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Fall 2018 NewsletterSalisbury UniversitySchool of Social WorkFall Semester Events and HighlightsWe say congratulations toall December graduates andthe SU School of SocialWork faculty wishes themwell in their future socialwork careers!National Museum of AfricanAmerican History and CultureOn 9/27, the SU School of Social Work hosteda trip to the National Museum of AfricanAmerican History and Culture. Students andfaculty spent the day exploring the museum’s12 exhibition spaces and nearly 37,000 objectsrelated to community, family, the visual andperforming arts, religion, civil rights, slavery,and segregation.
SU Social Work students attended theNational Association of Social WorkMaryland (NASW-MD) StudentConference in Baltimore on November3rd. Twenty students from the Salisbury,Hagerstown, and Southern Marylandcampuses, and the Online MSW optionattended. They engaged in groupsdiscussing the Opioid Crisis, Immigration,Social Work Licensure, opportunities forinternational social work, and more. Dr.James Forte represented the SU SSW ona graduate school panel, providinginformation on our MSW program topotential students from around the state.And to make the day even better, SUBASW student, Eleanor Brown, receivedthe award for outstanding studentposter!The Nia Project offers a safe environmentfor students of color to explore, share andfind support around the unique experiencesstudents of color have on campus.A discussion series will highlight theconnection between personal well-beingand academic/professional success.
Find out more about this special project bycontacting Dr. Victoria Venable orDr. Allessia Owens-KingCommunity Conversations: Health and WellbeingAcross the Lifespan"Let’s talk suicide prevention"with Dr. Mark ShafferOn October 8 th, Dr. Shaffer discussed the impact of suicide on thecommunity and individuals, and ways to help suicidal familymembers, friends or yourself. He also provided information on toolsfor coping and local resources.The Council on Social Work Education held its 64th AnnualProgram Meeting in Orlando, Florida, November 8 - 11.Several of SU's Social Work faculty members presented at thiscollaborative meeting of social work education influencers.Dr. Becky AnthonyModeling Social Justice through Innovative, Low-CostTextbook Options for Social Work StudentsThis presentation discussed social work professors’experiences, including interprofessional support, withdesigning and self-publishing a low-cost textbookalternative for a generalist level basic interviewing skillscourse. Their student survey research findings identified areas of need, areas of strength, andpossible options for improvement of the course workbook.Dr. Sook Yun Kim"The experience of unaccompaniedrefugee minors in theU.S.foster care system"
This exploratory, qualitative studygained deeper understanding of theexperiences of unaccompaniedrefugee minors (URMs) who are inthe American foster care systemand identify both their risks andstrengths. The 15 participants of thisstudy were URM's from the URMfoster program in New York rangedin age from 14 to 21 and were fromAfghanistan, Congo, Eritrea, CentralAfrican Nation, Nepal, and Haiti.Dr. Jennifer Jewell, Dr. Becky Anthony and Dr. April MurphyA Study of an Educational ToolInvestigatingTechnology Effectiveness and Social Connectedness (TESCS)Technology is an integral part of social workeducation and practice. Consequently, socialwork educators have a responsibility to teachsocial work students how to ethically andprofessionally use technology. Thispresentation discussed the development ofthe TESCS to assess the efficacy ofincorporating Twitter in social work courses.Place article copy here. Be sure to make thearticles short and concise as people tend not toread much more than a couple of paragraphs.Place article copy here.Dr. Kimberly van VulpenExperiential Student Learning: Addressing Children’s Griefthrough a Hospice and University CollaborationHer presentation provided information on an interprofessional collaborationbetween a community-based hospice and Salisbury University. It focused on the development ofa social work summer elective, Children’s Grief and Bereavement, and the course’s requiredstudent learning component of serving as camp counselors at Camp Safe Harbor. This course andcamp collaboration and four years of program evaluation data were discussed
Dr. Jennifer Jewell, Dr. Vicki Root and ShawnYoungSuccesses and Challenges for Educating Active Duty Military Students and DependentsProviding social work education to active dutymilitary students stationed overseas has uniquechallenges. Undergraduate and graduate socialwork faculty discussed challenges includingdistinctive needs of the military population, interinstitutional obstacles, field placementcomplications, and course scheduling issues, as wellas successes and learning opportunities in this hugeundertaking.November 7th, the Social Work StudentAssociation’s (SWSA) Speaker Seriesmet for a discussion about TherapeuticFoster Care. Guest speakers wereKaren Watson, LMSW from Children’sChoice and Dena Hall, MSW, LCSW, theProgram Coordinator of CC. Studentsin attendance gained insights into thejob of a social worker working withchildren in the foster care system.On November 14th, Dr. Aaron Willis,Asst. Professor of Social Work,moderated the panel discussion fora community forum onUnderstanding the Opioid Epidemic.Christina Bowie, SU MSW studentand the Wicomico County OpioidCoordinator, was a panel memberalong with Hailey Cox, the OOCCStatewide Opioid Coordinator, amother who lost her son to an
overdose, a peer from the ConnectsPatients to Opioid Treatment(COAT) program, and SUPhilosophy Professor, TimothyStock. On November 3rd.,the Social JusticeLiving Learning Community (LLC)visited D.C. While there, theylearned more about specificneighborhoods & communityadvocates in DC at the AnacostiaMuseum.The School of Social Work's 1st AnnualJob/Internship Fair was held on Nov. 1st.There were many networking andconnecting opportunities and we arethankful to our partner organizations.Stay tuned for our 2nd Annual eventhappening next fall!In November, SMHEC's1stannual job/internship fair gavestudents to network with 8providers.
This fall, Drs. Allessia Owens-King and VictoriaVenable visited the University Maryland UniversityCollege Europe (UMUC) in Kaiserslauten, Germany.They met with the onsite coordinators of SalisburyUniversity's online option. Since 2014, SU hasoffered BASW and MSW programs for members ofthe U.S. Armed Forces, American employees of theU.S. government, and their family members.Special Projects and ActivitiesIn November, first year BASW students from the SOWK 306class held a Gallery Walk at the USMH campus. The exhibithonored the history of Social Welfare and highlighted theachievements of influential Social Welfare ancestors.Congratulations to all of the students for creating this greattribute!
The SU SSW USMH SWSA is collecting winter weather wear for homeless people living in andaround Hagerstown. All are encouraged to donate items and can drop them off at USMH. Itemsthat are especially needed are jackets, scarves, gloves and hats. A distribution day will bescheduled and promoted by area homeless shelters. That day, items will be hung on a laundryline outside in the USMH courtyard. Gift tags will be added by students who want to provide a“gift” at holiday time. Hand warmers and body care items will also be given in addition to thewinter gear.A SWSA Bake Sale was held on November 13th to raise additional funds to support this importantcommunity service project. For additional information on how you can help, you may contactAnne Chillingworth Shaffer,USM-Hagerstown Site Coordinator at acshaffer@salisbury.eduStudents, faculty, and administrators from the School of Social Work (SSW) attended a day-longaction-oriented workshop on institutional racism lead by Crossroads in October. Both Dr.
Mathews, Interim Director of SSW, and Dr. Fiala, Transitional Dean of the College of Health andHuman Services attended along with SU President Wight. SSW had the largest contingent ofparticipants and several faculty members were instrumental in bringing the workshop to campus.Be on the lookout for next steps.Thank you to four students, who represented the School of Social Work at the NationalAssociation of Social Workers -Maryland Student Leadership Conference October 5th. MollyMcGinty(BASW), Eleanor Brown (BASW), Natalie Bowers (BASW), and Allie Chinn(MSW) learnedabout legislative priorities for the profession and our community.Student SpotlightAlejandro CastilloAlejandro is one of our overseas students. After havingbeen out of school for 15 years, he enrolled in theSalisbury MSW UMUC program in 2017. Originally fromCalifornia, he has lived abroad for 5 years, mostly inEurope and Asia. Alejandro is currently stationed at theNaval Air Station Sigonella in Sicily.Nyasha Willis
Nyasha is an Advanced Standing student who will be completing her MSW in May. She becameinterested in social work as a freshman in the Human Services LLC. Having always wanted to helpothers, especially children, she discovered that social work allows her to feel a constant sense offulfillment.This year she is interning at the Wicomico County DSS in the Child Protective Services unit andappreciates the autonomy of having her own caseload of families to serve, working to connecther clients with resources, and engaging with the community.After graduating, Nyasha will be returning to the Baltimore area. She's interested in working in anon-profit agency serving children, such as an after school program, behavioral health program,or in group and individual counseling. Her ultimate goal is to support and uplift children inmarginalized populations.In addition to being a MSW student, Nyasha is also a representative on the Diversity Committeeand the Graduate Assistant for LGBTQIA Programs. She is currently developing an AwarenessCampaign emphasizing the importance of using and accepting pronouns and preferred names.The campaign will begin next semester, so look for a great series of speakers and events thisspring!Jillian SalernoJillian completed her BASW requirements last spring butchose to stay at SU for an additional semester to completeher art degree. Having studied art since she was six, Jillianhas discovered a unique way to combine social work and art,and describes her work as a collaboration between the twocurriculums.The style and choice of media for each her artworks iscarefully selected based on art therapy and mental healthresearch, and personal experiences in her undergraduatesocial work field placement at the Personal Wellness Centerin Salisbury. Her art is now on display through 12/15 at the SUdowntown gallery located at 212 West Main Street as a partof SU's 59th Biannual Senior Fine Art Show. We congratulateher for being chosen to receive the show's President'sAward!Jillian's next steps are to complete the Advanced StandingMSW online program, get a licensure in art therapy andpursue a career as an art therapist working with women andchildren.Visit her website atjsartwork.net.Kheona RatliffKheona is in the final semester of her Bachelor ofSocial Work as a student through the SU/UMUCpartnership. She’s an Air Force veteran with eightyears of experience as a health care manager andmedical administrator. Kheona enjoys traveling andexperiencing different cultures around the world. Sherecently moved from Germany to Huntsville, AL, withher church, Life Changers International. As the oldestof six siblings, Kheona loves her family and they’re ahuge inspiration as to why she has chosen a career in
social work. She loves to help others, and she isespecially passionate about helping youth reach theirmaximum potential in every way. When she is not atwork, she is volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club inNorth Alabama as a teen coach. Upon graduation, sheplans to continue working with the youth and othercommunity organizations that seek to improve livingconditions and quality of life for the underprivilegedpopulation.Savannah BozmanOne of the School of Social Work's new alumni, Savannah Bozmancompleted her MSW in May. After graduating, Savannah spent 10weeks in Ghana this summer completing an immersive program withthe NGO Child Family Health International. CFHI providesopportunities to learn about global health in programs in elevencountries . Individual trainees and university partners are imbedded inexisting health systems and social services and work alongside localcommunity members. While based in the capital city of Accra,Savannah engaged in Sexual Health andReproductive Human Rights and mental health outreach, rural social work outreach and education, and workedwith both the youth activist movement and the Young and Wise Science Club in Accra.She explains that social work is still a developing field in Ghana and as such faces many challenges. Much of thecurrent work focuses on case management but it is beginning to branch into community outreach and programssuch as those she worked with this summer. She sees two main areas for growth to be overcoming the stigmaagainst mental illness and treatment, and developing awareness and support for sexual reproductive and healthrights, most particularly in rural areas.She encourages anyone interested in global social work to go for it, and recommends remaining open to newexperiences and embracing local cultures and people. She also says that if you are planning to work abroad, applyearly for visas and other permits as there is often a very long wait for processing.Spotlights on SU Social Workers Making a DifferenceSavannah was the first to be featured in our new social media series on the School of SocialWork's many outstanding faculty, staff, alumni and students. Look for more profiles coming soonon our Facebook and Twitter pages. Next up will be Dr. Vicki Root - Professor, former GraduateProgram Chair and the primary force in the development of our online BASW and MSWprograms.
Happy Holidays to all from theSalisburyUniversity School of Social Work!
Social Work as a student through the SU/UMUC partnership. She’s an Air Force veteran with eight years of experience as a health care manager and medical administrator. Kheona enjoys traveling
