PhD News

Charles Williams' editorial, “The Real Lesson That We Learned from the Juwan Howard Incident: A Black Man Still Has No Rights That Require Respect” is included in the latest issue of Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. “Watching Coach Howard try to negotiate anger the best way he could when walking down the handshake line, makes me flashback to every single moment in my life when I got to my car, or made it to my office or left the conflict and literally thanked God that I got away without having an emotional to physical blackout,” wrote Williams.

PhD student Charles Williams II was featured on the CBS Evening News in a story on voting rights. “They aren’t securing the vote, they are suppressing the vote,” said Williams in regards to a petition backed by republicans to tighten voter ID requirements in the state of Michigan. Williams is leading local efforts to protect voting rights. “The fight must continue, and I think many people on the ground understand and are very clear that they will not stop until justice comes.”

PhD student Rita Hu has received the 2021 Elizabeth Douvan Junior Scholar in Life Course Development, part of the Institute for Social Research (ISR) Next Generation Awards.

Berenice Castillo, Joint Doctoral Program in Social Work and Psychology, has successfully defended her dissertation entitled "Three Studies Examining Externalizing Behavior and Substance Use Among Diverse Youth."  Her committee consisted of Andrew Grogan-Kaylor, and John Schulenberg (co-chairs), Cristina Bares and Matt Diemer.

Castillo will join Florida International University as an assistant professor of social work in January.

Joint PhD student Charles Williams II is the subject of a new “This is Michigan” video, which chronicles the emergency response program Williams spearheaded during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The School of Social Work partnered with the Historic King Solomon Baptist Church in Detroit, where Williams is the pastor, to care for those in the community who were hit hard by the shutdown. School of Social Work students worked emergency hotlines, manned food banks and conducted wellness checks. Entitled “Caring Throughout Crisis,” the video also features Professor Trina Shanks.

PhD student Charles Williams II is featured in a video from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services addressing vaccine hesitancy and encouraging the COVID-19 vaccination. Williams, who is pastor of the Historic King Solomon Baptist Church, says “There is no invincibility to COVID-19. If it hits you, and it hits you wrong, you’re gone.”

Joint PhD student Irene Routté has been awarded a 2021 Rackham Public Scholarship Grant for her project “Grand Rapids Congolese Refugee Youth Council and Leadership Program.”  In partnership with Michigan Banyamulenge Community (MBC), a refugee-run organization in Grand Rapids, Routté will help develop and launch a community-driven youth council and leadership development program for Congolese refugee youths.

Ed-Dee Williams, Joint Doctoral Program in Social Work and Sociology, has successfully defended his dissertation entitled, “Black Boys Mental Health Help-Seeking: Exploring Perceptions, Barriers and Social Processes.” His committee consisted of Jamie Mitchell and Alford A. Young, Jr. (co-chairs), David Córdova and Renee Anspach.

Joint PhD students Sunghyun Hong and Irene Routte were invited to give the presentation, Social Justice in Architecture: Trauma-informed Built Environment, to employees and leadership at Quinn Evans Architects' four offices. "Irene and I were able to translate our research work and disseminate theories into digestible and applicable pieces for professionals outside of academia," says Hong.

Sara Stein, Joint Doctoral Program in Social Work and Psychology, has successfully defended her dissertation entitled “Towards Intentional Relational Well-Being: Syndemic Contributions of Mental Health, Trauma Exposure, and Sociodemographic Factors to Risk for Intimate Partner Violence Victimization.” Her committee consisted of Andrew Grogan-Kaylor and Sandra Graham-Bermann (chairs), Julie Ribaudo, Quyen Ngo and Todd Herrenkohl.

Sara received a two year American Heart Association Postdoctoral Fellowship to work with Alison Miller and Maria Muzik at the University of Michigan.