School of Social Work

MSW Program Director Barb Hiltz was elected president and Michelle Mattison, MSW student representative of the NASW-Michigan Chapter.

We welcome four new faculty members to Michigan Social Work — a community joined together by a strong commitment to diversity, respect, inclusion and learning from one another.
 

Fernanda L. Cross
Transitional Postdoctoral Research Fellow
 

Area of Expertise
Latinx mixed-status families, undocumented immigrants, ethnic-racial socialization, discrimination experiences, adolescent mental health and academic outcomes

Jessica A. Wojtalik
Transitional Postdoctoral Research Fellow
 

Area of Expertise
Child abuse and neglect, child maltreatment prevention, neighborhoods, poverty, program

Assistant Professor Lisa Fedina's research on child sex trafficking in the United States was cited in the USA Today story, "Jeffrey Epstein's alleged sex trafficking targets: 'The more vulnerable the better,' investigator says."

Associate Professor Daphne Watkins was appointed to the 2020 American Psychological Association Presidential Task Force on Advancing Social and Emotional Development of Black Boys through Research, Advocacy and Community Engagement. The task force was recently appointed by President-Elect Erlanger Turner, with the goal of advancing research and advocacy efforts related to black boys. The task force is composed of researchers, clinicians and public policy advocates.

Associate Professor David Córdova was selected as an ambassador. for the 2019 Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. Ambassadors mentor students and develop learning strategies for facilitating student success. 

Joseph Himle, Associate Dean of Faculty Affairs, Howard V. Brabson Collegiate Professor of Social Work, was honored with the 2019 Michigan Institute for Clinical & Health Research Distinguished Clinical and Translational Research Mentor Award. This prestigious award recognizes faculty who foster the intellectual, creative, scholarly and professional growth of students, fellows and trainees in the areas of clinical and translational health and research. 

Patrick Meehan successfully defended his dissertation "Making Change Where it Counts: Social Work and Elected Office." His committee consisted of Barry Checkoway, Ann Lin (co-chairs), Katie Richards-Schuster and Vincent Hutchings.

Angie Perone, PhD student, has been selected as a 2019-2020 NASW/CSWE Social Work HEALS Fellow. The fellowship strengthens delivery of health care services in the United States by advancing education and training of health care social workers.

Associate Professor of Social Work and Poverty Solutions Director, Luke Shaefer, said Congress should keep the earned-income tax credit as a work inducement and include a separate plan to help those who have fallen out of the labor market.

Luke Shaefer (and Kathyn J. Edin) book "$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America" recommended by Elizabeth Warren in Vox interview as one of three books that have changed the way she thinks about our economy.