Michael Moody, MSW ‘19, a “Catalyst for Change”

After working in the restaurant industry for more than 20 years, Michael Moody returned to UW–Madison to complete his undergraduate degree. By chance, he took Social Work Professor Marah Curtis’s class on social policy, and, as he explains, “her approach to systems and social policy blew me away!” Motivated to pursue social work and, “looking …

Sandra McCormick, MSSW ’72, A Career Focused on International Work 

For most of her career, Sandra McCormick developed programs to improve the health, human services, and quality of life for many citizens of Russia, the Ukraine, and numerous other countries.  While serving in a leadership role at La Crosse, Wisconsin’s Gundersen Health System in the early 1990’s, she led local efforts to build a partnership …

Part-Time MSW Program Student Spotlight: Teddy Bah Montiel

The Part-Time MSW Program allows students who are not able to pursue full-time study to work towards a master’s degree on a structured, time-extended basis with classes delivered in a hybrid manner. Some courses are designed as blended courses with a mix of online learning and in-person sessions, while others are taught as online courses. …

New Study Sheds Light on the Impact of the 2021 Child Tax Credit

New research by two social work faculty demonstrates that 2021 Child Tax Credit (CTC) expansion did not have a major negative impact on the employment rate of caregivers who were eligible to receive the benefit. Assistant Professor Jessica Pac and Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor Lonnie Berger demonstrated that the CTC expansion was associated with a …

PhD student Mai Xiong Selected for National Leadership Program

PhD student Mai Xiong has been selected to participate in one of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s leadership programs. These programs connect change-makers across the country to work on creating more just and thriving communities. Mai was selected for the Health Policy Research Scholars (HPRS) program. Designed for doctoral students from historically marginalized backgrounds and …

Alumna, Dr. Lanikque Howard MSW’14, PhD’18, Recipient of Forward Award

The Forward Award acknowledges rising stars in various fields who exemplify the Wisconsin Idea through an emphasis on service, discovery, and progress. Lanikque Howard wanted to help families like hers, so she became the first in her family to graduate from high school and went on to graduate studies in social work at UW–Madison. When Lanikque Howard …

Mayor’s Proclamation Honors Tresa Matinez’s (MSW ‘86) Retirement as the City of Madison’s Employee Assistance and Crisis Incident Stress Manager

After almost 30 years working in the Employee Assistance Field (the last 18 with the City of Madison), Tresa Martinez recently retired. Acknowledging Tresa’s Contributions, Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway writes in a city proclamation honoring her work: Tresa managed a robust system of trauma informed resources, employee wellness programs, return to work services, peer support …

Alan D. Wade, BA ’50, MSW ’52 (PhD University of Chicago), Reflects on His Education and Career, 73 Years After Graduation

I have warm feelings for my six years at the university. At 96, Professor Alan Wade remembers taking classes with Helen I. Clarke, the first faculty member hired to teach social work at UW–Madison, Arthur Miles, Director at the time, and Werner Boehm. He explains that he, “continues to be a loyal, dyed in the …

Alum Naomi Takahashi, MSW ‘12, Named “One of Wisconsin’s Most Influential Asian American Leaders”

Madison 365, a non-profit organization that “fosters dialog between diverse communities,” recognized Naomi Takahashi, MSW ’12, for her contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Naomi is the director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) at the UW–Madison School of Medicine and Public Health and UW Health, where she supports DEI program expansion and strategic development. She …

Margie Zutter’s, BA ‘76, Field Placement Turns Into a 46 Year Career

Upon her retirement in August, Margie Zutter, currently the Executive Director of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Dane County, WI will end the career she began as a UW–Madison Social Work intern in 1976. Through RSVP, from 1976 to the present, Margie collaborated with many community agencies to develop programs that utilized …