University of Wisconsin–Madison

Author: jmlee29

The Social Work Entrepreneur: A Series Highlighting Alums Who Have Created Their Own Businesses and Organizations

Mel Morgenbesser Kristin Scheeler’s, MSW ’05 Patient Advocacy and Case Management Practice After more than 20 years working in the field of gerontology working in hospice, nursing homes, and hospitals, Kristin Scheeler craved independence and an opportunity to focus directly on her clients’ goals. She recently founded Madison Care Management, a private practice providing a …

Q&A with Dr. Michael Hoffmeister: Three-Time Alum, Researcher, and Field Instructor

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 …

PhD Student Anna Walther Receives Dissertation Research Grant

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 …

New Certificate in Aging Studies Begins this Fall

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 …

PhD Student Mai Xiong Recognized with the Dr. Pa Kou Her Legacy Scholarship

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, Receives Prestigious  National Social Work Award

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 Preparing to Row Across the Pacific Ocean

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 …

“Social Workers Deserve To Live a Life Where They Are Financially And Professionally Fulfilled,” Taylor (Gilbert) Wilson, MSW ‘18

Financing their education, social work alum Taylor Wilson and her husband, a medical student, had incurred substantial student loan debt. A novice to the financial management and planning world, Taylor’s initial goal was to begin making progress at reducing that debt. Reading extensively, taking coursework and listening to experts, Taylor explained, “I wished there was …

Dr. LB Klein Named Finalist for Prestigious New Investigator Award

Assistant Professor LB Klein was recently named a finalist for The Linda Saltzman New Investigator Award, which honors an “outstanding new investigator working in the field of the prevention of intimate partner violence, domestic violence, sexual violence, or dating violence” by the CDC Foundation.  Dr. Klein is an intervention researcher and prevention scientist whose interdisciplinary …

In the News: Carissa Hodgson’s Work with Parents with Cancer Featured

Long Term Lecturer Carissa Hodgson was recently featured on two national media outlets talking about navigating cancer as a parent: ABC’s Good Morning America: Parenting through cancer NPR’s Morning Edition: What it’s like to navigate cancer while parenting As she told NPR, “Just because there’s a cancer diagnosis doesn’t mean there’s a magic wand that …