School of Social Welfare Dean's Update

March 1 is the beginning of Social Work Month, a chance to celebrate the profession and connect with our community.

The KU School of Social Welfare benefits from a supportive, compassionate community of social workers, including our alumni, students, faculty, staff, practitioners and partners. We are fortunate to be able to connect with that community throughout the year. A few highlights from the past month:

There are many opportunities this spring to keep in touch with the School, including a hybrid continuing education event on March 25 in Salina, and a panel discussion presented by our new Center for the Advancement of Healthcare for Everyone on April 23 in Overland Park. On March 11, professor Terry Koenig will accept the KU International Affairs Advisory Board's International Research Award, and give a presentation on her research.

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,

Michelle Carney, PhD, MSSA
Dean and Professor
KU School of Social Welfare

The eighth annual One Day One KU set a new giving day record for the KU School of Social Welfare.

On Feb. 20-21, 240 donors gave $24,171 to support social work students and education at KU. The School received an additional $19,500 in funds through participation challenges, bringing the total amount raised to $43,671.

Many of the 249 gifts to the KU School of Social Welfare will go toward a fund to support students in practicum. Donors also gave to the Dean's Opportunity Fund, which supports scholarships, the School's student emergency fund, and student-focused programs.

Thank you to all who gave, and a special thanks to the donors behind our eight matching gifts this year.

P.S.: One Day One KU donors to the School of Social Welfare will receive an email soon about sending you a KUSSW T-shirt. Thank you!

Social work is a career with many avenues, but Marcello Dodd-Holliday has a sharp focus on his own path. 

Dodd-Holliday, a Master of Social Work student in KU's advanced standing MSW program in Salina, wants to give young people a role model they can relate to. 

His practicum with Central Kansas Mental Health Center allows him to do that. 

“They just need someone to believe in them,” Dodd-Holliday said of working with clients in his practicum. “I wouldn't have gotten this far, from all the trials and tribulations that I've been through, without people believing in me.”

Edward Scanlon embraces the moments when he learns from his students. He was filled with pride when his former students held a panel discussing the importance of social work, and part of that pride was the setting – KC Beehive.

KC Beehive provided a safe space for thoughtful conversation among peers. 

Scanlon and a dozen other KU Social Welfare faculty and staff discussed details of social work and policy with MSW graduates Marqueia Watson, Sarah Owsley and Ashley Vernon.

“I was really pleased that KU can be part of that process of getting them back into the community because one of our goals for the school is to do more community-engaged work,” Scanlon said. “So, getting this group of community practice, social work experts, and having them out in Kansas City and with our KU grads, was really exciting to me.”

Logan Shinkai Knight emphasizes lived experiences in her research, focusing on human trafficking and platforming a survivor-led movement. Her goal is to change the narrative and culture.

Her research prioritizes survivor leadership and expertise for developing the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to address human trafficking. Her work on survivor resilience and altruism involves survivors in all stages of research from study design to dissemination.  

“Survivors remain underrepresented as researchers or experts in trafficking,” said Knight, who joined the KU School of Social Welfare as an assistant professor in 2024.

“They have rarely been involved in investigating human trafficking or intervention design, even though they are the ones who actually know what life is like before, during and after human trafficking," Knight said.

Briana McGeough, assistant professor of social welfare, led evaluation of tools contained in “LGBTQI Workbook for CBT” by Erik Schott, a text designed to help guide individuals through tools of cognitive behavioral therapy.

The research found that an alternative, peer-facilitated approach to addressing anxiety and depression shows promising results.

“I’m interested in how mental health resources and treatments connect with people in alternate ways. That’s what led me to evaluating this workbook,” McGeough said.

MSW students joined students from KU Pharmacy for an interprofessional training this month.

For the "standardized patient simulation," social work students are paired with a KU pharmacy student and a patient actor to provide a social work intervention. After the simulation, students join faculty from KU School of Social Welfare and KU School of Pharmacy to discuss the experience.

The collaboration with KU Pharmacy is one of several monthly training sessions that help prepare MSW students in the Integrated Health Scholars Program to provide high-quality integrated behavioral health services in rural and other high-need communities in Kansas and western Missouri.

Final application deadlines are coming soon for the Master of Social Work (MSW) program. Applicants with a bachelor's degree in a subject outside of social work can apply to the Traditional MSW plan of study.

Research Impact Panel: Research on the Role of Place(s) in LGBTQ+ Well-Being
Thursday, March 6, 4-5 p.m.
Hybrid - In-person at Spencer Research Library and online via Zoom
Free

KUIA International Research Award Presentation & Reception: Terry Koenig
Tuesday, March 11, 1:30-3 p.m.
Hybrid - In-person at Kansas Union and online via Zoom
Free

Supporting and Assessing Families
Tuesday, March 25, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. CT and 1-4 p.m. CT
Hybrid - In-person at KSU-Salina and online via Zoom
Free
CEU: 3.0 AM session, 3.0 PM session

Bridging Social Work and Climate/Environmental Justice: Roles for Eco-Social Workers
Thursday, April 3, 12-2 p.m.
Zoom
Free
CEU: 2

Save the Date: The Power of Collectively Addressing Social Determinants of Health to Promote Healthy Communities
Hosted by the Center for the Advancement of Healthcare for Everyone

Hannah Kwon, MSW 2005, joined the University Counseling Services staff at Truman State University as a counselor.

Whether you just received a promotion, started a new position or project, or moved across the country, the School of Social Welfare wants to keep updated on your life adventures. Update your contact information and share your alumni news.

Mary Lee Adams, BSW 1987, passed away on Jan. 18, 2025, at age 95. Read obituary.

Deborah K. Layden, MSW 1987, passed away on Feb. 13, 2025, at age 69. Read obituary.

Daniel R. Meyers, MSW 1992, passed away on Dec. 30, 2024, at age 70. Read obituary.

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