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Fall 2007School of Social Work Newsletter1SCHOOL OFSOCIAL WORKBRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY25th Anniversary of MSW Program - November 8-9, 2007The firstMSW classtook classeshere at theTaylorBuilding.BYU Class of 1983 Students: Barbara Bunker, Fred Butterfield, Karen Cannon, Carol Flaspoehler, Paul Denhalter, Beverly EdwardsBekker, Annette Erickson Peterson, Morgan Graham Grow, Steve Hay, Bryan Heninger, Claigh Jensen, Mark Martin, Ken Minnix,Char Moore, Bob Riggs, Michael Roubicek, Deborah Esquibel-Hunt, Carolyn Smith, Charlie Stewart, Rhonda Taylor, Brian Whipple,Floyd Wyasket.Faculty: Gene Gibbons, Gene Shumway, Genevieve De Hoyos, Mike Seipal, Dale Pearson, Barbara Wheeler, John Christiansen, ReedBlake, Wes Craig, Barry Johnson, Sylvia Cowan-Hancock.This year marks the 25th anniversary ofour Masters of Social Work program.here at Brigham Young University. TheSchool is hoping faculty and studentsfrom the classes of 1983 through 2008will return to campus to help celebrate.To attract previous graduates of boththe MSW and BSW classes, the schoolwill host an Alumni Conference onNovember 8-9, 2007 with the theme,How Firm a Foundation: StrengtheningFamilies and Children in Crisis.The event opens with a tailgate partyon Thursday November 8th, priorto the BYU vs. TCU football game.On Friday November 9th, the CEUpresentations will begin at 9:00am inthe new Gordon B. Hinckley AlumniCenter. Jed Erickson will speak on theTrolley Square Crisis. Following theopening lecture, lunch will be provided.During the afternoon session, from1:30pm-4:30pm, participants may attendthree of six presentations. A total of sixCEU’s will be available for participants.Between events either a hosted tourof campus or the current Museumof Art will be available for interestedalumni and/or guests. The conferencedinner will be served at 6:30pm in theSkyroom. The cost of the event forBYU Social Work Alumni will be 75and for non-alumni guests, the pricewill be 105. For either group that pricealso includes 6 CEU’s and dinner at theSkyroom.For more information or to register forthe events please visit snew/index.cfm?event viewEvent&eventId 2748 or contact Lisa Willey at(801)422-3282.
From the DirectorBy Kevin MarettGene Gibbons. Gene Shumway. JohnChristianson.Barbara Wheeler.Reed Blake. Thesenames may nothave a lot ofmeaning unlessyou were partof the originalgroup of graduatestudents preparingto graduate with a Masters of Social Workdegree in 1983. These faculty, and others,were pivotal in the creation of BYU’sMSW program. A tremendous amountof time, effort, and sacrifice were putforth by these earlier faculty as they laidthe foundation for the graduate programwe have today, they themselves buildingupon the work and sacrifice of the otherswho had started the bachelors program.The story of how the School of SocialWork came into existence to eventuallyinclude both a bachelors and mastersFrom the Alumni PresidentBy Tammy Leifson2School of Social Work Newsletterprogram is nothing short of a miracle.This coming April, we will see the 25thcohort of students graduate with a Masterof Social Work degree from BrighamYoung University. They will join thealmost 800 others who have gone before.As I have had the opportunity of servingas Director; I have come to recognize, in aprofound way, the extent to which othershave helped in laying this foundation—countless others. In addition to themore visible faculty, there have beenadministrators, part-time faculty, fieldsupervisors, field liaison, field directors,numerous agency staff and personnel,alumni and, of course, the students. Allhave been and are currently vital to theprocess of assisting the School in its questfor excellence in education. A sincerethanks is offered to all these friends ofthe School.The future looks bright for the Schoolof Social Work. Things are happeningthat need to happen. The School’sfoundation is indeed firm and the ongoingAs president of the Alumni Associationof the School, I welcome the new BSWand MSW students! You are in for oneof the choicest experiences of your lifeand I know you are going to love nearlyevery minute spent out of the testingcenter!We are anxious to know who you areand we will be taking every opportunityto meet you and adopt you into agrowing family of BYU Social Workgraduates. Make sure to take advantage of the upcomingactivities that will help integrate you into the field and widenyour circle of contacts for career placement. The Alumni Boardmakes every effort to befriend and connect you to valuableresources that will help you to maximize your opportunitiesof finding the right fit for an employment position when yougraduate.Be sure to mark your calendar for the upcoming 25thAnniversary Conference starting on November 8th with thetailgate party at 5:00 pm at Helaman Field and continuing onthe next day with the conference, “How Firm a Foundation:Strengthening Families and Children in Crisis.” During themorning session, Jed Ericksen will be speaking on the TrolleySquare crisis and after lunch there will be additional sessions byspecialized alumni speakers. It will be a great opportunity torub shoulders with experienced alumni who will be able to shareabout their own careers in the world of social work. This isbuilding process is progressing well. Ifwe are going to become better, we needhelp. I would urge those of you who can,to be more involved with our AlumniAssociation and to donate funds. This isour 25th Anniversary and we have severalevents planned, including the AlumniConference on November 9, 2007. Thiswill be a great opportunity to meet withformer classmates, pick up some CEUsat a discounted rate, tour the Museum ofArt, attend the dinner (bring your spouseor a friend and make the evening evenmore enjoyable!), purchase a nice dressshirt with the School insignia, and makea donation to the scholarship fund. We’llonly celebrate the 25th Anniversary once,so please come and join us and help makethis an event to remember!“A dwarf standing on the shoulders ofa giant may see farther than the gianthimself.”Didacus Stella, 1578an annual event you will want to plan on attending and don’t besurprised if before too long you are asked to be a presenter. Theeducation and preparation you are engaged in will allow you tobe part of a growing pool of proactive social workers – moversand shakers, as it were, and you should expect nothing less!The MSW’s can look forward to the mentoring brunch inFebruary where professional alumni will be available to answeryour questions and provide insight to current career choices. Itwill be held at 11:00 in the Wilkinson Student Center and thefood is always excellent!Please keep your personal information updated on the alumniwebsite http://fhss.byu.edu/socwork/alumni/index.html We areanxious to keep you informed of upcoming Social Work andAlumni happenings. We would appreciate any feedback as wework to meet your needs and assist you into the alumni family.It is a privilege and an honor for me to be able to serve youand the university. My hope is to continue to nurture a cultureof giving that exists at BYU. Feel free to contact me with yoursuggestions and concerns tleifson@uafslc.org. Together we canrock the world!Tammy Leifson, LCSW Alumni PresidentJohn Stewart, LCSW Vice PresidentMindy Woodhouse, LCSW SecretaryStephen Schultz, Marketing ConsultantJosh Brown, LCSW Public RelationsKevin Marett, MFT School DirectorLisa Willey, School AdvisorJessica Saari, Newsletter
3School of Social Work NewsletterRobert HeatonReceives AwardSpotlightOn September 22, 2007, Robert C. Heatonreceived the Evergreen International Beacon ofLight Award for his 35 year service to familiesand individuals struggling with issues of same-sexattraction. Shirley Cox, a faculty member for theSchool of Social Work, commented, “It is an honorto announce Robert Heaton as this year’s recipient.He is an excellent mentor to students and postgraduate interns. Above all, I have been impressedwith Robert’s deep respect for the worth of eachindividual.”After receiving his Bachelors degree in SocialWork from Brigham Young University in 1969,Robert received a Masters degree in Social Workfrom the University of Utah in 1976. He has workedfor LDS Family Services for 38 ½ years and enjoysthe opportunity to work with a wide variety ofindividuals, couples, and families. He has specializedin services to couples and families, abuse victims, andindividuals with same sex attraction who are seekinghelp. “I have a deep respect for the worth of eachindividual and feel it is an honor to be a part of thehealing process.” Robert and his wife Kay are theparents of nine children and have provided a homefor 45 other children and young adults includingyouth from Belarus, Russia, and New Zealand.Jean HawkinsReceives thePresident’sAppreciationAwardThis year Jean Hawkins, secretary for the School of Social Work, wasrecognized for her extraordinary service. She received the prestigiousPresident’s Appreciation Award from President Cecil O. Samuelson duringthe Annual University Conference on Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007. A dinnerwas held in honor of all the award recipients and attended by PresidentSamuelson and the President’s Executive Committee.Jean was nominated and enthusiastically supported by all faculty andstaff members from the School. Once nominated, Jean’s name was sent tothe Staff Advisory Committee comprised of members, at large from theBrigham Young University community.Jean described how she learned she would be receiving the President’sAppreciation Award, “While I was taking minutes, they started talking aboutthis award all of a sudden, I realized that they were talking about me.I’m sure I got as red as a beet I don’t like to be singled out for praise– I’d rather share ”. This is the first year the recipient has also receiveda monetary award. Overall the experience was described by Jean as a “veryhumbling honor.”Donate one hour of your yearly incometo BYU’s School of Social WorkYour contribution helps more students tojoin you in working with those in needsocialwork.aa.byu.eduPresident Samuelson andJean HawkinsFrom Left: President Samuelson, Jean Hawkins,Dr. Wayne Merkley and his wife Gretta Meckley.Mission StatementThe mission of the School of Social Work at Brigham Young University is tosupport the overall mission of BYU and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints by generating new knowledge and byeducating and training students to use the appropriate knowledge, skills, and abilities of the social work profession to serve children andfamilies within their environment and the context of their specific cultures.
4School of Social Work NewsletterDr. Kristin Anderson Moore Speaks at ThirdAnnual Hinckley LectureThe third annual Marjorie Pay HinckleyLecture guest speaker was Dr. KristinAnderson Moore, the President andSenior Scholar at Child Trends. Herpresentation“Child and Family WellBeing: A New Look” was given onThursday February 8, 2007 in theJoseph Smith Building. Dr. Mooreis a social psychologist and one ofthe nation’s leading researchers ofchildren and families. Her studieshave spanned issues related to sexualbehavior, teen childbearing, nonvoluntary sex and statutory rape,family structure, fertility, marriage,fathers, and families for three decades,with an emphasis on disadvantagedfamilies. She has published numerousquantitative studies, including analysesof the implications of poverty andwelfare, the consequences of teenand non-marital fertility, and theantecedents of adolescent problembehavior. More recently she hasestablished the Research-to-Resultsprogram at Child Trends whichfocuses on the conceptualization,design, implementation, improvement,evaluation, and dissemination ofinformation about effective programsto policy makers, donaters, practitioners,and other researchers. Dr. Moore’slecture expressed the need to takea more optimistic attitude towardstudying family and child well-being.Commenting on the lecture MeganPerkins, a first year Masters student inthe School of Social Work said, “It is soimportant in our day to focus on familystrengths rather than the negative wayin which the media portrays the family.”Dr. Moore pointed out substantialimprovements taking place within thefamily unit. Life expectancy, education,and the average household income haveincreased while the infant mortality ratehas decreased. Dr. Moore emphasized,“We need not just a vision of what wewant to squelch, but also a vision ofwhat we want.” The lecture was wellattended by students, alumni, universityofficials, and general authorities fromthe Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints.International Scholarships Allow Students toReach their GoalsFor many international students the dream of going to a university and receiving a formaleducation is just that, a dream. However, many are trying to change this wishful thinking intoa reality at Brigham Young University where international students are provided scholarshipsassisting them to fulfill those dreams. Two students have used their scholarships at the Schoolof Social Work to do great things. Siphiwe Mutindo, a recent graduate of the masters programsaid, “Being an international student is hard in that our families sacrifice all they have in orderfor us to get an education; and still that sacrifice is not enough for us to get our educationabroad. The education that I received by being a recipient of your scholarship is going to blessmy family and my country.”Above: Siphiwe Mutindo, MSWgraduate.Isson Joseph, a current first year masters student expressed hishope in the future saying, “My commitment and determination is toenhance the well-being of Haitian people and help them meet theirbasic needs with particular attention to those who are vulnerable,oppressed, and living in poverty.”Right: Isson Joseph current MSW student.
5School of Social Work NewsletterSocial Work ProfessorHonored with CollegeYoung Scholar AwardDr. Gordon Limb was awarded the first ever College ofFamily, Home and Social Sciences, Young Scholar Award.This 2007 award recognizes outstanding promise andcontribution by faculty in the early stages of their academiccareers and includes a monetary award for research over athree year time period.Currently Dr. Limb is working on “Fragile Families” withinNative American populations. He hopes in the future towork with the child welfare national database on childabuse and neglect, while continuing to focus on the NativeAmerican population.When Dr. Limb was notified he had been nominated, hewrote a brief summary on his qualifications as a candidate forthe award. After being chosen he remarked that, “It is nice toknow that all your hard work is paying off.”Dr. Limb is one of manyfaculty members whois promoting mentoredlearning. Last year alone, hehad ten masters level socialwork students workingwith him. He asserts, “Anemphasis on the future ofthis profession starts withthose we mentor.”Dr. Gordon Limb joined the faculty in2005 from Arizona State University.Student Presents with Faculty at International ConferenceHolly White, a second yearMasters student in the School ofSocial Work, accompanied ProfessorJini Roby to Honk Kong, China topresent a paper, “Internet AssistedAdoptions: a Call for Regulation,”at the International Consortium forSocial Development. White, whobegan this work on internet assistedadoption activities winter semesterof 2006, says, “My professor Dr.Above: Presentation group at theRoby [and I], have written this paper A group of students meeting with a resident at RichmondInternational Consortium for SocialFellowship of Hong Kong for Community Mental Healthin hope that we may be forefrontDevelopmentof this new growing practice andencourage a dialogue among child welfare practitioners, policy makers, and adoption andinternet experts.”Dr. Jini Roby received a graduate mentoring award which allowed her to work withWhite. Though this was White’s first time presenting at an international conference, Dr.Roby commented, “Holly and I had a wonderful time presenting together and she did agreat job! It didn’t seem that this was her first time at a major international conference asshe had a great deal of poise and was able to field questions well.”There were more than 1000 attendees from over 40 different countries which gaveRoby and White the chance to network and enjoy the diverse cultures, program highlights,and other presentations. Overall White describes the conference as amazingly rewardingand an eye opening experience both academically and personally.Above: Dr. Jini Roby and center Holly White
School of Social Work Newsletter6Student Serves Internship in EthiopiaWhile there, Tittlefitz worked withthe children as well as Ethiopianprofessionals, creating a healthysustainable living environment. Becausea majority of the children at the villagesuffer from physical illnesses such asmalaria and typhoid, the Village ofHope maintains a medical clinic, whichoffers two or three open communitymedical consultations per year. Theclinic is staffed with physicians andhealth care specialists from Ethiopia, aswell as the United States.Above: The Village of Hope offers care forJenelle Tittlefitz, a Bachelors of SocialWork student, completed her summerinternship at the Village of Hope.The high risk children’s center strivesto create a loving family environmentfor fifteen orphaned and abandonedchildren ranging in age from ten monthsto seventeen years.Below: Jenelle and the childrendeveloped strong bonds during her timeAbove: Village of Hope createsa family environment for thechildren being cared for.Above: Stability is a primary goal at theVillage of Hope.prevent the spread of germs anddisease. However challenging, Jenellesays the experience was well worth it.When asked why she was always smilingin pictures at the Village of Hope,she replied; “A smile is the light in thewindow of your face that tells peopleyou’re at home. All I can say is that Ilove what I am doing, where I am, andthe people I am with. How could I notsmile?”Below: Tittlefitz and the children have fun with facepaintTittlefitz met the founders of theVillage of Hope in 2006 whilevolunteering in Ethiopia for ProLiteracyWorldwide. Impressed by their NGO[non-governmental organization] sheoffered her assistance.Training at the Village of Hope wascritical and difficult. The trainingsfocused on learning how to keepthings clean and sanitary in an effort toThe Village of Hope is run strictly oncontributions to support the communitymedical clinic and the children’seducation, food, and living expenses. Tolearn more please visit their website l.
School of Social Work Newsletter7Preserving Inheritance and Memoriesin Ugandahome, you realize that you were the student just as much asyou were a teacher.” For their work this summer the TASOmanager, Henry Muzoora, publicly thanked the team forassisting some 100,000 clients. He stated:“Last year, I became acquainted with Associate ProfessorJini L. Roby of the School of Social Work at Brigham YoungUniversity, USA, who was doing research in Entebbe and wediscussed collaboration this year to assist TASO clients incompleting wills and memory books. The management andclients of TASO Entebbe heartily appreciate the supportthat the Centre has received from the Executive Director, DrAbove: Cole Hooley and Mallory Parry take a break fromhome visits to play soccer with some of the local childrenDr. Jini Roby, a practicing attorney and faculty member,and five students traveled to Uganda this summer to assistchildren facing a number of crises. Armed conflicts as well asthe HIV/AIDS epidemic have caused some 2 million childrento lose one or both parents. The loss felt by these childrenextends beyond emotional deprivation, as many times relativesor neighbors take the little property left by the deceasedparents and leave the children with nothing to survive on andno way in which to remember their p
25th Anniversary of MSW Program - November 8-9, 2007 SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY Fall 2007 This year marks the 25th anniversary of our Masters of Social Work program. here at Brigham Young University. The School is hoping faculty and students from the classes of 1
