5/27/2008

Jan Greenberg Named School Director

The School of Social Work is pleased to announce that Professor Jan Greenberg has been named Director of the School starting fall semester. Dr. Greenberg has been a faculty member for 20 years and has taught psychopathology, research methods, and a field seminar in mental illness. He has national expertise in the area of mental health and aging. He and his colleague Dr. Marsha Mailick Seltzer have conducted path-breaking research on the mental health of aging parents who care for adult children with developmental disabilities or mental illness. We thank Professor Dan Meyer for his contributions to the School during his tenure as Director, and we wish him every success as he turns his focus to teaching and research.

5/23/2008

Photos from the Debra Beebe Memorial Lecture

Photos from the Debra Beebe Memorial Lecture

3/3/2008

Sandy Kohn Named Field Director

After conducting a national search, the UW-Madison School of Social Work is pleased to announce that Sandy Kohn has agreed to be our Director of Field Education. Sandy earned her M.S.W. from UW-Madison in 1990, is licensed as a clinical social worker in Wisconsin, and has national professional certifications in employee assistance and substance abuse. Sandy has taught field units at the School since 1991 (primarily the Generalist Social Work in Human Services and Direct Practice Settings Unit). She has also taught Foundations of Generalist Practice. Prior to her teaching responsibilities, she was an agency supervisor of social work students for 8 years. She has also served on the School's Curriculum and Field Committees. Sandy's work experience includes developing and heading an employment, training, education, and counseling division in social services and also serving as director of employee assistance and critical incident stress management programs. She is a founder and past president of the International Employee Assistance Professional Association-South Central Wisconsin Chapter, has served on the Legislative and Professional Development Training Committees, and is a member of the National American Red Cross Mental Health Response Team. She co-authored and produced a 90-minute video titled "Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse: You Can Make a Difference" and coordinated the production of an AIDS Information video. In addition, she has published several articles in the EAP Digest and EAP Exchange. Sandy has done outstanding work as the interim Director, and we are very pleased to have her on board. Welcome, Sandy!

2/27/2008

Stephanie Robert Selected as Vilas Associate

This highly competitive award is given to a small number of faculty for a particular research project. Her project is focused on public perceptions of the social and economic determinants of health and health disparities. Congratulations, Steph!

2/27/2008

UW-Madison Social Work Grad to Head Madison Public Schools

The Madison School Board announced in January that Daniel Nerad will be the district's next superintendent. Nerad, currently the superintendent of the Green Bay School District, will succeed Art Rainwater on July 1 as head of Wisconsin's second-largest school district. According to the news release, "The Board was impressed with [Nerad's] work with diverse communities, collaborative decision-making practices, and his innovative engagement of the community. Dr. Nerad also believes in research-based instructional strategies to challenge and engage students at all points along the educational performance continuum." Nerad received his bachelor's degree in Social Work from UW-Madison in 1973 and his master's degree in social work, also from UW-Madison, in 1975.

1/15/2008

Social Work Professor Heads Search for New Chancellor

Marsha Mailick Seltzer, Vaughn Bascom Professor of Social Work and Pediatrics, has been selected to chair the search committee for a new Chancellor for the UW-Madison. Current Chancellor, John Wiley, announced that he will step down after leading the institution since 2001. Professor Seltzer is currently Director of the Waisman Center and Interim Director of the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery.

11/9/2007

Students Linda Serna and Damaris Drohin Awarded Centro Hispano Scholarships

Social Work students Linda Serna, BSW student and Damaris Drohin, MSW student will receive Centro Hispano scholarships at their banquet on November 9, 2007. Having applicants from all over Dane County made these awards were very competitive and included personal interviews with the top students. Schools nominate candidates for these awards. Linda competed with other undergraduate students from UW-Madison, MATC, Edgewood College and Damaris competed with other graduate students from UW-Madison. Congratulations!

10/2/2007

YWCA HONORS SCHOOL

The School of Social Work has been selected to receive a Diversity Best Practice Award from the YWCA for our efforts at recruiting students of color. Kudos to the Committee for the recruitment and retention of students of color, whose work has led to this award. We want to particularly celebrate and highlight the 2006-07 committee, who did the work that resulted in this recognition: Chair Tracy Schroepfer, and committee members Aaron Brower, Don Coleman, Ada Deer, Candice Harrison (MSW Student), Tim Latimer, Peggy Sleeper, Judy Switzky, Belinda Velazquez, and Tanya Niemi. Thanks -- and congratulations to them all! The award will be formally presented at the Racial Justice Summit on October 30th at the Monona Terrace.

9/14/2007

Professor Diane Kravetz Retires

Professor Diane Kravetz announced her retirement at the end of last academic year. Diane joined the faculty in 1970 and over the next 37 years made a strong mark on the campus, in the School and in the field of social work and woman's studies. She served as the Director and Associate Director of the School of Social Work; was a founder and first Chair of the Women's Studies Program; Chair of the Social Science Divisional Committee and Chair of the University Committee. Most recently she served and on the Athletic Board and Chaired its Equity, Diversity and Student Welfare Subcommittee. Her contributions to the School's curriculum were distinctive as a member and leader of the School's Curriculum Committee. The hallmark of her teaching has been the introduction of new courses that not only reflected her scholarship but also moved the curriculum in new and important directions. Over the years she developed and taught courses such as: SW and Sexism, Women and Mental Health, Women and Social Work Practice, Feminist Practice and Foundations of Social Work Practice with Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Persons. The Council on Social Work Education selected her course syllabus on Qualitative Research and Social Work Practice as a model for social work programs across the country. Dr. Kravetz's scholarship is a pioneering body of work that makes import contributions to social work and feminist issues related to such areas feminist therapy, alternative social work agencies, women administrators and women and mental health. In 2004 she published Tales from the Trenches: Politics, and Practice in Feminist Service Organizations. A reviewer of her book noted "not only provides what may be the best and most accurate account of how these organizations survived and thrived, but also sheds new light on some key aspects that add to the findings of previous studies...." In conferring her with the title "Professor Emerita", Chancellor Wylie stated "In taking this action, I note......the distinctive contributions you have made to your profession and to the University."

8/24/2007

Sandy Magaña and Kristi Shook Receive Tenure

Dr. Sandra Magaña also joined the faculty in 2000. Her research has helped shape the discourse in the field of developmental disabilities on how culture influences the process of family caregiving. Her work examines how culture influences the nature of the stress process among families caring for children with disabilities and on the impact of caregiving on the overall physical and mental health of caregivers of color. In terms of her teaching, Sandy maintains high classroom standards and strives to provide a learning environment that allows to students to rise to these expectations and an environment in which diversity is valued and respected. She has been at the forefront of advocating for services to improve the quality of life for Latino families in Dane Co. and around the state of Wisconsin. Dr. Kristen Shook Slack joined the faculty in 2000. Her scholarship is focused on aspects of poverty and child maltreatment or involvement with child protective services systems. Her research on intersections between child welfare and welfare reform particularly has received national recognition. Kristi is regarded as a very high caliber teacher. Her service activities in public policy and services to improve services to families with children at the local, state and national level recognized as important contributions. Congratulations Associate Professors Magaña and Slack!!!

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