School of Social Work News

On October 5, 2016 the School publicly published its Strategic Plan for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The plan will requires a strong leader, therefore, Professor Lorraine Gutiérrez will serve as the inaugural Director of SSW's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Initiative.  Lorraine has been a national leader in diversity and social justice in social work. Her scholarship is core reading in most BS and MSW programs. She is the recipient of the 2016 distinguished faculty award at SSW, she is ranked as a high impact female social work scholar and received the "Blue Flame" lifetime achievement award from the Organization of Latino American Social Workers. Lorraine is currently serving as Chair of the Personality and Social Contexts Psychology Program and the Arthur F Thurnau Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology. She is already working together with key faculty and the dean's office in advancing the plan this semester and will assume the role's full responsibilities in January.

Professors Daniel Saunders, Richard Tolman and Professor Emerita Kathleen Faller’s article, “Beliefs and Recommendations Regarding Child Custody and Visitation in Cases Involving Domestic Violence: A Comparison of Professionals in Different Roles” was published in Violence Against Women.

Assistant Professor Kristin Seefeldt gave several interviews about her new book, "Abandoned Families: Social Isolation in the 21st Century":

• cited in the National Mortgage Professional Magazine article, “New Book Details Homeownership Challenges in Detroit”
• interviewed with Indiana based Lakeshore Public Radio

Her book is scheduled to be published on December 25, 2016.  

Professors Robert Taylor and Linda Chatters' article, "Reciprocal Family, Friendship and Church Support Networks of African Americans: Findings from the National Survey of American Life" was published in Race and Social Problems.  

In addition, their article, "Extended Family and Friendship Support and Suicidality Among African Americans" was published in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.

Three School of Social Work alumni were presented Distinguished Alumni Awards at the SSW All Class Reunion Lunch on Friday, October 21, 2016.

The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes School of Social Work alumni whose achievements exemplify the values of the School of Social Work and who have made an exceptional impact on the profession, the community and/or Social Work education.

Kathy Wade,Director of Social Work and Associate Hospital Administrator, U-M Health Operations, and Assistant Dean of Hospital Social Work Services, School of Social Work, was selected as the Ida M. Cannon award recipient for 2016. This award honors a national figure for outstanding contributions to the leadership of social work in a healthcare setting and to the Society for Social Work Leadership in Healthcare. Recipients are widely recognized leaders in the field and demonstrate the qualities that made Ida Cannon successful as the first social work leader in healthcare.

Na Youn Lee successfully defended her dissertation, “Understanding Interracial Closeness, Racial Policy Attitudes, and Children’s Academic Achievement through the Prism of Racial Frameworks” and obtained her PhD in Social Work and Political Science. Professors Andrew Grogan-Kaylor and Kathleen Faller were on her committee. 

John Mathias, PhD candidate in social work and anthropology, has received the Outstanding Doctoral Student Award from the  Association for Community Organization and Social Administration. He is conducting outstanding scholarly work in the area of community organizing as evidenced by his dissertation and his other writing.  His research is focused on community/village political action in India, and has been funded by a Fulbright IE fellowship and a Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad Fellowship.