School of Social Work News

Associate Professor Robert Ortega has joined the editorial board of Child Welfare. The peer-reviewed journal keeps readers abreast of the special problems facing millions of children, families, parents, caregivers and the child welfare professionals who serve them. As an editorial board member, Ortega will help guide the trajectory of the journal, review article submissions and share his related knowledge of the discipline.

The School of Social Work has again been named the nation’s top social work school in U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 Best Graduate School rankings. Since 2012, our School has had the honor to be ranked # 1 in the nation. The rankings reflect the School’s steadfast role as a national leader in developing innovative knowledge, collaborating with communities, and educating the next generation of social workers who will shape practice and policy of the future. To know that the dedication and hard work of our faculty, staff, students and alumni are recognized by our peers is incredibly gratifying.

Professor Emeritus Barry Checkoway’s new book, “Youth Dialogues on Race and Ethnicity: Challenging Segregation, Strengthening Diversity,” has been published by Oxford University Press. The book illustrates how young people can collaborate across boundaries and actively participate in the decisions that affect their lives and transform their communities.

Daphne Watkins was appointed as the Letha A. Chadiha Collegiate Professor of Social Work. Watkins is the founding director of the Gender and Health Research (GendHR) Lab, the Certificate Program in Mixed Methods Research, and the award-winning Young Black Men, Masculinities, and Mental Health (YBMen) Project, which leverages technology to provide mental health education and social support for young Black men.

Watkins’ research focuses on how gender differences and health disparities influence the mental health of Black Americans, with the aim of increasing what we know about mental disorders and how they impact the health and health behaviors of Black men. She has built an interdisciplinary conceptual framework of mental health that integrates role socialization and intersectional understanding of the cultural positions of Black men given additional other social identities of age, education, ethnicity, social support, and life stress. Watkins is also a University Diversity and Social Transformation Professor.

MSW student Lady Funcke has been named one of the Latinx Research Week 2024 Familismo Award Winners. Latinx Research Week is an interdisciplinary, conference-style series of events hosted annually on the U-M campus. The Familismo Award is a testament to individuals who embody the values of love, respect, ethics of care and community, which are essential for fostering supportive academic communities. 

“I am deeply touched to have been chosen for this award, as it signifies my commitment to welcoming and inclusive practices, caring deeply for the holistic success of individuals and communities, and nurturing sacred relationships through meaningful interactions and collaborative endeavors,” said Funcke.

MSW Student Kevin Nguyen has been selected as the 2024 U-M National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Student of the Year. In bestowing this award, NASW looks at criteria including demonstrated leadership qualities, contribution to the positive image of a social work program, commitment to political and community activities, success in academic performance and representation of the NASW Code of Ethics. The award ceremony will be held Friday, April 12, 2024, 6-8:30 PM in Lansing, Michigan.

Associate Professor Shanna Kattari spoke with The San Diego Union-Tribune about sexuality and disability.

“I think, even something as simple as bringing up conversations around sexuality and desire with disabled folks is huge because it’s often something that’s not talked about at all,” said Kattari. “When people don’t see themselves in media, they don’t see themselves in the sex ed conversations that are happening (if they’re lucky enough to even be included in sex ed because a lot of young, disabled people are trekked out of classrooms during the sex education portion), then they don’t have the words, the language, the skill set to talk about needs and desires.”

Assistant Professor Anao Zhang has received the 2024 Avery D. Weisman & J. William Worden Award for New Investigators from the American Psychosocial Oncology Society (APOS) for 2024. This award is presented to a junior scientist who makes outstanding research contributions in the field of psychosocial oncology. 

“I am humbled and honored to receive this year's new investigator award. I appreciate APOS supporting me in attending this year's annual conference. I look forward to continuing my research to advance health equity for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors, especially those from underserved backgrounds.”