Katie E. Richards-Schuster
Director of Undergraduate Minor Programs and Associate Professor of Social Work
Katie Richards-Schuster, AM, PhD, is an assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work. She received her doctorate in Social Work and Sociology from the University of Michigan and her AM from the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration.
Her research focuses on understanding the strategies and approaches for engaging young people in communities, the contexts and environments that facilitate youth engagement across settings, and the impact of youth participation in creating community change. She is a leading scholar in using participatory research and evaluation approaches with young people and communities. She has written multiple peer-review articles and book chapters and has led community-engaged and national projects focused on youth participation. She has presented on youth participation in national and international conferences and co-chairs the Youth Focused Evaluation group within the American Evaluation Association.
Current projects include an evaluation of a system-wide youth participatory evaluation within a large urban school district, a youth-led community assessment and data dialogues project, and a project to distill best practices in youth participation within social work.
Dr. Richards-Schuster is also the Director of Undergraduate Minor Programs and is the founding director of the Community Action and Social Change undergraduate minor in the School of Social Work. This minor is the second largest at the University of Michigan and draws over 200 students from nine schools and colleges across campus.
Her research focuses on understanding the strategies and approaches for engaging young people in communities, the contexts and environments that facilitate youth engagement across settings, and the impact of youth participation in creating community change. She is a leading scholar in using participatory research and evaluation approaches with young people and communities. She has written multiple peer-review articles and book chapters and has led community-engaged and national projects focused on youth participation. She has presented on youth participation in national and international conferences and co-chairs the Youth Focused Evaluation group within the American Evaluation Association.
Current projects include an evaluation of a system-wide youth participatory evaluation within a large urban school district, a youth-led community assessment and data dialogues project, and a project to distill best practices in youth participation within social work.
Dr. Richards-Schuster is also the Director of Undergraduate Minor Programs and is the founding director of the Community Action and Social Change undergraduate minor in the School of Social Work. This minor is the second largest at the University of Michigan and draws over 200 students from nine schools and colleges across campus.
Research Interests/Focus
Youth participation, youth engagement, community organizing, critical youth media, educational justice, social justice education and post-undergraduate social change work
Contact Information
| Phone | Room | Address | |
|---|---|---|---|
| (734) 615-2118 | kers@umich.edu | 3850 SSWB | University of Michigan School of Social Work 1080 S. University Ann Arbor, MI 48109 |
Education
| Year | Degree | School | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | PhD | Social Work and Sociology | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor |
| 1997 | MA | Social Service Administration | University of Chicago, Illinois |
| 1994 | BA | Political Science | University of Michigan, Ann Arbor |
| Year | Description |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Center for Research on Learning and Teaching - Gilbert Whitaker Fund |
| 2013 | Howland Endowed Visiting Scholar, University of Minnesota |
| 2004 | Rosemary Sarri Scholarship Award, School of Social Work, University of Michigan |
| 2003 | Debt Management Award, University of Michigan |
| 2003 | Dissertation Tuition Grant, School of Social Work, University of Michigan |
| 2003 | Dissertation Grant, Department of Sociology, University of Michigan |
| 2003 | Youth Service Appreciation Award, Ann Arbor Optimist Club |
| 2003 | Coalition for Community Foundations for Youth Conference Travel Scholarship |
| 2000 | Summer Block Grant, School of Social Work, University of Michigan |
| 1997 | Voices for Illinois Children's Committee of 100 (a group representing top child advocates in Illinois) |
| 1996-1997 | Co-Editor, Advocate's Forum, School of Social Service Administration, University of Chicago |
| 1994 | Mortar Board Honor Society, University of Michigan |
| 1993-1994 | Order of Omega Honor Society, University of Michigan |