School of Social Work News

Professor Robert Taylor organized the U-M Program for Research on Black Americans Reunion last week which celebrated 35+ years of research based on the National Survey of Black Americans and the National Survey of American Life. The event brought together former graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and faculty for the 2-day gathering and panel presentations on research accomplishments of the PRBA. Speakers at the event included founding members: James S. Jackson, Gerald Gurin and Belinda Tucker, as well as scholars from across the country.  Read about the research reunion in the University Record.

Grace Adofoli’s (MSW student) article, “An Exploratory Study of Trauma and Religious Factors in Predicting Drinking Outcomes in African American Sexual Assault Survivors” was published in SAGE journal.

Professor Robert Taylor organized the Council on Social Work Education Minority Doctoral Fellows Summer Workshop held at the School of Social Work and Institute for Social Research on June 11-13th. CSWE Doctoral Fellows and UM-SSW Joint Program doctoral students and other doctoral students from around the country attended the event. Daphne Watkins and Desmond Patton were co-facilitators of the event. Laura Lein, Linda Chatters, Brian Perron and David Cordova spoke at the event.

Andrew Grogan-Kaylor received an award from the Curtis Center to develop and test a program for Latina/o teenagers living in families with domestic abuse.

Professor Daniel Saunders was awarded a Fulbright Scholar grant to do research comparing intimate partner violence intervention practices and policies in New Zealand and the United States.

He will be hosted by the Te Awatea Violence Research Centre, University of Canterbury, New Zealand from February through May 2015. He will also give lectures on his latest research at several New Zealand universities.

Ruth Dunkle who, along with colleagues Karen Harlow-Rosentraub and Sue Ann Savas received an award from the Thome Memorial Foundation, Edward N. and Della L. via the Presbyterian Villages of Michigan (PVM) Foundation.

Their project goals include:

1)  To refine and document the development of the Community Connections model, including member recruitment and service provision.

2)  To evaluate the implementation and outcome impact of the model in three communities: Midtown, Westland, and Harbor Springs.

3)  To develop and test outcome metrics for the Community Connections model.

4)  To share lessons learned through publications, professional presentations and community meetings.

Clinical assistant professor Sue Ann Savas received an award from the University of Michigan - Center for Engaged Academic Learning (CEAL). 

She will conduct evaluation of the U-M CEAL program; deliverables include logic model, literature review, evaluation plan, data collection protocols and databases, and evaluation reports. 

Assistant professor Desmond Patton was invited to serve as a research advisor for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s evaluation of the Cure Violence model of violence reduction. The evaluation is being conducted by the Research & Evaluation Center at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City.