School of Social Work News

Robert MacDonald, MSW '68, retired from Dearborn Public Schools after thirty years of service.

Lourdes Gutierrez Najera, MSW '98, PhD '07, is coeditor of Comparative Indigeneities of the Américas: Toward a Hemispheric Approach (University of Arizona 2012).

Peter Bleby, MSW '77, is working at the University of South Australia. He previously worked at Anglicare SA as Director of Family Services, later becoming Executive Manager of PR and Communications. He also worked as a communications consultant. He was later named as CEO of Summerhill Aged Care Services. Retired in 2012, he has continued teaching in the Social Work program at the University of South Australia, something he has done part-time for the last seven years.

Gayle Shier, MSW '08, authored the article, "Strong Social Support Services, Such as Transportation and Help for Caregivers, Can Lead to Lower Health Care Use and Costs" in the March 2013 issue of HealthAffairs. Shier is currently a program coordinator at Rush University Medical Center's Health and Aging Department.

Kaity Nicastri, MSW '10, recently began work as a case manager in refugee foster care. Her previous work includes a fellowship with the Alliance for Immigrant Rights in southwest Detroit and assisting local organizations with management and development.

Henry Ten Brink, MSW, LCSW class of '77, Played Santa at the Louise Graham Regeneration Program for people with Developmental Disabilities in St Petersburg, FL with Sunshine City Kiwanis giving presents to 50 workers.

Assistant Professor Michael Woodford was quoted in the Michigan Daily's article, “The Language of Sexuality.”

Katie Lopez and Larry Root received a CGE Education Abroad Resource Grant funded by the Provost of Global and Engaged Education for their work titled "Before, During and After: Enhancing Resilience in Students Engaging in International Experiences."

Each year thousands of University of Michigan graduate and undergraduate students take part in various international experiences. While abroad, students are likely to encounter various types of psychological stressors including challenges of acculturation and, in some settings, examples of serious human suffering. These stressors can impact the student’s time abroad and their re-entry home. Through a partnership of the School of Social Work, the Psychological Clinic, the School of Information, and the School of Art & Design, online informational/instructional modules will be developed to assist students in improving protective factors and enhancing psychosocial resilience. These materials that incorporate evidence-based approaches will seek to deliver a preventative intervention before students leave, help them cope with stressors while abroad, and direct them to campus resources upon their return. This project should have substantial impact by providing a shared resource that can be accessed by undergraduate and graduate students taking part in various types of international experiences.