Alumni Office News

Aubrey (Williams) Patino, MSW '05, was selected to participate in the Transatlantic Practice Exchange.  Aubrey spent two weeks placed at a homeless assistance organization in the exchange country.  She developed a research proposal and explored the work of the "Making Every Adult Matter Coalition" which is based out of Cambridge.  Aubrey met with providers so that she could bring her findings back to the U.S.

Betty Brown-Chappell, MSW ’71, retired from Eastern Michigan University on September 1, 2013. She also published Open Secrets: A Poor Person’s Life in Higher Education. In addition, Dr. Brown-Chappell has a chapter review of Marcus Hunter’s Black City Makers in the Spring 2014 SSA Review published by the University of Chicago.

JoAnne O’Rourke, MSW '86, accepted a new position as the Director of Research for the College of Health and Human Services at Western Michigan University. 

Jordana Muroff, MSW ’99, PhD ’04, was promoted to associate professor with tenure at Boston University. 

Rebecca Kenderes, MSW ’12, was recognized in the Detroit Free Press for her partnership in "Lots of Love Detroit." The project aims to beautify neighborhoods and give back to Detroit by lending out lawn equipment and tools such as lawnmowers and weed whackers at no charge. The project has received several grants for addressing this need.

Marianne Yoshioka, MSW ’86, has been named Dean of the School for Social Work at Smith College. She is stepping down from her position as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the Columbia University School of Social Work. 

Assistant professor David Cordova’s paper, "The Role of Intrapersonal and Ecodevelopmental Factors in the Lives of Latino Alternative High School Youth," was published in the Journal of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity in Social Work. Co-authors include Amanda Ciofu (MSW '13) and Kune Park (MSW '13).

Abigail Eiler, MSW '06, was featured in the NASW-Michigan Chapter’s March edition of The Bridge newsletter.  Abigail is the Region 11 representative and was commended for her work in the area of clinical social work.