VCU School of Social Work 2023 December Commencement Program

Order of exercise Marshals and banner bearers • School of Social Work staff and student volunteers

Awarding of M.S.W. diplomas • Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D. • Nicole L. Lee, Ph.D.

Processional • Faculty and guests • M.S.W. graduates • B.S.W. graduates

Reading of M.S.W. graduate names • Shenita Williams, Ph.D., director, field education; assistant professor in teaching

Introduction of the dean • Stevara Haley Clark, Ed.D., interim associate dean for academic and student affairs; and associate professor in teaching

Recognition of B.S.W. graduates • Allison K. Ryals, M.S.W., assistant director, B.S.W. Program

Welcome • Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D., interim dean and professor Commencement speaker • Sarah Kye Price, Ph.D. Recognition of Ph.D. graduate • Humberto E. Fabelo, Ph.D., interim director, Ph.D. Program Recognition of M.S.W. graduates • Nicole L. Lee, Ph.D., director, M.S.W. Program M.S.W. student speaker • Devon Clapp Hooding of M.S.W. graduates • Kimberly Compton, Ph.D., assistant director, M.S.W. Program; and assistant professor in teaching • Nicole O-Pries, M.S.W., associate professor in teaching • Naomi Reddish, M.S.W., assistant professor in teaching

Awarding of B.S.W. diplomas • Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D. • Allison K. Ryals, M.S.W. Reading of B.S.W. graduate names • Shenita Williams, Ph.D. Closing remarks • Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D. See back cover for floor plan/seating details.

Acknowledgements Thank you to all the administrative staff members in the School of Social Work for their contributions to the school, its students and faculty. Special thanks to all the student volunteers assisting with the ceremony.

Photography: Photo Specialties and Cindy Newmark; American Sign Language interpreters: Mosaic Interpreting Services; live streaming operations: Advanced Visual Productions

Commencement Speaker

Sarah Kye Price, Ph.D. Sarah Kye Price is a social worker, professor and Episcopal priest, who currently serves as the vocations minister for the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia and holds the honorary title of Distinguished Career Professor at VCU. Dr. Price began her academic career at VCU School of Social Work in 2006 after completing her Ph.D. at Washington University in St. Louis in 2005. She spent 17 years as a member of the full-time faculty at VCU SSW as assistant, associate and full professor, and also served as associate dean for faculty development. Throughout her time as professor, she was also a student. First, she participated with the Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research’s KL2 Scholars program and earned a Master of Science in clinical and translational science in 2013. In 2015, she felt the call to deepen her religious and spiritual life and began a hybrid, low-residency program with Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley, California. She graduated from seminary in 2018 and was ordained as an Episcopal priest in 2019.

Prior to her academic career, she had worked as a hospice social worker and grief counselor in Buffalo, New York, focusing on issues surrounding reproductive loss and complex bereavement. Building on the lived experiences of her social work practice, Dr. Price taught in the B.S.W., M.S.W. and Ph.D. programs and authored over 30 peerreviewed articles and book chapters while on faculty.

She was, and remains, deeply committed to community engagement, developing and maintaining authentic community partnerships with early childhood services organizations, poverty alleviation programs, and food and housing justice initiatives. In addition to her current vocation as Episcopal priest and vocations minister, Dr. Price serves on the board of directors for ACTS, a homelessness prevention organization, and as an advisor to the national Pregnancy Loss and Infant Death Alliance (PLIDA).

Ph.D. Graduate

Britney E. Pitts Dissertation Wrestling with the one drop rule: Exploring multiraciality in social work education Dissertation Chair Jamie Cage, Ph.D. Committee Nicole Corley, Ph.D. Elizabeth Cramer, Ph.D. Lynnette Mawhinney, Ph.D., Rutgers University-Newark

M.S.W. Graduates

August 2023 graduates Amador, Brittany Anderson, E’Wayna Arnold, Lindsay Bader, Megan Bailey, Stephanie Bauer, winter Baxter, Lindsay Beights, Colleen Browning, Alexandra Byrd, Jill Carpenter, John Coleman, Robyn Concepcion Aquino, Nicole Cox, Rebecca Currier, Emily Davies-Hackenberg, Alexis Davis, Katie DelFera, Emily Douglas, Leah Falter, Mary Ferren, Ashley Fishwick, Mary Gondella, Grey Grommon, Elizabeth Hansen, Elizabeth Heier, Elizabeth Hicks, Emily Hitchcock, Carey

Hoover, Alex Houghton, Kristina Hoy, Jessica Jackson, Megan Jilg, Simon Jones, Summer Judkins, Johnell Kennedy, Maggie Kidder, Kinsey Lanier, Tarria Lewis, Emily Lieser, Sara Lorenzen, Natasha Mann, Lauryn Marshall, Anna Massey, Taylor Mayr, Hannah McDonald, Dabney Mealy, Jasmine Mendoza, Abby Meserole, Amy Miller, Austin Mobley, Ayan Moore, Adriana Moore, Alyson Moran, Crystal Moreland, Sarah Newcomb, Lindy Olguin, Andrea Owen, Vinessa Poole, LaNesia Roane, Selena Roberts, Sarah Rocha, Alicia Rodriguez, Jeniffer Rudderman, Amanda Sapko, Lauren Scraba, Sean Shah, Maddie Shoemaker, Elizabeth Siefke, Lorraine Siemsen, Annelie Stanley, Bria Stapor, Daniela Strange-Boston, Ellie Taylor, Bridgette Taylor, Jessica Taylor, Tremanisha Thomas, Darrian Vanlandingham, Brooke Watson, Laura Welch, Ashly

Whelan, Carly Wilkes-Broussard, Lakesha Wynn, Shaniece Zarzuela, Alicia Leean

December 2023 graduates

Albert, Mitzi Arabia-Meyer, Elena Battle, Ezell Beenhouwer, Philip Bernard, Syndia Bishop-Hardimon, Jarre Brown, Monique Buettner, Tina Cavalcante, Monica Clapp, Devon Credle, Ellis Curtis, Kala David, Jacob David, Steven Davis, Katy Dozier, Tamica Farrar, Bo Feezor, Monir Floyd, Ashley Fuquay, Courtney Gonzalez, Francesca Goswick, Sarah Gradford, Raena Gregory, Ashley Haislip, Bri Hanig, Cindy Hawkins, Jennifer Henshaw, Erin James, Jocelin James-McMillan, Tamara Johnson, Cheyenne Jones, Jessica Kamilov, Timur King, Michele Kittrell, Brielle Lamprecht, Elise Lincoln, Jessica Lowery, Warren Manya, Casey Mathew-Gilmore, Dillon Mccray, Lashonde Melini, Bailey Menard, Francis Moss, Tytianna Nevels, Derek

Njambe, Agatha Pate, Sakura Patterson, Jen Pearsall, Cody Poland, Elizabeth Reynolds, Kristan Richmond, Mo’Nique Roane, Marvin Rodgers, Jeremy Schiff, Melayna Sherman, Katie Smith, Jada Stump, Sarah Taylor, Mark Tharan, Jodi Turner, Brittany Wailes, Ellen Walmer, Spencer West, Beckett Wilson, Marvi Woody, Balaija

B.S.W. Graduates

August 2023 graduates Agustin, Charlene Argo, Amiel Blount, Danica Bush, Taylor Butler, Roquelle Forbes, Nicolette Luck, Trinity December 2023 graduates Andrews, Leah++ Harris, Kailey+ Moses, Asia +++ Summa cum laude (3.9-4.0 GPA) ++ Magna cum laude (3.6-3.89 GPA) + Cum laude (3.3-3.59 GPA) Only undergraduate students are eligible for honors designations. Due to rigid time constraints, this program must be printed before the final list of degree candidates can be determined. The exclusion of the name of a student is not to be taken as an indication of official status as a nongraduate, nor is the inclusion of the name of a student to be taken as a certification of official status as a graduate.

Faculty

• Stevara Haley Clark, Ed.D., interim associate dean, academic and student affairs; director, online education • Lakeita Clarkson, M.S., online M.S.W. student success advisor • Kimberly S. Compton, Ph.D., assistant director, M.S.W. Program • J. Doug Critcher, academic program coordinator • Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D., interim dean; associate dean, research; interim associate dean, faculty affairs • Humberto E. Fabelo, Ph.D., LCSW, interim director, Ph.D. Program • Kiara Faulks, M.A., senior recruitment specialist • Nicholas Fetzer, M.P.A., assistant provost, finance & administration • Liana Fino, B.S., senior research administrator • Cinnamon M. Francis, M.Sc., enrollment and agreements manager, field education • Anna Givens, M.P.A., leadership annual giving officer • Janina Holly, B.S., communications specialist • Kristin A. Hopkins, M.A., assistant, M.S.W. admissions • Rachel Hosig, B.S.W., B.S., coordinator, M.S.W. Program • Rebecca Johnson, Ph.D., student success writing advisor • Sharon Johnson, B.S., business manager • Kimberly King, administrative coordinator, field education; president, Staff Council • Nicole L. Lee, Ph.D., director, M.S.W. Program • Geoff LoCicero, M.L.I.S., director, communications • Amanda Long, M.S.W., coordinator, community engaged child and family well-being initiatives • Jackie Maroney, fiscal services specialist • Katy Martin-Poindexter, A.A.S., HR generalist • Mieko Michelle, MA.Ed., coordinator, M.S.W. Program • Sterling Murray, B.S., student success administrative coordinator • Bennett Newman, M.B.A., senior financial administrator • Stephanie G. Odera, Ed.D., director, B.S.W. Program • Kristal Parada, M.S., lower-level B.S.W. student success advisor • Jay W. Pearman, B.S.C.I.S., information technology analyst • Julie Pence, M.Ed., on-campus M.S.W. student success advisor • Jazmyn Porter, M.P.H., M.S.W., assistant director, field education • Ieesah Ramsey, Ph.D., director, student success • James Romanik, M.B.A., director, development • Allison K. Ryals, M.S.W., LCSW, assistant director, B.S.W. Program • India Turner, M.S.W., program field coordinator, field education • Robert Anderson, M.S., upper-level B.S.W. student success • Annie Wade, M.B.A., SHRM-CP, PRC, interim HR business advisor partner • Allison Bell, M.A., executive assistant to the dean • Micah Weedman, Ph.D., term prep designer • LaKesha Bennett, B.A., senior recruitment specialist • Shenita Williams, Ph.D., director, field education • Matthew Bogenschutz, Ph.D., co-chair, School Assembly • Madison Woodroof, M.S.W., program field coordinator • Sarah Burton-Everette, M.Ed., director, advising and retention • Rachel B. Zeeve, B.A., alumni engagement officer • Adrienne Baldwin-White, Ph.D., assistant professor • Frank R. Baskind, Ph.D., dean emeritus and professor • Qasarah Bey Spencer, Ed.D., assistant professor in teaching • Matthew Bogenschutz, Ph.D., associate professor • Denise Burnette, Ph.D., Samuel S. Wurtzel Endowed Faculty Chair in Social Work and professor • Jamie L. Cage, Ph.D., associate professor • Jillian A. Carpenter, M.S.W., assistant professor in teaching • Karen G. Chartier, Ph.D, associate professor • Stevara Haley Clark, Ed.D., associate professor in teaching • Kimberly S. Compton, Ph.D., assistant professor in teaching • Nicole A. Corley, Ph.D., associate professor • Elizabeth P. Cramer, Ph.D., LCSW, professor • Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D., professor • Cassie Desena-Jacobs, D.S.W., LCSW, assistant professor in teaching • Humberto E. Fabelo, Ph.D., LCSW, associate professor • Mer Francis, Ph.D., assistant professor • Maurice N. Gattis, Ph.D., associate professor • Jacob Goffnett, Ph.D., assistant professor • McKenzie N. Green, Ph.D., assistant professor • Hyojin Im, Ph.D., associate professor • Muthoni Imungi, Ph.D., associate professor in teaching • Kyeongmo Kim, Ph.D., associate professor • Youngmi Kim, Ph.D., associate professor • Miriam Kuttikat, Ph.D., associate professor • Nicole L. Lee, Ph.D., associate professor in teaching • Hollee A. McGinnis, Ph.D., assistant professor • Ananda Newmark, Ph.D., associate professor in teaching • Stephanie G. Odera, Ed.D., associate professor in teaching • Nicole L. O-Pries, M.S.W., LCSW, associate professor in teaching • Naomi Sutton Reddish, M.S.W., assistant professor in teaching • Allison K. Ryals, M.S.W., LCSW, associate professor in teaching • Sunny H. Shin, Ph.D., professor • M. Alex Wagaman, Ph.D., associate professor • Traci L. Wike, Ph.D., associate professor • Shenita Williams, Ph.D., LCSW, assistant professor in teaching

Administration and staff

Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work Academic Learning Commons 1000 Floyd Avenue, Third Floor Box 842027 Richmond, Virginia 23284-2027 Phone: (804) 828-1030 Email: sswinfo@vcu.edu Website: socialwork.vcu.edu

Altria Theater floor plan/seating details