When Michael Hoffmeister arrived on campus as an undergraduate, he anticipated pursuing a degree in psychology. Instead, a social work class focusing on the formation of social welfare policies and the role of the social work professional, taught by Dr. Jan Greenberg, changed his trajectory. Three social work degrees later, Dr. Hoffmeister is now the Director …
Research funded by an IDS Seed Grant is seeking to better understand and reduce gaps in access to post-assault care for people with marginalized identities. The project was led by IDS Affiliates Kate Walsh and LB Klein and IDS Graduate Fellows Padideh Hassanpour and Taylan Stulting, along with Jeneile Luebke. It focuses on improving support services for survivors of sexual violence who are often …
PhD student Anna Walther received a Russell Sage Foundation research grant this year for her dissertation on the differences in financial security by race, ethnicity, and partnership status in the year preceding and following childbirth — examining how and whether the U.S. social safety net supports families’ economic security during the transition to parenthood. It …
Rick Ezell, 70, is an avid cyclist and dedicated weightlifter, yet when he experienced some episodes of tachycardia (increased heart rate) it was initially dismissed by a cardiologist. It wasn’t until he was referred to an electro-physiologist who was a triathlete and understood how active Ezell is that he got a heart rate monitor and …
Congratulations to PhD student Mai Xiong who received the Dr. Pa Kou Her Legacy Scholarship. Mai will be recognized and celebrated on June 21st at Our Scholarship’s Annual Reception, “a vibrant celebration of dreams, dedication, and the remarkable journeys of Hmong and Southeast Asian scholars in Wisconsin.”
Joan Levy Zlotnik, MSSW ’74, received the 2025 NASW Foundation’s Knee-Wittman Lifetime Achievement Award, “for her efforts in improving child welfare services and bringing awareness to the health and mental health needs of children and society’s most fragile communities. Zlotnik played a critical role in promoting the blueprint for training programs, supported through Title IV-E of …
PhD student Taylan Stulting is preparing to row, yes row, across the Pacific Ocean. Starting June 7, Taylan and two teammates will begin the 2,800-mile journey in the World’s Toughest Row — Pacific from Monterey, CA to the Hawaiian Island of Kauai. Their team, Oar the Rainbow, is a mixed-gender team and if all goes …