School of Social Work

Professor William Elliott III spoke with the New York Times about how establishing college savings accounts early transforms expectations about the future and impacts savings. “A savings account for a low-income kid means a lot more to them than it does for a wealthy kid.”

The advisory committee includes faculty, staff, students and other members of the U-Community. The committee is looking for a replacement for Lynn Videka who will step down as dean on December 31, 2021. Read the full story in The University Record.

The jury has found Derek Chauvin guilty on all counts. 
The jury has found Derek Chauvin guilty of second-degree murder in the death of George Floyd.
The jury has found Derek Chauvin guilty of third-degree murder in the death of George Floyd.
The jury has found Derek Chauvin of manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.

Read the university’s response to the verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin.

On April 9, five MSW students, Sofie Aaron, Amy Belfer, Flavio Di Stefano, Hannah Lefton and Callie Torkelson, showcased Designing Access, a resource they created to promote the creation of events that are inclusive and welcoming to all. Their design was part of the Envisioning an Anti-Racist World Challenge, in partnership with the U-M Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

The tragic loss of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man killed by police during a traffic stop in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota fills our community with pain, fear and anger. Day-to-day interactions, like traffic stops, put Black members of our community lives at risk every day. Each incident of injustice is a dark reminder of the amount of work to dismantle systemic racism and oppression in our law enforcement and in society.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.