School of Social Welfare Dean's Update |
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Social work is an incredibly broad profession.
With a social work degree in hand, our graduates go to work in schools, small and large nonprofits, child welfare offices, hospitals and clinics, government agencies, and behavioral health centers.
They approach challenges with the skills they learn in the classroom, along with the compassion and creativity required to ask and answer tough questions.
At the KU School of Social Welfare, we see the breadth of the profession in the paths our students take, as well as in our research and community engagement efforts.
In this month’s newsletter, we share stories that capture the scope of the School’s impact, as well as the creativity our students and scholars bring to their work.
You’ll read about a project that uses art to highlight the experiences of older adults; an event showcasing student and faculty work in healthcare; and a survey that ranks KU as the top public university for research and development funding in social work.
As always, please reach out to me with questions or concerns at any time at kusswdo@ku.edu. Your feedback and collaboration are extremely important to us.
Take good care and Rock Chalk,
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Michelle Carney, PhD, MSSA
Dean and Professor
KU School of Social Welfare
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#1 ranking for Social Work research at KU |
- No. 1 in Social Work - federally funded R&D (public institutions)
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No. 3 in Social Work - overall R&D (public institutions)
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The latest HERD survey is based on fiscal year 2023 data.
KU’s substantial research activity has helped sustain its membership in the Association of American Universities since 1909, and the university’s annual research expenditures affect its standing in the HERD survey. KU ranked 47th among public universities for research and development expenditures and 53rd among public universities for federally funded R&D.
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Social Welfare faculty awarded AAI Arts & Humanities Grant to expand art-based aging project |
The Achievement & Assessment Institute (AAI) at KU awarded the 2024 AAI Art & Humanities Grant to Sarah Jen, associate professor in the School of Social Welfare, and Liz Langdon, a lecturer in the Department of Visual Art, for their project, “Untold Stories of Aging in Action – Revealed and Traveled.”
The project’s aim is to create and document the influence of an art-based intervention among communities of older adults and intergenerational audiences.
“Untold Stories of Aging in Action – Revealed and Traveled” was born out of a 2021 project by KU social work students to illuminate the experiences of older adults and their caregivers through art and conversation. Students in the Sigler Family Aging Scholars Program collected and displayed artwork from more than 30 artists that captured stories of aging.
“Artists were able to use their artwork to start important conversations with their loved ones. Displaying their work also allowed them to leave a legacy, tell their stories to and be remembered by a larger audience,” Jen said.
The expanded version of the project will bring the art collection to a wider audience through a traveling exhibition, beginning in summer 2025.
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MSW Student Spotlight: Julieta Zamora |
Julieta Zamora attributes her ability to pursue a Master of Social Work degree at KU to her upbringing. While she hasn’t pinpointed exactly what kind of position she wants to hold in the future, she knows she wants to give back to her community.
Julieta, now in her second semester of the MSW program, is a proud Mexican woman from Wyandotte County, Kansas, with a family that enabled her to become a first-generation college student.
The Practicum Education curriculum allows Julieta to gain real-world experience, working with her community at the Family Conservancy Dame La Mano Program.
“I am supporting families through different case management needs, filling out applications, supporting them through finding resources around the community,” Julieta said. “It seems like it's very simple, but it's actually not.”
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Social Work Career Spotlight: Brett Barney, Crisis Services Specialist |
As a crisis services specialist with Easterseals Midwest, Brett Barney, BSW 2021, helps individuals with disabilities settle into homes and develop life skills.
Barney shared what a typical day looks like supporting clients, how the Bachelor of Social Work program at the KU Edwards Campus prepares students for work, and why social work is a broad career field.
"If you're looking to get into a helping profession and maybe you don't have it exactly nailed down what you want to do, I think social work is a great way to go, because it just gives you so many different options," Barney said.
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Job posting: Professor of the Practice (Open Rank) - MSW Program Director |
The KU School of Social Welfare is hiring an open-rank professor of the practice position to serve as the Master of Social Work (MSW) program director and faculty. The role is 50% administration as MSW program director, 30-40% teaching, and 10-20% service.
KU offers the MSW program at four campuses: Lawrence, Overland Park, Salina and Online. The MSW program director oversees admissions, curriculum and student advancement.
Application review begins Monday, April 7.
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Register: Healthcare Panel Discussion, Scholars Capstone & Networking Event - April 23 |
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Wednesday, April 23, 2025
- 1 to 2:30 p.m. - panel presentation (in-person and virtual, 1.5 CEU)
- 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. - networking reception and Integrated Health Scholars Program capstone poster session (in-person only)
- KU Edwards Campus, BEST Conference Center
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The panel discussion will be offered in person at the KU Edwards Campus and online via Zoom.
Panel speakers:
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Melvin E. Baldwin, MSW 1976, passed away on Feb. 16, 2025, at age 89. Read obituary.
Tonia Leah Salvini, MSW 1983, passed away on March 8, 2025, at age 67. Read obituary.
Rosa L. Newton, MSW 2002, passed away on March 1, 2025, at age 85. Read obituary.
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March is National Social Work Month!
Social Work Month is a great time to recognize the profession and uplift social workers who strive to make an impact. Join us in celebrating social workers and social work students at the School of Social Welfare!
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The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university’s programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and procedures and is the Title IX Coordinator for all KU campuses: Associate Vice Chancellor for the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX, civilrights@ku.edu, Room 1082, Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY. Reports can be submitted by contacting the Title IX Coordinator as provided herein or using the Title IX online report form and complaints can be submitted with the Title IX Coordinator or using the Title IX online complaint form.
The University of Kansas is a public institution governed by the Kansas Board of Regents.
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