Contact My SSW Intranet

Main menu

School of Social Work News

  1. Fernanda L. Cross
     
    Fernanda Cross Speaks with WXYZ Detroit About Supporting Immigrant Students

    Assistant Professor Fernanda Cross spoke with WXYZ Detroit about how her own experience as an immigrant inspired the creation of the Latinx Youth Empowerment Series, also known as YES, which connects immigrant students at Ypsilanti Community High School with mental health services.  

    “Immigrating is difficult. The children are having to do a lot of the navigating the new culture. They’re navigating the new language for the parents as they are learning the language themselves,” Cross said. “For the adolescents that come from undocumented parents, there’s always this constant fear of getting separated from the family, having one of the caregivers deported or being deported themselves in case the adolescents,” she said.  “These students were very likely never going to see a provider if it had not been for these groups.”

    YES has been so successful that the Michigan Health Endowment Foundation is funding six additional groups over the next two years.

  2. Joseph A. HimleAddie WeaverGiovanna Gonzalez (Odessa Gonzalez) BensonIrene E. Routte
     
    Three NCID Anti-Racism Grants Awarded to School of Social Work

    U-M’s Anti-Racism Collaborative, an initiative of the National Center for Institutional Diversity, has announced the 2024 Anti-Racism Grants.

    Professor Joseph Himle and Associate Professor Addie Weaver have received an Anti-Racism Grant for their project FARWell: The Formula for Anti-Racist Wellness and Therapy. This project  — a community-university partnership between My Brother’s Keeper, Formula 734, and social work researchers at U-M and The Ohio State University — will support the development and evaluation of a transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral therapy for depression and anxiety, designed for and by young Black men.

    Joint PhD Student Irene Routté has received an Anti-Racism Graduate Research Grant for her project Landscapes of (Im)Mobility: Congolese Refugee Youth, the U.S. Resettlement System and Spatial Negotiations of Belonging.

    Associate Professor Odessa Gonzalez Benson has received an Anti-Racist Digital Research Initiative Grant for her project A Digital Collection as Narrative and Visualization of the Journey of Resettled Refugees.

    The Anti-Racism Grants are sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research in partnership with the National Center for Institutional Diversity’s Anti-Racism Collaborative, which aims to support and amplify the work of anti-racism scholars at U-M.

    • September 13, 2024
  3. Katrina R. EllisLisa FedinaGiovanna Gonzalez (Odessa Gonzalez) BensonAnao ZhangDavid CórdovaTerri L. FriedlineLindsay A. BornheimerZaynab K. BoussiPriscilla C. CortezLinda Edwards-BrownJennifer K. TownsRoland W. Zullo
     
    Faculty Promotions

    Congratulations to the following faculty members whose promotions were approved this month by the U-M Board of Regents. Katrina Ellis, Lisa Fedina, Odessa Benson Gonzalez and Anao Zhang were promoted to associate professor with tenure. David Córdova and Terri Friedline were promoted to professor. 

    In addition, Lindsay Bornheimer was promoted to Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, without tenure, School of Medicine. Katrina Ellis was also promoted to Associate Professor of Health Behavior and Health Education, without tenure, School of Public Health.

    Congratulations also to our faculty members who were promoted during the most recent lecturer promotion cycle. Zaynab Boussi was promoted to Lecturer IV, and Priscilla Cortez, Linda Edwards-Brown, Aliyah Masudi, Benjamin Moe, Jennifer Towns and Roland Zullo were promoted to Lecturer II.

  4. Brooke B. Buys
     
    Brooke Buys Named 2024 MSW Student Government Teacher of the Year

    Lecturer Brooke Buys was named the 2024 Student Union Teacher of the Year. This award is given by the School of Social Work student government and recognizes faculty who have demonstrated commitment to improving DEI, made an outstanding and positive contribution to the School’s climate, and whose skills, dedication, understanding and caring have made a positive impact on students.

    • May 21, 2024
  5.  
    Jason Harrison & Talia Ingham Receive 2024 Colleen Karim Award for Staff Excellence

    Academic Program Analyst Jason Harrison and Field Education Coordinator Talia Ingham received the 2024 Colleen Karim Staff Excellence Award. This award recognizes staff members who accomplish exceptional performance and achievements in their job role, going above and beyond in their day-to-day efforts, championing and supporting the work of others, and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion.

    • May 21, 2024
  6. Laura J. Yakas
     
    Laura Yakas Receives 2024 Distinguished Lecturer Award

    Lecturer Laura Yakas has received the 2024 Distinguished Lecturer Award. This highly esteemed peer award recognizes excellence in teaching and mentoring students and the very highest ideal of a School of Social Work lecturer.

    • May 21, 2024
  7. Linda M. Chatters
     
    Linda Chatters Receives 2024 Distinguished Faculty Award

    Professor Linda Chatters has received the 2023 Distinguished Faculty Award. This highly esteemed peer award recognizes governing faculty members who demonstrate excellence in domains including longevity of service to the School; national recognition in scholarship and service; excellence in teaching and mentoring; outstanding service to the School and the University; and contribution to the professional community.

    Chatters is the Paula Allen-Meares Collegiate Professor of Social Work.  In addition, she is Professor of Health Behavior and Health Education at the School of Public Health and a faculty associate at the ISR’s Research Center for Group Dynamics.

    • May 21, 2024
  8. Giovanna Gonzalez (Odessa Gonzalez) Benson
     
    Odessa Gonzalez Benson Receives 2024 Doctoral Student Organization Faculty Award

    Assistant Professor Odessa Gonzalez Benson has received the 2024 Doctoral Student Organization Faculty Award. The Doctoral Student Organization bestows this award to a faculty mentor who has demonstrated exceptional commitment to mentoring, developing and supporting doctoral students.

    • May 21, 2024
  9. Daphne C. Watkins
     
    Daphne Watkins Receives Research Grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

    Professor Daphne Watkins is the principal investigator in a new R01 research grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute titled “Addressing Structural Racism in Heart Failure Care and Outcomes: A Mixed Methods Evaluation of The Social Structure of Care Delivery.” The goal of the project is to develop a comprehensive understanding of structural barriers as well as facilitators for equitable care and outcomes, and to develop a best practices toolkit to address structural racism and discrimination in heart failure care. 

    "Addressing racism and discrimination at the structural level is essential if we want to move toward health equity in heart failure care and outcomes,” said Watkins.  “I am excited to be a part of such a dynamic team of researchers and clinicians who want to understand and improve heart failure delivery networks within the social structure of care delivery. In the long term, our goal is to advance equitable care and outcomes for patients.”

    • May 21, 2024
  10.  
    School of Social Work Named #1 Social Work School in U.S.

    The School of Social Work has again been named the nation’s top social work school in U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Graduate School rankings. Since 2012, our School has had the honor to be ranked # 1 in the nation. The rankings reflect the School’s steadfast role as a national leader in developing innovative knowledge, collaborating with communities, and educating the next generation of social workers who will shape practice and policy of the future. To know that the dedication and hard work of our faculty, staff, students and alumni are recognized by our peers is incredibly gratifying.

    • April 9, 2024

Contact Us Press escape to close