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The 28th annual conference for the Society for Social Work and Research begins today, and the UGA School of Social Work is there. See all of our faculty and staff who are presenting at the conference in our online booklet. Click HERE to read more (https://issuu.com/ugasocialwork/docs/2024_sswr_presentations_booklet_2?fr=xKAE9_zU1NQ)

BSW student Jalynn Colvin wanted to give a Squishmallow, a popular round, squishy and colorful toy, to help the children she worked with heal.

Introducing our newest publication! Engage: The UGA School of Social Work Magazine of Transformative Action focuses on how we carry the principle of social justice into the real world through partnerships, socially innovative solutions, and community action. Click HERE to read the full version of it.

The University of Georgia welcomed its Class of 2027 to campus in August, bringing 15,300 new faces to the birthplace of public higher education in America. At the same time, the UGA School of Social Work ushered in some new members to its faculty. The new five faculty members bring a plethora of experience – […]

By Thomas Ehlers The University of Georgia School of Social Work will host a free screening of the critically-acclaimed film Foster Boy on April 11. Sponsored in conjunction with Grady College, the School of Social Work will screen Foster Boy at 5:00 p.m. followed by a question-and-answer session with producer and philanthropist Peter Samuelson and […]

The Office of Multicultural Services and Programs’ Inaugural Social Awareness Month is taking place from April 1st-April 30th! It was created with the intention of bringing awareness about the responsibilities and ownership that students must take when it comes to coexisting in the UGA and Athens community through programming and curriculum that allows growth, discussion, […]

The 2023 edition of our yearly research review magazine, Innovate, is now available for free online. The magazine includes five feature articles on the work our faculty and students are doing, as well as a listing of all the presentations and publications they’ve been part of during 2021-2022.

Wishing you a joyous holiday season and a New Year filled with peace and happiness. – Dean Hong and the University of Georgia School of Social Work faculty and staff

SSW Dean Philip Hong delivered the keynote address at the 2022 Embracing Diversity ceremony, an annual program that celebrates the value of diversity and inclusion at the University of Georgia. The ceremony recognizes employees who have met the requirements for the Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion and presents scholarships to students who have exemplified and […]

The dynamic between law enforcement and social work has always been rather sensitive, but the work by Orion Mowbray, associate dean for research at the University of Georgia School of Social Work, has helped to bridge any existing gap between these two worlds. Click HERE to read more.

School of Social Work alumnus Col (RET) Jeff Yarvis Ph.D.’04 and adjunct faculty member has been named by the National Association of Social Workers Foundation (NASWF) a National Association Of Social Workers (NASW) Social Work Pioneer®. Being elected by his peers as a Social Work Pioneer is one of the profession’s highest honors. The NASWF […]

The Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach (CenHTRO) and the Willson Center for Humanities and Arts present a screening of short documentaries about human trafficking and child labor in Sierra Leone on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m. at Ciné (234 W. Hancock Ave.). Directed by multimedia storyteller Barmmy Boy, the documentaries offer a […]

Ever since she was a child, Maria Augutis (BS ’14, MA ’15) dreamed of being a meteorologist. Now, as a lead weather and climate broadcaster with SVT and StormGeo, one of the most popular television networks in her homeland of Sweden, she’s doing her part to share her wisdom to best educate and prepare future […]

The UGA School of Social Work is proud to welcome Dr. Philip Hong as our new dean. Regarding his appointment as dean, Dr. Hong states “I am truly honored to join the University of Georgia’s community of academic excellence and innovation, a place where social work’s contribution to a collaborative journey of purpose-driven, community-engaged, inclusive […]

The School of Social Work honors the efforts of our students, faculty, alumni, field instructors and staff member award recipients for 2021-22. Congratulations to all of the awardees. Click HERE to view the booklet online.

Rebecca Matthew, associate professor, named a Meigs Distinguished Teaching Professor, the university’s highest recognition for excellence in instruction. “Meigs Professors are an elite group of faculty members at an institution that places a great value on outstanding instruction,” said S. Jack Hu, the university’s senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “I congratulate the […]

As millions of Americans get ready to prepare their income taxes for the annual April 15 filing deadline, Tony Mallon, a clinical associate professor at the University of Georgia’s School of Social Work and the Director of the Institute for Nonprofit Organizations (INPO), is doing his part to ensure that everyone, regardless of income level, […]

The annual Donald L. Hollowell Lecture will host a discussion with Shalini Kantayya producer and director of “Coded Bias: Afrofuturism, Social Justice and Al.” The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Llewellyn Cornelius, Donald L. Hollowell Distinguished Professor of Civil Rights and Social Justice Studies. Registration deadline is February 18th. Click HERE to register.

The UGA Alumni Association celebrated the top 100 fastest-growing organizations owned or operated by UGA alumni on Saturday February 5th. The event took place at the West End Zone Recruiting Lounge at Sanford Stadium. Congratulations School of Social Work honorees Bob Sleppy (BS’05, MBA’10, Nonprofit Management & Leadership Certificate ’11) of Nuçi’s Space listed at […]

Philip Hong, an academic leader and scholar whose research focuses on poverty alleviation and workforce development, has been named dean of the University of Georgia School of Social Work. Hong is currently a professor and associate dean for research at the Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work where he also directs the Center for […]

The School of Social Work has created a virtual program for our Fall Graduate class of 2021. In addition to the virtual program, the School of Social Work is hosting a drop in event at the Athens campus for the graduates, their guests, faculty and staff. To view the graduation program visit: https://issuu.com/ugasocialwork/docs/v2_fall2021

On November 15, the MSW Advanced Policy classes hosted a virtual presentation by Dr. Gary Lawrence, the Director of Nursing Services with the Choctaw Health Authority, as part of the UGA School of Social Work’s Parham Policy Day. For nearly two decades, Parham Policy Day has highlighted the impact of social policy on society, under […]

For nearly two decades, students in policy classes have presented Parham Policy Day. This year the Advanced Policy class is pleased to present Dr. Gary Lawrence, Director of Nursing Services, Choctaw Health Authority. He will be discussing the “Provision of Health Care in American Indian & Alaskan Native Populations.” Dr. Lawrence is a nationally recognized […]

Dr. Llewellyn Cornelius, the Donald Lee Hollowell Distinguished Professor of Civil Rights and Social Justice Studies and the Director of the Center for Social Justice, Human and Civil Rights, has been named the interim dean for the School of Social Work beginning January 1, 2022.

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we took a closer look at the work of three remarkable School of Social Work students, Tatiana Villarreal-Otálora (pictured left), Jana Leigh Woodiwiss MSW’16 (center), and Caelen Javier Contreras BSW’21 (pictured right), their personal journeys and the differences they are striving to make for others. For all three students, […]

As part of its effort to raise awareness around suicide prevention efforts for National Suicide Prevention Month, the School of Social Work’s Bridging the Gap student organization is hosting a panel discussion on September 30th. Bridging the Gap began as an informal gathering of students that sought to create an environment where they could practice […]

The University of Georgia School of Social Work has announced that Anna Scheyett, its dean for the past five years, will step down from her leadership role on Dec. 31, 2021 and return to the faculty. Her tenure has been defined by success and growth, with the School enjoying a 42 percent increase in enrollment, […]

Shari Miller, associate dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Georgia and a clinical social worker focused on innovative interdisciplinary education, is leaving her position at the University to become the next dean of Stony Brook University’s School of Social Welfare, effective August 1, 2021. In her new role at Stony […]

Due to COViD-19, the School of Social Work created a virtual program for our graduating class of 2021. In addition to virtual program, Dean Anna Scheyett hosted photo opportunities for the graduates and their families at the Athens and Gwinnett campuses. Click here to view the graduation program visit.

“Would Lorde, Chavez, or King receive a grant today?” On April 22, this question set the stage for the inaugural Thomas P. Holland lecture by Edgar Villanueva, an expert in race and philanthropy, activist, and author of the bestselling book Decolonizing Wealth. Using a fireside chat format, with questions posed by Dr. Zoe Johnson, Villanueva […]

Please join us in congratulating all of our wonderful Honor’s Day 2020-2021 award winners. Students of the year, scholarship and award winners, teachers and field instructors of the year — they are all amazing!

UGA Athletics in partnership with Georgia Power recognized two dedicated members of the University of Georgia School of Social Work – Lemuel LaRoche and Llewellyn Cornelius in a video shown recently at a UGA basketball game. In recognition of their efforts, Georgia Power is donating to the Center for Social Justice. Link to the video

The 2021 Donald L. Hollowell Lecture “History, Human Rights, and the Power of One” was presented on 2/23/2021. The lecturer was Mr. Kenneth B. Morris, Jr., great-great-great-grandson of Frederick Douglass and the great-great-grandson of Booker T. Washington. Mr. Morris gave a dynamic virtual presentation about his famous family’s history, the pressure he felt growing up […]

The Society for Social Work and Research 25th Annual Conference “Social Work Science for Social Change” continues today virtually. Congratulations to the SSW faculty, alumni and students who have ePoster submissions. To view a list of all of the ePosters presented SSWR, click the link here.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. – Martin Luther King, Jr., Strength to Love If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that every single one of us can make a positive difference when we work together to bring about social justice. Run […]

Athens, Ga. – In its first year, the University of Georgia’s School of Social Work Online MSW program has nearly doubled its expected enrollment. The creators of the online program, launched in 2019, hoped to increase access to advanced degrees in social work practice and address service shortages in rural and medically underserved areas in […]

Before Anthony Mallon even moved to Athens or began teaching at UGA, he was involved with United Way. In Richmond, Virginia, when Mallon was a faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth University, he worked with the organization in many capacities, from job training to assisting with earned income tax credit programs to partnering with local agencies. […]

Andra Gillespie, associate professor of political science and director of the James Weldon Johnson Institute at Emory University, will be the keynote speaker for Parham Policy Day, to be held online Wednesday October 21 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The annual event is organized and hosted by graduate students in the School of Social […]

by Joon Choi, Ph.D., Doctoral Program Director | Sept. 30, 2020 For the past 30 years, UGA Social Work Ph.D. Program has produced more than 160 social justice-minded researchers and social work educators who train future social work professionals to engage in anti-oppressive social work practice. I am the most proud of our program when […]

Welcome to the new school year!!! We are so glad to have you join, or re-join, us, even though it is a very different kind of fall. Under regular circumstances, we’d have a celebration in the courtyard, relax and let you know how happy we are to see you. But, prudence dictates we shouldn’t be […]

Denali Lerch | June 18, 2020 To provide resources for local businesses affected by COVID-19, the University of Georgia School of Social Work is providing solidarity support groups via Zoom. These sessions are designed to help local business owners navigate stress and fatigue derived from running a business during the pandemic. The support groups will […]

June 19 – also known as Juneteenth – celebrates the end of slavery in the United States. This year, it takes on new significance as attention remains focused on police violence against the Black community. Llewellyn Cornelius, Donald L. Hollowell Distinguished Professor of Social Justice and Civil Rights Studies, spoke about the event’s significance. Listen to […]

by Emma Auer | June 10, 2020 Nonprofits are mission-driven organizations that often serve vulnerable communities. In circumstances altered by the COVID-19 virus, they are facing unique challenges while also becoming more necessary than ever. Dr. Anthony J. Mallon, director of the Institute for Nonprofit Organizations at UGA, says that nonprofits are by nature resilient […]

by Laurie Anderson | May 8, 2020 In celebration of students who graduate this spring and summer, the School of Social Work created an online convocation publication that it released on Friday, May 8. The publication, the brainchild of staff member Kat Farlowe, provided a virtual touchstone for the new alumni on the day that […]

by Laurie Anderson | April 29, 2020 Two undergraduate students earned high academic honors this year, but their activities show that they shine outside the classroom, too. Emma Clarke planned to study education, but she moved to social work and the BSW program because it would give her “the chance to learn about a vast […]

Doctoral candidate Joel Izlar writes about mutual aid in light of the COVID-19 pandemic From the COVID-19 pandemic to the climate crisis, you are probably hearing more and more about mutual aid. So what is this mutual aid thing all about? Mutual aid is when everyday people get together to meet each other’s needs, with the […]

by Victoria Vanhuss | February 27, 2020 Visitors to Ellen Pauloski’s office are greeted by a collection of stickers. Once hanging on the wall, the stickers—many of which are mementos from the places she’s lived or visited—are now displayed on a table near her desk. Despite being so well traveled, Pauloski will tell you that […]

by Stacey Casuccio | February 21, 2020 Jane McPherson, a faculty member in the School of Social Work, is the recipient of the 2020 Richard Reiff Internationalization Award. Presented by the Office of Global Engagement, the Reiff Award honors a tenured or tenure-track faculty member who has made major contributions to the overall internationalization of […]

by Adelia Henderson | Oct. 24, 2019 When it comes to running a successful organization, concepts like determination and loyalty often come to mind. But sometimes, a key to success can be something as small as switching out flooring. Pamela Landwirth (AB ’73), found this out during the bi-annual ‘Cookies and Conversation’ meetings she holds […]

by UGA Alumni Association | Oct. 10, 2020 Bob Sleppy (BS ’05, MBA ’10) is the executive director of Nuçi’s Space, an Athens, Georgia, nonprofit that allows musicians to meet with doctors about physical and/or mental health issues. For World Mental Health Day today (October 10), we asked Bob to share a little about Nuçi’s […]

By Laurie Anderson | Sept. 26, 2019 The University of Georgia School of Social Work now offers the first fully online Master of Social Work degree in Georgia. All coursework, with the exception of a required field internship, can be taken online. Applications are being accepted for the inaugural cohort, scheduled to begin Fall 2020. […]

Faculty members Jenay Beer and Hitesh Handa have been selected as UGA’s inaugural Innovation Fellows for fall 2019. Throughout the semester, the pair will receive a crash course in technology commercialization and learn how they can shape their research programs to more effectively align with industry priorities and, ultimately, serve the public’s needs. Announced by President […]

The UGA School of Social Work’s master of social work program rose to No. 22 in national rankings, according to the U.S. News & World Report’s latest list of the nation’s best graduate schools. The position is the highest the program has reached and marks the second year it has risen in the rankings. The […]

The Consortium of Social Science Associations recently ranked the University of Georgia ninth in the nation for R&D Expenditures in Social and Behavioral Science. UGA had more than $35 million in federal R&D funds for fiscal year 2022 between social work, social sciences, psychology, law, and communications. Click here to read more.

The School of Social Work moved up eight places to No. 20 nationally and now ranks No. 10 among public institutions.

View the latest issue of the Innovate Research Magazine from the UGA School of Social Work

Giving a presentation to the Georgia College Counseling Association Conference might not seem like a typical parent-child activity, but for Sean and Saron Williamson, it was the perfect way to bond together and feed their shared passion for helping others. The Williamsons workshopped and presented “Working with Queer Students Who are Suicidal” in front of […]

Fall semester 2024 has begun! Welcome back to all of our students, faculty, and staff. We’re excited for a new school year with you all. Here are a few resources for our returning students to take note of.

The latest edition of our yearly magazine, Engage, is now available for free online! Engage is about how we put the principles of social work into action, and create positive change in our local community, our state, and our world. This edition contains stories about the work our faculty, staff, and alumn have done this year, as well as a section on our 60th anniversary.

“If we don’t control our food sources, we don’t control our health and safety,” said Anna Scheyett, lead author of the study and a professor in UGA’s School of Social Work. “It’s a matter of national security that farmers survive in the United States. And one of the big factors in helping farms survive is women.”