School of Social Work News

Professor Trina Shanks discusses with CNN the lasting impact of racial violence from the end of the Civil War through the early 20th century. The Tulsa race massacre, which took place 100 years ago this week, was one of the worst acts of racial violence in American history, and part of a larger pattern of assault. “If Blacks were successful and actually were visibly prosperous, that made them a target. Some of the violence might have been triggered by this economic envy,” said Shanks.  She explains that some White Americans thought, “How can we make sure that we reserve these economic benefits and opportunities for the White population and our children and push Blacks out so there can be more for us.”

Professor Rogério M. Pinto spoke with Fox 17 West Michigan about how demonstrations can change public opinion. In the wake of George Floyd’s death last year, there were over 10,000 protests and demonstration events over the summer, 95% of them were peaceful. “Protests are also effective in the sense of changing people’s hearts, not just their opinions but changing how they feel about groups in the population,” said Pinto.

Professor Trina Shanks discusses how public engagement connects U-M, Detroit and local communities. Shanks research focuses on creating solutions, including childhood saving accounts and neighborhood investment programs.  After initially researching the “why” in racial income disparity, Shanks learned “I’d really prefer to be part of the conversation about concrete changes that can make a difference in helping people to thrive and improve life chances for all people, particularly those facing economic hardship.”

Professor Andy Grogan-Kaylor has been chosen as this year’s recipient of the Doctoral Student Organization Faculty Award. Since 2019, doctoral students have collectively selected one professor to honor with the recognition. "Andy has taught and mentored many doctoral students. His approach to teaching methods courses is engaging for students across a range of methodological backgrounds. His courses help us see how methods can be leveraged as a tool to advance social justice. In addition to supporting students through teaching, Andy provides a great deal of support outside the classroom. Throughout my years in the program, I have consistently noticed that doctoral students go to Andy with complex methodological questions. We always come away better equipped to move forward with our research."

PhD student Lauren Whitmer is the 2021-22 recipient of the U-M Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies (LACS) Alfredo D. & Luz Maria P. Gutierrez Dissertation Award. The award will support Whitmer in the writing of her dissertation, “Finding a Way Through the Violence: How Mujeres Abusadas in Lambayeque, Peru Navigate Formal and Informal Help-Seeking.” The selection committee specifically cited the high quality of Whitmer’s scholarly work. “I am very thankful for this support, which will allow me to dedicate myself, fully, to writing my dissertation in the coming academic year. Additionally, it is so gratifying to have my work recognized as an important and valuable contribution to the field of LACS,” says Whitmer.

MSW student Cassie Elder is a mother and U.S. Marine Corp veteran. In a webinar this week for mothers serving in the armed forces, Elder shared her experiences to help female veterans searching for resources and support. “I hope that more folks will begin to acknowledge, recognize, and understand the complexities of being a veteran and service member while also being a mom,” she said. “I also hope to bring more visibility to women in the military and our unique experiences.”

PhD student and Reverend Charles Williams of Detroit’s King Solomon Baptist Church is featured in a HuffPost article about closing the COVID-19 vaccine race gap. Citing accessibility and hesitancy, Williams thinks it could be a year or more before citywide vaccination rates in Detroit catch up to the rest of the country. “There’s a sincere concern about the care that many of us get when we go to the doctor’s office, end up in the hospital,” Williams said. “You talk to any Black family, we all have the same strategy ― somebody is going to have to be there around the clock, in the room, to stay on top of these nurses and to make sure the doctor comes by, because if we don’t practice that strategy, the system will let our loved one down.”

A team of Michigan Social Work researchers’ new paper, “Computerized Clinical Training Simulations with Virtual Clients Abusing Alcohol: Initial Feasibility, Acceptability, and Effectiveness,” used computer simulations to teach clinical skills to MSW students. Students reported that the clinical skills learned from the simulations translated into successful interactions with real-world clients during their field placements.  Associate Professor Matthew Smith is the lead author; co-authors include Postdoctoral Research Fellow Shannon Blajeski, Assistant Professor Lindsay Bornheimer, TIDR Lab Manager Kathryn Check, Clinical Assistant Professor Daniel Fischer, Clinical Assistant Professor Barbara Hiltz and Professor Mary Ruffolo.