School of Social Work News

Professor Trina Shanks was interviewed by West Michigan Fox Channel 17 about vaccine hesitant groups she has been researching. Shanks survey shows that over 50 percent of Detroiters intend to get the vaccine. “There’s people who literally said, 'I don’t want to take it' in December, but when the opportunity came, they did get the vaccine,” Shanks said.

Congratulations to Leslie Akua Asah Tetteh, who has been selected as the 2021 University of Michigan National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Student of the Year. The NASW awards ceremony will be held virtually this year on Wednesday, March 31, 6-7:30 PM.

NASW 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

Lecturer and ENGAGE Program Manager Ayesha Ghazi Edwin and Clinical Assistant Professor Daicia Price will both be awarded 2021 Provost’s Teaching Innovation Prizes (TIPs). These awards honor faculty who have developed innovative approaches to teaching that incorporate creative pedagogies.

Ghazi Edwin’s award is for her project, Improving Our City: The Ann Arbor Human Rights Commission Project. “Participating in the Ann Arbor Human Rights Commission project in SW 560 was the highlight of my experience in the MSW program,” said MSW Student Bryant Hepp. “The project allowed me to apply coursework in community engagement, have meaningful discussions with classmates which improved and extended my in-class learning, and present that information to local government officials. By bridging the gap between my identity as a student and member of the local community, the project helped me feel connected to others even during a pandemic.”

Price’s award is for her course, African-Centered Practices in the Community and in the Classroom. Not only does Price incorporate inclusive teaching principles, she also provides historical context of the origination of the theoretical framework and attributes African culture and ideology. “By engaging the contributions of African Americans within specific disciplines, and utilizing unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith, educators are able to create a cohesive classroom that prepares future leaders to engage in work that supports the pursuit of social justice,” she says. “This course design provides educators with a chance to decentralize Western European standards within the academic and professional settings by introducing and developing alternatives to teaching, learning, and practice.

What's the program really like? Where is your field placement? What do social work students do for fun? Join an MSW student as well as other prospective MSW students for a live webchat about the School of Social Work.  Our MSW students are excited to answer any questions that you have and share their feedback about the program.

• April 7, 6-7 PM
• April 9, 6-7 PM
• April 12, 6-7 PM
• April 23, 12 -1 PM
• April 28, 12-1 PM

If you prefer, you can schedule an individual appointment with a current MSW student.

Assistant Professor Fernanda Cross will receive an Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award from the 2021 Society for Research on Child Development. Cross’ dissertation examines how the roles of sociocultural stressors, such as discrimination and documentation​ status, influence parental ethnic-racial socialization practices in Latinx​ immigrant families. Selection for the awards is based on criteria that included the quality of the dissertation, publications emerging from the project, and the nominee’s current position and engagement in the field of child development research.

Professor Joe Ryan is quoted in the American Public Media story “How Utah has let its many youth treatment centers off the hook” about the use of horse troughs as “therapeutic discipline” at a residential treatment center for young women in Utah. Ryan said “It clearly was humiliation."

Ryan reviewed Utah state and law enforcement reports on trough discipline used “If that's not humiliating public shaming, I don't know what is."

Michigan Social Work mourns the loss of Flint native Larry Davis, MSW '73, PhD '77 professor and dean emeritus of the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work. Davis was deeply intellectual, a quality that he attributed to his Michigan interdisciplinary doctoral education, and he continued to be a strong supporter of the School, serving on the Dean's Advisory Board for many years. In 2014 Davis received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Michigan Social Work. He also created a scholarship, the U-M SSW Clara P. and Larry E. Davis Scholarship in 2006 to support a PhD student whose research focuses on poverty and social justice. To date the scholarship has supported 15 doctoral students.

Davis holds the honor of being the first person to receive both the 2016 Significant Lifetime Achievement in Social Work Education Award by the Council on Social Work Education, and the 2018 Society for Social Work and Research Distinguished Career Achievement Award. His latest book, “Why Are They Angry With Us: Essays on Race” is described as, "his most personal book—touching on themes of racial identity, internalized racism, and the legacy of slavery." 

Davis’ contributions to the field of social work were giant. He was a teacher, mentor, colleague and friend to many at the School, and his loss is deeply felt.

Hey SSW,

As many of you may or may not have seen, this week Arkansas passed a law banning health care providers from providing trans youth with access to healthcare. Along with Arkansas, there are similar bills being introduced in several states across the country including Michigan. Many are attacking the ability of trans youth to participate in sports, others are attacking access to healthcare and the ability of transgender people to participate in public life.

THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE.

This is a direct attack on the trans community. As social workers, we must make a commitment to organize in order to ensure that transgender youth have life-saving medical care by any means necessary. 

Now more than ever, cis people must stand up for the rights and dignity of their transgender peers. The solution is and must be intersectional solidarity, advocacy, and mutual aid. The trans community must not face these attacks alone.

On this Trans Day of Visibility, we are asking everyone to make at least ONE call to either the Governor of Arkansas or to an Arkansas State Senator to call for an end to this inhumane legislation.

• Call Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson and demand a veto to HB 1570: (501) 682-2345
• Call Arkansas State Senators to voice opposition to this bill. Here are their numbers.
• Additionally, here is a template to email the governor at [email protected].

To view the anti-transgender legislation in other states, see the following links. It is vital we stay up to date and advocate alongside our trans friends and colleagues. 

• BREAKING: 2021 Becomes Record Year For Anti-Transgender Legislation
• Legislative Tracker: Anti-Transgender Legislation  

Finally, if you or a loved one are in need of resources, several are included below:

• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
• Trevor Project LGBTQ+ Hotline: 1-866-488-7386
• CAPS After Hours: 734-764-8312
• The UM Psychiatric Emergency Services (PES): 734-936-5900

In Solidarity,

Queer Advocacy Coalition