School of Social Work News

Congratulations go out to Diane Back who has been selected as the University of Michigan NASW Student of the Year!

Student Social Workers of the Year are selected based on the following criteria:

• Demonstrated leadership qualities
• Contribution to the positive image of a social work program
• Commitment to political and community activities
• Success in academic performance
• Degree to which the student represents the professional ethics of social work as defined in the NASW Code of Ethics

An awards ceremony will be held honoring all of the southeastern Michigan BSW and MSW program recipients. It is scheduled for Tuesday, March 25, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. and will be held in McGregor Hall at Wayne State University, 495 Ferry Mall, Detroit, MI 48202.

We would also like to congratulate fellow U-M SSW nominees Joshua Meisler, Meredith Perry, and Adi Sathi, all great candidates that were nominated this year.

Mary Rose Naoum (LSA'14/ MSW'16) was a speaker at the 5th annual TEDxUofM conference, which was held at the Power Center this past Saturday. She, along with Fine Arts Acting senior Alex Madda, talked about how integrating the arts into K-12 curriculum, particularly in Detroit Schools, greatly benefits children. The pair even performed a charming skit from one of their educational puppet shows. 

PhD Student Elizabeth Armstrong and Associate Professor Beth Glover Reed have received a grant from the U-M Rackham Graduate School for their work addressing alcohol and other drugs relationship to intimate partner violence.

Assistant Professor Emily Nicklett was awarded a grant from the National Institute on Aging through the University of Colorado, Denver, for her work surrounding health disparities among older adults with type 2 diabetes.

Assistant Professor Michael Woodford's research was referenced in an article entitled, “LGBTQ Microaggressions: Are We Making Mountains Out of Molehills?” in the online magazine, Slate.

PhD Student Min Hee Kim, along with mentor Professor Berit Ingersoll-Dayton, have received a grant from the U-M Rackham Graduate School for their work in understanding how academic experts on urbanization and aging evaluate the studies on age-friendly communities.

Assistant Professor Shawna Lee has been awarded a grant from the Skillman Foundation via the School of Social Work Technical Assistance Center for her project dealing with positive father involvement. Shawna also received a grant from the U-M SSW Child Welfare Learning Community for her work surrounding Mobile Dad.

Assistant Clinical Professor Sue Ann Savas has received a grant from the Department of Justice-Byrne JAG program via the Michigan State Appellate Defender Office to develop, implement and evaluate the "Social Work Sentencing Project."