School of Social Work News

Professor Mary Ruffolo was appointed Associate Dean for Educational Programs. Under Mary's leadership the Associate Dean for Educational Programs will include: 

• MSW program
• Joint PhD program
• Undergraduate Community Action and Social Change minor
• Continuing Education
• Global Programs

The expanded office will unite all academic programs under one administrative office. 

Mary brings an outstanding record of leadership and innovation to this new role. An expert in services for youth and adults managing serious psychiatric illnesses, she has brought innovation to this area of social work through several grant-funded innovations including integrated health for adults and children facing psychiatric illnesses. Mary brings a great record of curriculum leadership to the role, having served a previous term as Associate Dean for Educational Programs. She is experienced in social work accreditation. She also leads the innovative MOOC MicroMasters Initiative.

Sean Smith’s (CASC student) article, “Being a Low-Income Black Student at a Predominantly White Institution” was published in The Huffington Post.

Associate Professor Shawna Lee and Professor Brad Zebrack were inducted as members of the 2017 Class of Fellows of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR). The SSWR Fellows were established by the Society to honor and to recognize current SSWR members for their individual accomplishments, leadership and contribution to SSWR as a scientific society.

Abigail Williams-Butler successfully defended her dissertation "The Role of Relational Permanence in Positive Outcomes among African American Adolescents in Foster Care". She has accepted a postdoctoral fellowship followed by an assistant professorship at Rutgers University School of Social Work. Her committee consisted of Joseph Ryan, Vonnie McLoyd (co-chairs) John Schulenberg, Desmond Patton and Pamela Davis-Kean.

Carrie Disney, Research Process Coordinator and Scott Stanfill, Research Services Manager have completed and passed the certified research administrators exam. The exam is managed by the Research Administrators Certification Council an independent professional organization. The core content for the certificate emphasizes: leadership development, research administration, research and faculty development, innovation, economic development, integrity and stewardship. There are 20 Certified Research Administrators (CRA) on the three U-M campuses, SSW has 10% of U-M's CRAs.

Assistant Professor Emily Nicklett, Associate Professor Daphne Watkins, and professors Edie Kieffer and Michael Spencer's article, "An Exploratory Study of the Impact of Gender on Health Behavior Among African American and Latino Men With Type 2 Diabetes" was published in the American Journal of Men's Health.

Assistant Professor Kristin Seefeldt's Op-Ed "Who are the voters who might be the most left-behind?" was published in Newsweek magazine. The op-ed examines research from her new book, Abandoned Families. Her book is scheduled to be published on December 25, 2016.

Associate Professor Andy Grogan-Kaylor's article, " Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Latina Women: Examining the Efficacy of the Moms' Empowerment Program" was published in Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice and Policy.