News

“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.”

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.

The UGA School of Social Work has a passion for global engagement, and master’s student Emmanuel Abiodun Oke is using his distinctive, international experiences to guide his future and impact communities across the globe.

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.

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 […]

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

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

To kickoff National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the UGA Child Welfare Stipend Program team is releasing their first video series titled, “Trauma-Informed Services for Child Welfare.” This 15-part interview series with UGA alumni, professors, and current students outlines different treatment modalities for people who may have experienced some trauma, or issues related to maltreatment. These […]

A voluntary presentation in front of hundreds of people isn’t every student’s dream, but for Mamie Harper, her address is another way to expand her reach and perspective. Harper, a School of Social Work Ph.D. student, will speak at TEDxUGA 2024 at 7 p.m. Friday, March 29 at the Morton Theatre in Downtown Athens. One […]

National Child Abuse Prevention Month is an annual observance in the United States dedicated to raising awareness about child abuse and neglect and promoting strategies to prevent it. This month serves as a time to educate communities, families, and individuals about the importance of supporting children’s safety, well-being, and development. It also provides an opportunity […]

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.

It can be tough to leave home for an extended period of time, but after six months in West Africa, it was harder for Elyssa Shroeder to return stateside. The fifth-year Ph.D. student and doctoral candidate completed her dissertation data collection on child trafficking in the West African nation of Sierra Leone. She partnered with […]

Spotlighting Service: UGA Professor, Researcher Recognized for Decades of Industry Work Yours in service. They are only three words, but Llewellyn Cornelius uses this signature to conclude his email messages to the colleagues, students and individuals he serves on a daily basis. In his more than 30 years spent in social work and higher education, […]

BestColleges.com has recognized The University of Georgia as the #1 Online Master of Social Work program for 2024! Congratulations to all of our faculty and staff who support our online students! Regarding the award, Dean Phillip Hong said, “I am most excited to learn about this new #1 ranking for our online MSW program. Our supportive, student-centered […]

A complex history: Project unveils complicated past, but hopeful future for School of Social Work’s home By Thomas Ehlers The building at 279 Williams Street has served as a center of teaching, learning, and scholarship since the University of Georgia’s School of Social Work decided to call it home in 2015. Once known as the […]

On January 13, 2024, Dr. Llewellyn J. Cornelius was one of eight new Fellows inducted into the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (the Academy), the nation’s leading honorific society of distinguished scholars and practitioners dedicated to high-impact work that advances social good. Llewellyn J. Cornelius is the Donald L. Hollowell Distinguished Professor […]

CenHTRO’s programs in Sierra Leone tripled the number of survivors identified and served. Nearly 2,000 government officials, judiciary and law enforcement members, and community leaders received training on how to prevent human trafficking. Investigations, arrests and prosecutions of trafficking cases increased. CenHTRO also helped influence national legislation in Sierra Leone and regional policies across West […]

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.

Leon Banks knows his path to becoming an assistant professor has been a bit unconventional. He also knows that it reflects a career of hard work for the communities he’s served. Banks, the former BSW Program Director, has been a member of the University of Georgia School of Social Work for more than 15 years, […]

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 – […]

Student loan debt per se is not a bad thing, but people need to know what they’re getting into,” said Gaurav Sinha, lead author of the study and an assistant professor in UGA’s School of Social Work. “People have a limited cognitive bandwidth. We spend a lot of time thinking about money and our debts. […]

When Sydney Leiter crossed the stage during the School of Social Work graduation, she came one step closer to realizing a dream she’s had for a while. Leiter, who was recently awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, discovered a passion for helping others during international service trips before college, which pushed her to enroll at the University […]

Members from the UGA School of Social Work and East Athens Development Corporation (EADC) recently met to continue their partnership to address the needs of East Athens residents. Dr. Llewellyn Cornelius, director of the UGA Center for Social Justice, Human and Civil Rights, noted the technical assistance, community engagement and capacity building efforts that have […]

From May 22-24, The UGA School of Social Work Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach will host the Prevalence Reduction Innovation Forum (PRIF) at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education. Over three days, researchers, as well as guests from national and international anti-human trafficking agencies like the United Nations, will review the results of […]

An application for a historical marker may have brought Tony Lowe to Meriwether County, but it was the conversations with the people in the community that ultimately led him to make a deeper investment in the project’s success. Working with Odessadale Preservation Committee (OPC), Lowe, an associate professor at the University of Georgia School of […]

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 month of April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. As you walk into the Athens campus you will see blue pinwheels along the walkways. Blue Pinwheels are the national symbol for child abuse prevention, selected because they serve as a physical reminder of joy and childhood. They represent the hope we have for every child […]

The UGA School of Social Work has received a Sahm Award for its partnership with Farm to Neighborhood’s HEALTHYouth program, which builds sustainable healthy eating habits in elementary and middle school youth by providing nutrition education that teaches hands-on skills along with healthy meal planning and budgeting tips. Farm to Neighborhood is an Athens-Clarke county-based […]

Krishma Gajurel admits the trip from Kathmandu, Nepal to Athens, Georgia, took some adjusting. The community’s climate, cuisines and smaller size were all new to Gajurel. But, over time, after studying and now working as a graduate research assistant while she earns her master’s degree in social work at the University of Georgia School of […]

Thanks to a four-year, $650,000 grant, our Title IV-E Child Welfare program is helping Georgia Division of Family and Child Services employees get their MSW degrees.

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.

Over 40 faculty and students from the School of Social Work and CenHTRO will be presenting at the Society for Social Work and Research 27th Annual Conference. This year’s conference will be in Phoenix, AZ from January 11-15, 2023. Click on the following booklet to read more about their research and presentations.

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

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. Three years ago, Mowbray and a team of researchers and students completed […]

by Thomas Ehlers Lateefah Key had only been out of the country once on a vacation. Her second trip brought her a new perspective. Key, a master’s student in the University of Georgia’s School of Social Work, enrolled in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences’ Cuba: Food Security and Sustainability in […]

by Thomas Ehlers Caroline Sharkey stays busy. The doctorate candidate at the University of Georgia’s School of Social Work balances her coursework while being a psychotherapist, the clinical supervisor of Project Family – a community healthcare organization offering mental health services to kids through adults – and a mother to three kids. A first-generation college […]

The 2022-2023 edition of our yearly magazine, Social Justice Wanted, is now available for free online. SJW is a collection of essays from our faculty and PhD students on topics surrounding social justice. This year’s edition includes essays on civil rights, rural community well-being, human rights, trauma, racism, and environmental justice. Click HERE to read more.

UGA School of Social Work faculty and Ph.D. students will be attending the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Annual Program Meeting (APM) in Anaheim, CA, from November 10-13th. The yearly conference is the place where social work education professionals collaborate, learn, teach, and grow. This year’s APM theme is “Leading Critical Conversations: Human Rights […]

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 […]

Andrea Garcia has been at the University of Georgia for less than two years, but she is already making an impact. In the second year of her master’s degree studies at UGA’s School of Social Work, Garcia has co-authored a paper with her professor Anna Scheyett, Ph.D., to study mental health and resources for rural […]

The University of Georgia School of Social Work is proud to present the 2022 Parham Policy Day screening of the documentary film Outta the Muck in collaboration with the Georgia Conflict Center. This film will be shown at Cíne Theater on Wednesday, October 26 from 6-8 pm with limited seating. The film screening will be […]

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.

The Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach at the University of Georgia School of Social Work will receive $2.2 million from the U.S. Department of State to expand research on labor trafficking in Southern Africa in the first stage of a long-term project. The new award broadens the work of CenHTRO, which has previously […]

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 […]

Elyssa Schroeder, a predoctoral fellow with the University of Georgia’s Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach is the recipient of a 2022 Fulbright Research Grant. The award enables the School of Social Work doctoral candidate to further her dissertation research on improving outcomes for survivors of child labor trafficking in Sierra Leone. Click HERE to read […]

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 […]

School of Social Work faculty members Dr. Joon Choi and Dr. Anthony Mallon recently lectured to students in the Social Welfare Department at Sung Kyun Kwan University. Drs. Choi and Mallon were invited by School of Social Work Ph.D. program alumna Dr. Junghee Bae Ph.D. ’19 who is an assistant professor at the University. The […]

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, […]

School of Social Work faculty member Joon Choi was recently interviewed with two partner domestic violence agencies on NBC News . The interview discusses how research can help community organizations and communities directly. Click HERE to read more.

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 […]

Jenay Beer, associate professor in both the School of Social Work and the College of Public Health, is one of the recipients of the third round of Presidential Interdisciplinary Seed Grants. This project, co-led by Lisa Renzi-Hammond and Jenay Beer, will develop a UGA center focused on countering state-wide disparities in prevention and access to […]

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.

Joon Choi, an associate professor at the School of Social Work, was recently awarded a two-year, $477,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women to address domestic violence in the Asian immigrant community. Known as Korean Americans for Healthy Families, the program will seek to change norms around domestic violence […]

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 […]

School of Social Work and the College of Education have secured a grant to grow Georgia’s behavioral health workforce. School of Social Work faculty member Jennifer Elkins will serve as co-principal investigator with Mary Frances Early College of Education colleague Bernadette Heckman. Other researchers on the grant include School of Social Work’s Orion Mowbray and […]

School of Social Work PhD Director (interim) and associate professor, Dr. Tiffany Washington is the recipient of a 2021 Research Grant Award from the Alzheimer’s Association. The grant award provides Dr. Washington $150,000 over three years. This study is a community-university partnership to support a gerontological social work student-delivered respite program, the Houseguest Program (Houseguest). […]

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 […]

Orion Mowbray, associate professor and Director of Research, Jennifer Elkins, associate professor and Director of the MSW Program, PhD student Mariam Fatehia, alumna Porter Jennings-McGarity MSW’12 PhD’19 and Claudette Grinnell-Davis from the University of Oklahoma recently published the study “Caregiver problem drinking and trajectories of post-traumatic stress among youth.” The study discusses how children raised […]

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.

Recent School of Social Work graduate Madison Smith working with the Farm Bureau’s Farm State of Mind campaign developed the first comprehensive online guide to rural mental health resources. After a year of research and compilation, the site went live earlier this month,offering an online portal that can help connect farmers to various resources, from […]

“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!

The University of Georgia has established a new interdisciplinary center to combat human trafficking through research, programming and policy development. The Center on Human Trafficking Research & Outreach will be housed in the School of Social Work, and David Okech, an associate professor at the school, will serve as the center’s first director. This collaborative […]

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. […]

The State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP) has awarded $4 million to the University of Georgia-based African Programming and Research Initiative to End Slavery (APRIES) to supplement the latter’s international human trafficking research and programming work. The funding is part of the TIP Office’s Program to End Modern Slavery and builds upon […]

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 […]

by Laurie Anderson | Sept. 21, 2020 A multi-institution study led by a University of Georgia researcher is looking at how new federal legislation may help children of color stay out of foster care. Among other things, the study will identify the unintended consequences of the legislation related to inequities. Harold Briggs, the Pauline M. […]

by Laurie Anderson | Aug. 31, 2020 “I was always told you get out of college what you put into it,” says Grace Gilbert (BSW ’21). She takes that advice seriously. The senior is president of UGA’s chapter of Gamma Sigma Sigma, a national service sorority, and a three-year veteran of Road Dawgs. Gilbert says […]

Like many people practicing social distancing during the pandemic, Lisa Anger and her fiancé, percussionist Eddie Glikin, have been spending more time in the kitchen. Anger, a licensed clinical social worker, runs a private holistic psychotherapy practice and teaches family therapy and other courses at the School of Social Work. When she noticed that out-of-work […]

Athens, Ga. – This fall University of Georgia is launching a new minor in social work, designed to prepare students with skills that will enhance their success no matter what career path they choose. The recently approved 18-credit undergraduate minor builds competence in areas crucial to today’s workplace. Topics include diversity, equity and inclusion, verbal […]

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 […]

UGA researcher looks at lethal use of force and needed changes Athens, Ga. – Even after the Ferguson riots, it didn’t occur to Michael Robinson to research the frequency of police killings of unarmed Blacks. The African American academic was not studying law enforcement practices, but a brief encounter with a total stranger changed the […]

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 26, 2020 Athens, Ga. — People who struggle with drug or alcohol addiction can face difficulties in finding help. For many in Georgia, the severe shortage of counselors hampers recovery. To address the need, the University of Georgia School of Social Work has launched the Graduate Certificate in Substance Use […]

by Leigh Beeson | May 20, 2020 Kim Wolf had plans to visit her grandma at a nursing home in Maryland. Then, the global pandemic hit. While COVID-19 has ground much of the world to a stop, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus has hit group home settings particularly hard, especially those with frail […]

by James Hataway | May 18, 2020 The University of Georgia and the U.S. Department of State will co-host the Prevalence Reduction Innovation Forum, a virtual gathering of leaders, researchers and policy experts from around the world dedicated to the fight against human trafficking. The event will be held May 20, and registration is free. […]

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 […]

On a recent morning outside the offices of the East Athens Development Corporation, a line of volunteers wearing protective face masks lifted heavy boxes of groceries from a truck to tables inside the building. They were answering a call from the EADC, a local enterprise that supports the economic well-being of people in Athens’ most impoverished […]

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 […]

by Maria Lameiras | April 24, 2020 From exercise and meditation to keeping in touch with loved ones and maintaining routines, University of Georgia experts recommend that people formulate strategies to help mitigate the stress many people are experiencing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Stress is simply a reaction that happens when a […]

by Laurie Anderson | April 15, 2020 More than ever, it’s important to manage stress. That’s what Caroline Sharkey tells her clients, who range in age from children to adults. The Philadelphia native, who is earning a doctorate in social work at the University of Georgia, is a clinical supervisor and psychotherapist at Project Family […]

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 Laurie Anderson | March 21, 2020 Along with the rest of the University of Georgia, in March the School of Social Work temporarily closed its facilities and put classes on hold to reduce the spread of coronavirus. The closure began at 5 p.m. on March 13, in order to give faculty time to transition […]

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 Merritt Melancon | Feb. 19, 2020 Much like their counterparts across the nation, farmers in Georgia have experienced increased rates of suicide and stress over the last decade. To help curb these statistics, an interdisciplinary team of researchers and University of Georgia Cooperative Extension faculty have teamed up to help understand the causes of […]

by Laurie Anderson | February 10, 2020 They say a picture is worth a thousand words. For a handful of Athens youth, pictures can also promote positive social change. The youth, ages 12 to 17, were part of a photovoice project developed by Michael Robinson, an associate professor in the School of Social Work, that […]

by Laurie Anderson | Feb. 3, 2020 When it comes to development, most towns look to the future. A School of Social Work faculty member has gotten one Georgia town to use its past. Associate Professor Tony Lowe’s research on a nearly lost tale of early African American civil rights activism in Georgia has helped […]

By Laurie Anderson | January 28, 2020 For many people, the new year is an opportunity to focus on self-improvement. For graduate students at the University of Georgia School of Social Work, it’s an opportunity to focus on working together with the local community to improve the quality of life for all Athens. The fourth […]

Representatives of seventeen organizations will discuss ways to improve the quality of life for vulnerable residents of Athens-Clarke County at the Athens Social Justice Symposium on Jan. 25. The annual event, which brings members of the community together, is organized by graduate students of the University of Georgia School of Social Work. “The Athens Social […]

by Laurie Anderson | Dec. 19, 2019 The road to recovery can be full of detours. Sometimes people need extra guidance to find their pathway to success. That’s the idea behind Georgia’s Day Reporting Centers. Since 2002, these centers have provided intensive, community-based counseling and rehabilitative services for nonviolent probationers and parolees with substance use […]

by Laurie Anderson | November 19, 2019 The University of Georgia has been selected to receive $15.75 million from the U.S. Department of State to expand programming and research to measurably reduce human trafficking. The new award, funded by the State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (TIP Office), will scale up […]

Laurie Anderson | Nov. 4, 2019 At age 14, Llewellyn Cornelius was unwittingly exposed to his future career. Raised in a slum tenement in East Harlem, he earned money one summer assisting his father in the mailroom of the National Federation of Settlements and Neighborhood Centers. The nonprofit addressed social problems, poverty, health care and […]

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 […]

You can’t solve a public health crisis if you don’t have the workforce to tackle it. And the U.S.—Georgia, in particular—has a massive shortage of health care professionals trained to address substance use disorders. The University of Georgia’s School of Social Work is aiming to close that gap, by partnering with local behavioral health agencies […]

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. […]

Javier Boyas is an associate professor of social work who conducts research that seeks to eliminate health disparities, particularly those affecting the Latinx community. Where did you earn degrees and what are your current responsibilities at UGA? I received my baccalaureate degree in sociology and Spanish from Western Illinois University, my Master of Social Work […]

In 2017, with about 2.1 million people in the United States suffering from substance use disorders, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency to address the nation’s growing opioid epidemic. As part of a new initiative called the Five-Point Strategy, the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) recently […]

The 13 men were promised jobs, food and lodging. Instead, they were paid little or nothing, housed in deplorable conditions and provided scant food. If they complained or spoke of leaving, their employer threatened to have them deported. The incident happened in Georgia in 2018. In July 2019 the men—guest agricultural workers on H-2A temporary work […]

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 […]

Individuals in recovery from addiction or mental illness often struggle with managing wellness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Without any assistance, many cycle back into hospitals, jails or homelessness. Georgia’s peer support program helps people achieve well-being and independence, and will soon benefit from work conducted by University of Georgia researchers. Over the next 16 […]

A judge will decide whether Amanda Tate and her husband, Eric Tate will lose their parental rights. Juvenile court judge Ashley Willcott will decide whether Georgia’s Division of Family and Children Services is correct to want to terminate the parents’ rights. But this isn’t a real trial. It’s a mock trial. Alexis Trumble, who is […]

Two universities and a state agency are combining forces to increase Georgia’s capacity to deliver high-quality child welfare services.Over the next four years the University of Georgia School of Social Work, in collaboration with Georgia State University School of Social Work and the Georgia Division of Family and Children Services, will evaluate the health of the […]

by Laurie Anderson | May 15, 2019 Georgia farmers are champions at tackling challenges they can see – bad weather, insects and livestock disease, to name a few. Their higher-than-average suicide rate, however, indicates they may need some support in addressing stress and depression. A new study led by a University of Georgia researcher, in collaboration […]

Claire Jordan (ABJ ’18), [email protected] The ability to communicate is an essential skill for social workers, but in recent years the public sphere has become a challenging environment for productive conversation. The pressure and passion behind the countless agendas and ideologies leave little room for listening or for compromise. In response to this, Anna Scheyett, dean […]

Harold Briggs, a leading authority on child welfare, has been appointed the Pauline M. Berger Professor in Family and Child Welfare in the UGA School of Social Work. Briggs, a professor at the school, is nationally known for his innovative studies focused on putting families first in child welfare systems of care. He has been […]

Be there. Let the community see you. That’s the key to assessing the needs of vulnerable communities according to a new study from the University of Georgia. Community needs assessments lay the foundation for improving local health care services, but local leaders may be making decisions based on skewed results if the assessment doesn’t capture a […]

Jenay Beer has been thinking about how people interact with robots since she was a kid. She grew up watching Star Wars, fascinated by the way R2D2 “beep-booped” his way through conversations with other characters, and The Jetsons, where Rosie wheeled about, frenetically managing the family’s futuristic home. Now, as an assistant professor and researcher at UGA’s Institute […]

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 […]

Health effects of insomnia can persist into adulthood. Children living in foster care may have a higher risk of developing insomnia, and this can lead to long-term mental and physical health problems, according to a study led by researchers at the University of Georgia. The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with 24 adults who lived in foster […]

By Laurie Anderson | January 14, 2019 On Saturday, January 26, students from the University of Georgia School of Social Work will host a day-long series of free workshops, panel discussions and networking opportunities on ways to create a sustainable, more just lifestyle for people living in the Athens-Clarke County area. “There’s so much going […]