal women caregivers: Urban and rural differences. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 61(1), 16-30.

Albright, D. L., & Borah, E. (2017). Mental health practice with military- and veteran-connected populations, Part one. Best Practices in Mental Health, 13(1), xi-xii.

Rolbiecki, A., Subramanian, R., Crenshaw, B. H., Albright, D. L., & Perreault, M. F. (2017). A qualitative exploration of resilience among patients living with chronic pain. Traumatology, 23(1), 89-94.

Foley, P. S., Albright, D. L., & Fletcher, K. L. (2016).

Navigating the minefield: A model for integrating religion and spirituality in social work practice with service members and veterans, Social Work and Christianity, 43(3), 73-96.

Rolbiecki, A., Anderson, K., Teti, M., & Albright, D. L. (2016). ‘Waiting for the cold to end’: Using photo-voice as a narrative intervention for survivors of sexual assault.

Traumatology, 22(4), 242-249.

David Albright Hill Crest Foundation Endowed Chair in Mental Health and Associate Professor

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Faculty and Staff News

Faculty and Doctoral Scholarship continued Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles Noh, H. (2017). Areas of control desired by patients and families referred to hospice care: Perspectives of hospice admissions staff. Journal of Applied Gerontology, 1-17.

Noh, H., Guo, Y., Halli-Tierney, A., & Anderson, K. (2017).

Hospice staff perceptions of inform-ation needs among patients and families during hospice admissions visits.

Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, 19(1), 82-99.

Ruggiano, N., Shtompel, N., Whiteman, K., & Sias, K., (2017). Influences of transportation on health decisionmaking and self-management behaviors among older adults with chronic conditions. Behavioral Medicine, 43(1), 61-70.

Hyunjin Noh

Ruggiano, N. & Perry, T. (2017). Conducting secondary analysis of qualitative data: Should we, can we, and how?

Qualitative Social Work, 1-17.

Assistant Professor Kavanaugh, M., Noh, H., & Zhang, L. (2016). Caregiving youth knowledge and perceptions of parental end-of-life wishes in Huntington’s Disease. Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life & Palliative Care. 12(4), 348-365.

Noh, H., Kim, J., Sims, O., Ji, S., & Sawyer, P. (2016).

Racial differences in associations of perceived health and social and physical activities with advance care planning, end-of-life concerns and hospice knowledge. American Journal of Hospice & Palliative Medicine, 35(1), 34-40.

Ruggiano, N., Lukic, A., Blowers, A., & Doerner, J. (2016) Health self-management among older prisoners: Current understandings and directions for policy, practice, and research. Journal of Gerontological Social Work, 59(7/8), 627-641.

Nicole Ruggiano Associate Professor

Noh, H., & Kwak, J. (2016). End-of-life decision making for persons with dementia: Proxies’ perception of support.

Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice, 1-16.

Noh, H., De Sayu, R., Anderson, K., & Ford, C. (2016).

Community-based participatory research on issues around palliative and end-of-life care: literature review. Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, 18(3), 249-255.

Hooper, L. M., Tomek, S., Jaggers, J., *Idigo, C., Church, W., Williams, J., & Bolland, J. (2017). Changes in self-reported levels of traumatic stress before and after a suicide attempt: A 14-year longitudinal study, Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 39(3), 242-262.

Javonda Williams Associate Dean for Educational Programs and Student Services and Associate Professor

Book Chapters Fletcher, K., Mankowski, M., & Albright, D. L. (2017). The challenges posed by the mental health needs of veterans (pp. 59-85). In S. J. Rosenberg, & J. Rosenberg (Eds.), Community Mental Health: (3rd Ed.).

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Whiteman, K., Ruggiano, N., Thomlison, B. (2016).

Transforming mental health services to address gender disparities in depression risk factors, Journal of Women and Aging, 28(6), 521-529.

Reports Albright, D. L., Hamner, K., & Currier, J. (2016). Southwest Alabama Veterans Needs Assessment. Mobile, AL: Community Foundation of South Alabama.

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

Retirements

Tyrone Cheng

In Memoriam

Tyrone Cheng (’88 MSW, ’93 PhD), professor of social work, retired effective May 2017.

Cheng joined the School of Social Work in August 2008 as director of the MSW Program.

In 2016, he stepped down as director to teach full-time as a tenured professor. He taught graduate research methods, child welfare practice, and doctoral courses. He also served as an MSW student adviser.

Vickie Whitfield, public relations specialist, retired in August 2016, after 31 years of employment at the University. In her role with the School of Social Work, Whitfield oversaw school communications, including marketing and recruitment materials, website updates and the school’s annual report magazine OutReach.

Fay Wilson Hobbs of Tuscaloosa passed on Oct. 15, 2016, in Madison, Alabama after a valiant battle with cancer. Hobbs was an instructor with the School of Social Work. She also served in a variety of other roles, including program director, adviser, field liaison and recruiter. She dedicated much of her adult life to advocating for those in need and preparing students to be advocates.

Vickie Whitfield

Current Faculty External Research Funding Tania Alameda-Lawson The University of Alabama Research Grants, Alabama TOPS: A CommunityBased, Participatory Approach for Improving Educational and Social Outcomes in LowIncome School Communities. Project Period: May 15, 2016 – May 14, 2017. $150,000

David L. Albright Alabama Department of Mental Health, AL-SBIRT: Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment in Alabama.

Project Period: Sept. 30, 2016 - Sept.

29, 2021. Funded by a grant to Alabama Department of Mental Health from SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. $8,290,000 The University of Alabama Center for Community-Based Partnerships, Community Engagement Graduate Fellowship. Project Period: August 2016 – April 2017. $15,000

Total: $10,552,865

University of Missouri, ACCESS: Access for Cancer Caregivers to Education and Support for Shared Decision-Making. Project Period: Jan. 1, 2017 – Dec. 31, 2021. $51,249

Nicole Ruggiano

Jill Beck

Avani Shah

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Multidisciplinary Abuse Prevention Services (MAPS). Project Period: Oct. 1, 2016 – Sept. 30, 2018. $300,000

The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences, Improving Access to Cardiac Rehabilitation Services in Pickens County. Project Period: May 15, 2016 – May 15, 2017. $25,000

Daniel Bennett The University of Alabama Research Grants.

Street Code Orientation as a product of Urban Stress. Project Period: May 15, 2016 – May 14, 2017. $6,000

Ellen Csikai The University of Alabama Research Grants. Crosscultural Perceptions and Attitudes Influencing Communication About Serious Illness and Quality of Life Among Older Adults in Cuba and U.S. Project Period: May 15, 2016 – May 14, 2018. $6,000

Gerontological Society of America, Change AGEnts Initiative Action Awards Coaching. Project Period: Sept. 1, 2016 – Jan. 31, 2017. $1,500

Vikki Vandiver Alabama Department of Mental Health.

Placement of Graduate SW Students at TaylorHardin Secure Facility. Project Period: Oct. 1, 2015 – Sept. 30, 2017. $15,000

Vikki Vandiver and Kristy Holt Alabama Department of Human Services, ADHR – Title IV-E FY16. Project Period: October 1, 2015 – September 30, 2016. $1,693,116

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Alumni News

A Message from the Associate Director of Development & Alumni Relations Dear Alumni and Friends, When I stepped into the newly renovated Little Hall in mid-August, I knew I was home.

For the past two months, I have truly enjoyed meeting many of you at events. I know I will continue to make many lasting connections through my new role as The University of Alabama School of Social Work’s associate director of development and alumni relations.

Prior to accepting my new position, I was the assistant director of undergraduate scholarships for five-and-a-half years at UA. During that time, I developed a fierce passion for connecting with UA alumni and supporters through the scholarship funding they provided to support our exceptional students. I also became an advocate for many students who needed financial assistance to achieve their dream of earning a college degree. I plan to apply that same drive and passion to helping our bright and talented students in the School of Social Work.

The School of Social Work is alive and vibrant with

My ultimate goal is to bring our alumni and supporters back home. The School of Social Work is alive and vibrant with dedicated students, faculty and staff. I cannot wait to hear the stories of all of those who have passed through Little Hall and who saw something so special that they wanted to be a part of it. Because of your continued support and love for the social work profession, our school is on the cusp of greatness.

dedicated students, faculty

I’ve joined the UA social work family at an exciting time. The School of Social Work is celebrating its 50th anniversary and recently completed the renovation of its building, Little Hall. The school’s rich history here at UA is visible throughout our beautiful, new building and through so many of you, who carry special memories from your time as a student here. I look forward to building new relationships, making new memories and impacting students’ academic careers because of the strong support and generosity of alumni like you.

have passed through Little

I want to thank each of you for the warm welcome you have already provided me. By continuing to work together, I know we can move our school forward while supporting our students’ academic dreams.

Roll Tide!

Amber Capell (’06), Associate Director of Development and Alumni Relations

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and staff. I cannot wait to hear the stories of all of those who

Hall and who saw something so special that they wanted to be a part of it. Because of your continued support and love for the social work profession, our school is on the cusp of greatness.

Alumni Spotlight

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

Catalyst for Change

By Adrienne Nettles Tuscaloosa City Councilwoman Raevan Howard (’14 BSW) found her calling in life watching her parents advocate for others.

“I never really saw their work as being in politics but they were always advocating for the most serious issues and concerns in our communities and neighborhoods,” she said.

“My parents always went the extra mile for residents to know exactly what their rights are and what the laws are for certain residents in neighborhoods.”

Her father, Bobby Howard, turned his advocacy work into a political career, serving two terms on the Tuscaloosa City Council.

In March, Howard became the second in her family to be elected to the City Council when, at age 30, she unseated six-term Councilman Harrison Taylor.

“When you grow up with parents who are active in the community, involved in the PTA and holding neighborhood committee meetings, it’s very hard not to take a leadership role in your community,” Howard said.

As the city’s District 2 council representative, Howard said she is focused on bringing change to Tuscaloosa’s west side by working with residents and agencies in the community. She credits both her parents and The University of Alabama School of Social Work for preparing her to advocate for others in her new role.

“Because I’m a social worker, I can be a politician and have those soft skills to deal with people who are in need or who have complaints,” she said. “As a social worker, you’re taught not to give your time to just one person or area. It’s actually part of our code of ethics that we give some of our time to individuals and to agencies.”

Career in advocacy Howard said she always knew she was destined for politics, but it wasn’t her first career choice. After graduating with her undergraduate degree in social work from UA in 2014, she became a social worker. She currently works with low-income veterans and

Raevan Howard ('14) Education: BSW BSW Field Placement: Alabama Department of Human Resources Current Job: Social worker at Family Endeavors, where she has worked for three years with low-income veterans and their families, and District 2 Tuscaloosa City Councilwoman.

Family: Married mother of three. Her children are Hillary, 10; Malia, 8; and Marcus, 6.

their families at Family Endeavors, a nonprofit that provides comprehensive and innovative services that empower people to build better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Her desire to see progress and economic development in west Tuscaloosa led her to run for City Council, Howard said. With her March 2017 council win, she quickly realized she has big shoes to fill as she follows in her father’s footsteps.

“A lot people felt that I’m going to be good because I saw my father do it. It does help but it’s so different being a politician myself,” she said.

Life in the public eye is not easy, Howard said. When she’s not attending an event or meeting, she is working to build trust and relationships with residents. As the daughter of a former council member, she understands that not every issue she takes on will be a win for her district, she said.

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Alumni News

From left to right, Associate Dean Javonda Williams, Associate Professor Tania Alameda-Lawson, Councilwoman Raevan Howard, Dean Vikki L. Vandiver.

The School of Social Work prepared me to be the best advocate I can be for the people who need me.

— Raevan Howard

“I watched my father campaign for the county commission and other public offices before he was elected to the city council, and he went through defeats,” she said. “His defeats affected our entire family because we worked on those campaigns with him. I know what defeat feels like.”

The key to success is perseverance, Howard said.

“He eventually won a council seat,” she said of her father. “I learned it takes persistence, keeping your word and just the basic skills of social work. Follow up with people, return a phone call.”

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Setting an agenda Howard said she wants to focus on bringing progress and infrastructure to Tuscaloosa’s west side, where she grew up.

“District 2 is really my heartbeat and focus. I want to see so much change for west Tuscaloosa,” she said.

She has a big agenda. Howard said she wants to build a bridge between the police and the community by building trust between police and residents in her district neighborhoods.

“I know there’s some disenfranchising going on. I love the Tuscaloosa police department and the great job they’re doing but we all have to pull together,” she said.

She also wants to encourage more youth to vote, address human trafficking in Tuscaloosa, and help low-income families gain access to internet service as steps toward improving quality of life in her district for residents. Like her parents, she also wants to help residents understand how to work with elected officials and have their voices heard at the local, state and national levels.

Howard said residents need to know that communication is important. People can write

a letter to their state or local elected officials or find other ways to voice their concerns.

She credits her social work mentors associate professors Cassandra Simon and Javonda Williams for teaching her the importance of advocacy and writing. Williams also is associate dean for educational programs and student services.

“They taught me how to be a great writer and the importance of expressing myself through paper, emails, and documentation,” she said. “The School of Social Work prepared me to be the best advocate I can be for the people who need me. This is why I absolutely loved Dr. Simon’s and Dr. Williams’ classes.”

Howard said because of her faculty mentors, her agenda also includes helping other social work students.

“I’m working with our fire department now to have more student interns from social work,” she said.

Social work, advocacy and politics are all connected, Howard said.

“When you have a politician that can understand this, it just makes your community stronger, and that’s really what I want to do and continue to do.”

2017 Homecoming Weekend Alumni, students, current and retired faculty and staff attended our 50th anniversary Homecoming celebration at the Mildred Westervelt Warner Transportation Museum and Homecoming tailgate and parade watch on the front lawn of Little Hall in October.

Alumni News

Academic Awards

BUFORD AND GUNDY AWARD WINNERS HONORED

By David Miller Frannie James, a global studies instructor in the Capstone International Center at The University of Alabama, received the School of Social Work’s 2017 Lahoma Adams Buford Peace Award in May. James was honored at the School of Social Work’s 2017 Academic Awards ceremony along with social work faculty and staff award recipients, including the school’s first registrar Jean B. Rayfield. Rayfield received the 2017 Howard B. Gundy Award in recognition and appreciation of her distinguished service to the school. The Gundy award is named in honor of the school’s first dean.

The Buford Peace award is the school’s most distinguished honor and a university-wide award. Established in 2002 by UA School of Social Work alumnus Tony D. Walker, the Lahoma Adams Buford Award is given annually to a faculty member at UA who, in his or her teaching, research, professional practice and personal life, has demonstrated exceptional levels of involvement in mediating human disputes, helping overcome prejudice, promoting justice and establishing peace.

James was nominated, in part, for her advocacy of international students at UA following a federal executive order in January that temporarily suspended immigration from select countries in Africa and the Middle East.

“When I read that I’d been selected, I immediately thought ‘I’m not deserving of this,’” James said. “I think about people like [UA political science professor] Norm Baldwin and some of the truly remarkable people who’ve won this award … it’s an incredible honor.”

James, who has been involved in international education since 1990, designed and directs Culturally Speaking, a class in which degree-seeking UA students meet with small groups of English Learning Institute students twice a week for discussions focused

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Frannie James

Jean Rayfield

on issues of culture. She has taught for 11 years in the Capstone International Center’s Global Studies Certificate Program.

Carol Drolen, associate professor of social work, said James’ advocacy style incorporates many of the social work field’s values.

“She exemplifies these values, not in a stern or harsh manner, nor does she degrade those in power as a way to align herself with those in need,” Drolen said. “Rather, she works by using the tools with which social workers are familiar, such as building consensus, being mindful and aware, listening, not judging anyone, and seeking commonalities.”

The University is fortunate to have James working with our students and serving as a role model for all of us who seek to promote humanitarian goals and justice, Drolen said.

“Through her efforts, the community of The University of Alabama and the community of Tuscaloosa have moved closer in the direction of inclusiveness and fairness, closer in attaining mutual respect and comfort,” Drolen said.

During the last few years, James has coordinated the English Language Institute's (ELI) Intercultural Experience, a set of classes that involve UA students integrating into ELI classes.

James said her mission is to give UA students the opportunity to have the same cultural awakenings she had as a youth when she relocated from Southern California to rural Alabama, during her undergraduate years at UA, backpacking through Europe, and through her professional career at UA. “With all of the content and different things we create into the classes themselves, sometimes the contact with someone from another country or culture ends up being the center piece of the class,” James said. “When I teach, I’m a firm believer in experiencing difference. And if the students have someone to guide them through it, it opens them up, and there’s no way to not have a sense of social justice after that experience. I want to impart a sense of curiosity about the world around them.

The school’s 2017 Academic Awards ceremony was held in May at the Cypress Inn Pavilion in Tuscaloosa.

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

ALUMNI NOTES Laura Beth Brown (’14 BSW, ’16 MSW), of Tuscaloosa, was named one of four inaugural fellows with The University of Alabama-Pickens County Partnership in 2016-17. Fellows serve in a health-related capacity in a community setting in Pickens County while expanding their experience and education. Brown is the first UA social work graduate to receive the fellowship. Her fellowship project focuses on geriatrics. She works with senior centers in Pickens County to provide seniors education and activities and she helps connect them to resources.

Madeleine Hill (’75 MSW) and Lillie Leatherwood (’90 BSW), both of Tuscaloosa, were honored as Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama's 2017 Women of Distinction. Hill and Leatherwood were recognized at an awards ceremony in March for being exemplary role models for today’s girls and positively impacting their communities. Hill is the founding president of the Board of Directors for Tuscaloosa’s Habitat for Humanity and a founding member of Tuscaloosa’s One Place Board of Directors. She established Hospice of West Alabama, one of the first hospices in the state. She also served as the executive director of West Alabama AIDS Outreach.

Leatherwood is a two-time U.S. Olympics medal winner (1984 and 1988), former University of Alabama track and field star (19831989), and director of the Tuscaloosa Athletic Police League.

William D. Suclupe (‘11 BSW, ’14 MSW), a decorated Iraq War veteran, was awarded the UA Campus Veterans Association’s 2017 Colonel David Hillman Pryce Award. The honor is named for Col. David H. Pryce and Josephine Pryce, an associate professor in the School of Social Work. Suclupe was honored for his outstanding service to the veteran and military community at the University. Suclupe is currently a clinical social worker at the Tuscaloosa Veterans Affairs Medical Center and serves as the center’s program manager for the Veterans Integration to Academic Leadership.

He also serves on UA’s Division of Community Affairs Board of Advisors and UA’s Council on Community-Based Partnerships.

Michaela Sanderson Guthrie (’15 BSW, ’16 MSW), of Gardendale, was featured in author Byron Pitts’ new book titled “Be the One: Six True Stories of Teens Overcoming Hardship with Hope.” In his book, Pitts, an Emmy Award–winning ABC News chief national correspondent and Nightline co-anchor, shares the heartbreaking and inspiring stories of six young people, including Guthrie, who overcame impossible circumstances with extraordinary perseverance. Guthrie is currently program director for Christian City Children's Village Crossroads, a foster and adoption program in Georgia. As director, she develops programming, recruits and trains foster and adoptive families and supports two case managers. She also works part-time with juvenile sex trafficking victims as a hotline coordinator for Georgia Cares.

We Want to Hear From You! Share your awards, career accomplishments and inspiring life moments with us and we’ll print them in a future issue of OutReach.

Visit us at socialwork.ua.edu/alumni-friends/submit-class-notes to fill out our class note form online or write to us at The University of Alabama School of Social Work, Development and Alumni Relations, Box 870314, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0314.

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Alumni News

Social Work Society Honor Roll The School of Social Work is deeply grateful to the following donors, who support our academic programs. The generosity of these individuals and organizations allows us to add value to our ongoing programs to provide a high-quality education to our students. This Honor Roll lists donors’ gifts and pledges to the School of Social Work between May 1, 2016, and May 31, 2017. In this issue of OutReach, we have created new giving levels to better reflect our donors’ support. We will share the benefits associated with each of these levels with you in coming months. If your name has been omitted or some other error exists, we apologize and ask you to please contact Amber Capell, associate director of development and alumni relations, at amber.capell@ua.edu or 205-348-7109.

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Social Work Advocate

Social Work Supporter

$150 per year and up

$500 per year and up

Barbara Goldstein Bonfield Bess Roberts Estis Carol T. Heier John Wayne Helms Francis Johnson Jr. John L. Prewitt W. Randall Somerville Onya Johnson Myhand Terrie Reid Joanne Jeffries Terrell Zelia Garth Baugh Robert A. Clark Veronica J. Elder Robin Dorsett Mackey Bettye C. Pressley George C. Shelton Daniel Neil Watter Stephanie Russell Peck Clare Anderson

Bruce Howard Eads Dianne F. Harrison Madeleine M. Hill William Murray Hodge

| The University of Alabama

Maurice F. Kahlmus Jr. Barbara A. Nester Jeff Arnold

Social Work Innovator $1,000 per year and up Julia Burkett Caddell Claude Bennett Family Foundation Collaborative Solutions, Inc. Portis Cunningham Faulkner Family Foundation William L. Gormley Laurie Faulkner Hereford Cherry Shannon Hubbard Annie Delois Jackson

Angela J. Kelly J. Miller Piggott Philip Piggott Jackie Allen Williams Shayla Tenise Smith Carrie Arnwine Turner Russell L. Bennett Tony D. Walker Robert Earl McKinney Jr. Bruce Michael Green Carroll Chandler Phelps

Audrey J. Ellis Jason Franklin Lawson Vicki Hicks Turnage Becky Schwartz Corbett James Dupree Jr. Karen Anette Thompson James Wayne Sellers Sr. Malenna A. Sumrall Dow Chemical Company Foundation Ronnie Mills

Collaborate. Innovate. Transform.

Social Work Collaborator $2,500 per year and up National Christian Foundation Alabama Jane B. Welden

Social Work Visionary $5,000 per year and up Inc. Southern Company Services Donald Massey James Ginny T. Raymond The Caring Foundation of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama Barry James Ackerson Claude Raymond Rayfield

Gundy Circle

Social Work Society Board Members 2016-17 Misty Creel, President Onya Johnson Myhand, Vice President Margaret Bonham Scott Bowen Donna Christian Laura Freeman Cooks Iris Davis Shuryvonne S. Dixon Carol Drolen Veronica J. Elder Codi Espy William (Bill) Foster

Sarah Wall Higgins Judy Jackson Erika Marsh Alvin Reed Terrie Reid Lathesia Saulsberry Kelly Severino Lesa Syler Linda Tuck James Ware Teresa Young

$25,000 and up Gilead Sciences Foundation Kevin Corcoran and Vikki L. Vandiver Amy Beaulieu Mansue Harold and Joyce Shambley Jim and Ann Langley Alumni Hall Noh Hyunjin and Changjae Lee

Dean’s Circle $50,000 and up in cumulative giving to the school or any of its academic programs Coy Albert Stout II and Jeffrey Falk

Board of Friends Members 2016-17 Ann Langley, Chair Laurie Hereford. Vice Chair Russell Bennett Julia Caddell J. Miller Piggott Becky Corbett Portis Cunningham

James Dupree Amy Beaulieu Mansue Carroll Phelps J. Wayne Sellers Tony Walker Jackie Williams Carolyn Neiswender

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Restoring Our Past, Building Our Future

Little Hall NAMING OPPORTUNITIES

The University of Alabama School of Social Work has established the Restoring Our Past, Building Our Future initiative to allow alumni and supporters of the school to join us in celebrating the renovation of Little Hall. In August, the renovation of Little Hall was completed, transforming our school’s 103-year-old building into a state-of-the-art facility to educate tomorrow’s social work leaders.

As part of this initiative, alumni and friends of the school can pledge a gift to establish an endowed scholarship and receive a permanent naming recognition in our newly renovated building. With a permanent naming recognition, a room or space in Little Hall is named in your honor or in honor of a loved one.

We’re proud to provide our alumni and supporters the opportunity to leave their print on our school for generations to come while contributing to the academic success of our brightest students. If you are interested in any of our available naming opportunities, contact Amber Capell, associate director of development and alumni relations, at (205) 348-7109 or amber.capell@ua.edu.

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| The University of Alabama

AVAILABLE NAMING OPPORTUNITIES Faculty and Staff Offices (50 available) Located on 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors $15,000

FIRST FLOOR Classroom Located on the 1st floor looking out onto the porch $75,000

Main Lobby Located on the 1st floor near Quad entrance $60,000

Dean’s Office Located on the 1st floor off the Quad entrance $50,000

SECOND FLOOR Large Classroom Located on the 2nd floor overlooking the Quad $110,000

Computer Lab Located on the 2nd floor overlooking the Quad $100,000

Lecture/Classroom Located on the 2nd floor with retractable door $75,000

THIRD FLOOR Reception Room

South Vestibule

A beautiful, large gathering space $150,000

Located with the Hall of Fame Wall at the back entrance on the 1st floor $35,000

Third Floor Lobby

Associate Dean’s Office Located on the 1st floor near Quad entrance $35,000

Large Administrative Offices (5 available) Located on the 1st floor $25,000

Flows into the Reception Room on the 3rd floor $40,000

EXTERIOR OF LITTLE HALL Little Hall Building Columns (8 available) Front Porch $25,000

We are thankful to those who have donated to the Restoring Our Past, Building Our Future initiative.

Gifts as of Dec. 31, 2017 DONOR NAMING NAME OPPORTUNITY

Ann and Jim Langley

Student Lounge

Laura Langley Student Lounge

Ginny Raymond

Family Room

Raymond Family Care Room

Coy Stout and Jeffrey Falk

3rd floor Board Room

Coy Stout & Jeffrey Falk Board Room

Jean and Raymond Rayfield

Registrar's office

Jean & Raymond Rayfield Registrar’s Office

Harold and Joyce Shambley

Dean's Reception Area

Dr. Harold D. Shambley & Mrs. Joyce Hall Shambley Dean's Reception

Amy Mansue

3rd floor Collaboration Room

Carroll C. Phelps Collaboration Room

Barry Ackerson

3rd floor Reading Room

Ackerson Reading Room

Vikki Vandiver and Kevin Corcoran

2nd floor Collaboration Room

Dr. Vikki L. Vandiver & Dr. Kevin Corcoran Collaboration Corner

Noh Hyunjin and Changjae Lee

1st floor work room/conference

Noh & Lee Conference Room

Karen Thompson (Group Endowment)

First Floor Main Entry

Alumni Hall

Board of Friends

Associate Dean’s Reception Area

Board of Friends Associate Dean’s Reception

Learn more about available naming opportunities and the Little Hall renovation project at socialwork.ua.edu/alumni-friends/little-hall-naming-opportunities.

SOCIAL WORK INNOVATION SCHOLARSHIP Supporting student creativity and inventions improving the field of social work The School of Social Work’s Innovation Scholarship is funded by a portion of the sale proceeds from Professor Kevin Corcoran’s innovation projects, the “Big Al, Big, Al, What Do You See?” book, co-authored by second and third-grade students at Tuscaloosa’s Capitol School, and the Alabama cheering glove “Little Al,” a joint project with UA’s College of Human Environmental Sciences.

Give Today!

With a minimum of $30, you can support and receive one of Corcoran’s innovation projects.

To learn more, contact Amber Capell, associate director of alumni relations and development, at amber.capell@ua.edu or (205) 348-7109.

Innovate. Collaborate. Transform. • socialwork.ua.edu

Box 870314 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0314 www.socialwork.ua.edu

50 th ANNIVERSARY BOOK SCHOLARSHIP “With a book scholarship, students will be able to get their required textbooks to stay ahead and on track in class. As a student who received scholarships for the better part of my college career, I can attest to the need for them.”

— MSW student Mary McDonald (’17 BSW)

MAKE AN IMPACT Your support for the Social Work 50th Anniversary Book Scholarship will help us educate tomorrow’s social workers and prepare them to be global leaders.

GIVE socialwork.ua.edu/50th/book-scholarship For more information, contact amber.capell@ua.edu or (205) 348-7109.