Each year students engage in “Change Agent Projects” designed to develop their skills in mezzo and macro practice. They collaborate with their agency and community partners to identify a concern and work to propose solutions and evaluate outcomes. Recent grad Ady Phillips, BSW ‘26 had her field placement at Cornerstone Community Center in Deforest, Wisconsin, which …
Jerry Brandell, MSSW ’77, (also PhD, University of Chicago), recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work. The award recognizes his “contributions to clinical social work and psychoanalysis” and was presented at its 2025 Biennial Conference held in Austin, Texas. Jerry has been a social work educator and clinical mental health practitioner for many years. He was a distinguished faculty …
During her 33 years working with Jewish Family and Community Services of Pittsburgh, Sandy Budd served many individuals and families. Many of her most poignant memories are of the Holocaust survivors she has helped care for in Pittsburgh. She provided case management and counseling to 150 survivors over the course of her years at the …
After receiving his PhD/MSSW from Social Work and MA from the La Follette School of Public Affairs, Steve Webster taught at the School of Social Work in the 1970s and 1980s. He was recently awarded the 2025 Alumni of Distinction Award from the La Follette School. Steve has made important contributions to advancing social justice …
Lissa Merkel, MSW ’14, a former student in our Mental Health Focus Area, and now a licensed clinical social worker in Los Angeles California, has faced major health challenges during her life. First, a lengthy stay in a hospital for emergency surgery, and four years ago, kidney failure, resulted in dialysis. She was recently fortunate …
Social workers step in when individuals need help or communities face gaps – offering support, advocacy, care, and thoughtful planning. That includes Brooke Barcena, who, as a second-year MSW student in 2019, helped create a victim-centered mass violence preparedness plan. Now, as Deputy Director of the Crime Response Program (CRP) within Victim Witness Services in …
Alum Marcy Bradley, who served on our Board of Visitors, has been a generous supporter of the school for many years. Much of her support is targeted at diversity and social justice. Marcy worked as a social worker Meriter Retirement Services (now Capitol Lakes) in Madison before retiring. Recently, Mel Morgenbesser, head of our alumni …
State Superintendent of Wisconsin’s Department of Public Instruction (DPI), Dr. Jill Underly, appointed School alum Sara Knueve to the role of Assistant Deputy State Superintendent of Academics in March 2025. Prior to this new role, Sara was a policy advisor for the agency. Born and raised in Wisconsin, Sara is an advocate for education for …
In January 2025, alum Jamie Kuhn was named Director of Public Affairs on the Government Solutions Team at Foley & Lardner, a Wisconsin based law firm. Commenting on Jamie’s hiring, Paul Wrycha, managing partner of Foley’s Madison office, explains, “Jamie’s proven leadership in government affairs and extensive relationships at the state and local level will …
Social Work Alum Stephanie Johnson has had a long career working in healthcare. After many years working as a medical social worker, she started her own consulting and coaching practice after her own transformational experience of seeking support from a life coach herself. Fourteen years ago, healthcare and support became personal when her husband Rick …