Summer Memo
Table of Contents
Key Dates and Beginning of Semester Business page 4
Faculty and Staff Updates
New Faculty
New LEO Lecturers
New Staff
New and Incoming Postdoctoral Fellows
Collegiate Professorships
Faculty Promotions
Staff Promotions
Faculty Retirements
Faculty Sabbaticals and Special Assignments
Updates from the School
Development Updates
Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Updates
Facilities Updates
Faculty Affairs Updates
Marketing and Communications Updates
Program Updates: CASC, MSW and PhD
Research Updates
Strategic Visioning and Initiaves Updates
Website Updates
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Key Dates and Beginning of Semester Business
The School’s leadership has been planning a number of meetings and events scheduled during the Wednesday, 12 PM - 2 PM time slot.
For faculty, please note that we will hold two Governing Faculty meetings in October and November, to allow concentrated time for discussion of annual review revisions and the draft strategic vision. We will not have a September faculty meeting because of the state of the school presentation. All faculty and staff are invited to the state-of-the-school presentation on September 4 as noted below.
September 3
September 4
September 11
September 18
September 25
October 2
October 9
October 16
October 23
October 30
November 6
November 13
November 20
December 4
December 11
In the strategic visioning process we have heard from you a wish for more information and transparency about different functions of the School’s administration. This semester we will begin offering “deep dive” sessions – informal conversations where you are invited to bring questions, and we will provide information and overviews. Recognizing that you may have questions about our Development activities and the upcoming Look to Michigan campaign, the first session (October 23) will feature Halla Jomaa-Jouney and Beth Angell discussing the School’s campaign and priorities.
Upcoming Wednesdays, 12-2 PM Key Dates
Lunch with the Associate Deans, 12 PM (note this is on a Tuesday), 2824 SSWB
All School Welcome Lunch, 12 PM, SSW Atrium
State of the School Updates for all Faculty and Staff, 1 PM, ECC/Hybrid
MSW Student Organization Fair
“Michigan Momentum: Showcasing the Cutting Edge of Social Work Science”
Research Poster Event
SSW Grand Rounds Presentation, ECC
Dr. Courtney Cogburn, Columbia University
Pathways and Essentials
Lunch with the Associate Deans, 12 PM, 2824 SSWB
Governing Faculty Meeting, ECC/Hybrid
Governing Faculty Meeting, ECC/Hybrid
Faculty Deep Dive Discussion
Development and the Look to Michigan campaign, ECC
Pathways and Essentials
Governing Faculty Meeting, ECC/Hybrid
SSW Grand Rounds, ECC/Hybrid
Dr. Uche Blackstock, CEO, Advancing Health Equity
Governing Faculty Meeting, ECC/Hybrid
Governing Faculty Meeting, ECC/Hybrid
Pathways and Essentials
Faculty and Staff Updates
New Faculty
The diligent work of our 2023-24 Faculty Search Committee (Co-Chairs Matthew Smith and Beth Angell, Abigail Eiler, Joe Himle, Shawna Lee, Anao Zhang, and Brad Zebrack; PhD Student Representatives Kari Sherwood and Lauren White) has resulted, so far, in two completed hires for Clinical Assistant Professor positions and two in process offers to senior candidates in Intervention Research. Joining us in the fall term are Clinical Assistant Professors Ayesha Ghazi Edwin and Monica Sampson
In addition, Greer Hamilton, who joined the School in Fall 2023 as a Transitional Postdoctoral Fellow, will begin her appointment this fall as a tenure-track Assistant Professor. Greer’s appointment is the result of our successful 2022-23 Anti-Racism Cluster hire in arts-based social work research and practice with the School of Music, Theater, and Dance.
During the 2023-24 academic year, Jennifer Jester joined the School as an Associate Research Scientist and Leigh Rauk was promoted to an Assistant Research Scientist.
Feyi Adunbi joined the Office of Field Education as a Field Faculty and LEO Lecturer III in July. Feyi was the previous Director of Graduate Social Work Education at Michigan Medicine and prior to that had an extensive career in healthcare, juvenile justice, refugee and human rights advocacy, and research. In addition to her MSW, Feyi holds a MA in African Studies and Masters in Public Administration.
Mona Berry joined the Office of Field Education as a Field Faculty and LEO Lecturer III in July. Mona was a school health and social work consultant for the Wayne County Regional Educational Service Agency. This role afforded opportunities to consult, lead, and advocate for schools across Wayne County. In addition to her considerable school experience, Mona brings professional experiences in healthcare, administration, field instruction, child welfare, and professional development.
Ayesha Ghazi Edwin Clinical Assistant Professor
Monica Sampson Clinical Assistant Professor Greer Hamilton Assistant Professor
Jennifer Jester Associate Research Scientist
Leigh Rauk Assistant Research Scientist
Feyi Adunbi Field Faculty and LEO Lecturer III
Mona Berry Field Faculty and LEO Lecturer III
Faculty and Staff Updates
New LEO Lecturers
Susan Adam-Rita LEO Intermittent Lecturer
Zahraa Boussi LEO Intermittent Lecturer
Mary Byrnes LEO Adjunct Lecturer
Jessica Campbell LEO Lecturer I
Antuan Featherstone LEO Adjunct Lecturer
Violeta Donawa LEO Lecturer I
Beth Feldkamp LEO Adjunct Lecturer
Paula Madden LEO Intermittent Lecturer
Aimee Miller LEO Intermittent Lecturer
Nichole Pangburn Paradis LEO Lecturer I
Rosalyn Campbell LEO Lecturer I
Eric Lock LEO Intermittent Lecturer
Sade Richardson LEO Adjunct Lecturer
Abigail Usher LEO Intermittent Lecturer
Carmen Wargel LEO Lecturer I
Jewel Woods LEO Lecturer I
Lacea Zavala LEO Adjunct Lecturer
Briana Starks LEO Lecturer I
Ebony Watson LEO Intermittent Lecturer
Faculty and Staff Updates
New Staff
In order of hire date.
Welcome to all of our new Staff!
Maura Campbell Research Associate for Lindsay Bornheimer
Megan Bernard JCLP Program Manager
Julia McClellan Presgrove Research Coordinator for Matt Smith
Couper Tanko SSW Undergraduate Program Coordinator
Lexx Brown-James Director of Sexual Health Certificate Program
Lori Burger SSW Director of Human Resources
Charlotte Hoppen Annual Giving and Stewardship Officer
Madison Mariles Development Events and Alumni Relations Officer
Marla Garmo Title IV-E Program Coordinator
Celia Meagher OFE Program Assistant
Ronda Halsey SSW DEI Program Manager
Laura Brown Dean’s Office Administrative Assistant
Abigail Niehaus Development Assistant
Mika Hirata Clinical Subjects Coordinator for Matt Smith
Ancel Neeley Media Consultant
Faculty and Staff Updates
New and Incoming Post Doctoral Fellows
Nehal Eldeeb (she/her) (PhD in Social Welfare, University of California, Berkeley). Nehal’s scholarship is dedicated to preventing child maltreatment and promoting the healthy development of children and youth through positive parenting through the development and evaluation of user-centered interventions.
Rory O’Brien (they/them) (PhD in Social Work, University of Southern California), appointed the School’s first Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow. Rory will work with Shanna Katz Kattari and Ashley Lacombe-Duncan, focusing on the implementation of the Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act in southeast Michigan schools and the impact of this and other state and local level policies on the well-being of sexual and gender minority youth.
Ty B. Tucker (she/her) (PhD in Social Work, Boston College). Ty’s research explores equitable access to education and employment for racially and ability-diverse communities. Currently, she is a postdoctoral fellow in the Level Up Lab, which utilizes technology-based interventions to help obtain and sustain employment for people from marginalized and underserved communities.
Nehal Eldeeb
Rory O’Brien
Ty B. Tucker
Faculty and Staff Updates
Promotions and Named Professorships
Collegiate Professorships
During 2023-24, we were pleased to honor two faculty with Collegiate Professorships: Daphne Watkins (awarded the newly established Leitha A. Chadiha Collegiate Professorship) and Mieko Yoshihama (awarded the Edith Lewis Collegiate Professorship following the retirement of Lorraine Gutiérrez).
Faculty Promotions
In May, the University of Michigan Regents approved the promotions of the following faculty members: Associate Professor Lindsay Bornheimer, promoted to Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, without tenure, School of Medicine; David Córdova, promoted to Professor of Social Work, with tenure; Katrina Ellis, promoted to Associate Professor of Social Work, with tenure, and Associate Professor of Health Behavior and Health Education, without tenure, School of Public Health; Lisa Fedina, promoted to Associate Professor of Social Work, with tenure; Terri Friedline, promoted to Professor of Social Work, with tenure; Odessa Gonzalez Benson, promoted to Associate Professor of Social Work, with tenure; and Anao Zhang, promoted to Associate Professor of Social Work, with tenure.
Several faculty recently took on new administrative roles, while others were reappointed or completed their administrative terms, Abigail Eiler took on the role of the Community Action and Social Change minor, succeeding Katie Richards-Schuster; William Elliott III has been reappointed Director of Doctoral Programs through July 2027; Jackie Hawkins assumed the role of Director of the James and Vivian Curtis Center for
Health Equity Research, succeeding Daphne Watkins; Erin Khang was hired as the new Director of Field Education and Clinical Assistant Professor, succeeding Dan Fischer; Shawna Lee assumed the role of Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, succeeding Joe Himle; Katie Maguire-Jack assumed the role of Title IV-E Workforce Training Program Director, succeeding Shawna Lee who authored the original grant proposal to MDHHS; Daicia Price assumed the role of Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, succeeding Larry Gant; Katie Richards-Schuster took on the newly created role of Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Strategic Initiatives; Matt Smith assumed the role of Associate Dean for Research, succeeding Rogério Pinto; and Addie Weaver will begin the newly created role of Assistant Director of Doctoral Programs in fall 2024.
Staff Promotions
Nikky Blochowski was promoted to Administrative Specialist
Beth Feldkamp was promoted to Assistant Director of Student Services
Lisa Greco was promoted to Research Area Specialist Senior
Katharine Helegda was promoted to Research Area Specialist Intermediate
Jeffery McDade was promoted to Facilities Supervisor
Retirements, Sabbaticals and Special Assignments
Faculty Retirements
During 2023-24 we celebrated the career achievements of three beloved and distinguished retiring faculty members as well as our SSW Librarian: Clinical Assistant Professor Daniel Fischer, Edith Lewis Collegiate Professor Lorraine Gutiérrez, former Dean and Carol T. Mowbray Collegiate Professor Lynn Videka, and Darlene Nichols.
Faculty Sabbaticals and Special Assignments
Faculty who will be on sabbatical or on special assignments for some or all of 2024-25 include: Rogério Pinto (F24 Sabbatical), Odessa Gonzalez Benson (F24 Sabbatical), Mieko Yoshihama (AY24-25 Sabbatical), Brad Zebrack (AY24-25 Sabbatical), Camille Quinn (AY24-25 Sabbatical), Shanna Kattari (W25 Sabbatical), Ashley Cureton (W25 Nurturing Leave), James Ellis (W25 Nurturing Leave)
August
Updates from the School
In alphabetical order by department.
Development Updates
There are many exciting events and initiatives happening in the coming academic year.
8.1-31.24 SSW Field Fund Month-Long Fundraising Campaign
Thanks to donor, Bill Cabin, for offering a $5K match! More info is forthcoming! We hope to raise at least $17,000 for field stipend support this August, surpassing last year’s August fundraising goal. Inspired by the collaboration between P4P and the School’s administration, we established the SSW Field Fund in 2022 to support field placements for students with the greatest financial need. This August, we will host another month-long crowdfunding campaign for the SSW Field Fund. Alumnus Bill Cabin, MSW ‘04, has generously offered a $5,000 matching gift to inspire others to give.
September
9.4.24 August Field Fund Celebration Event
Join us in the McGregor Commons from 8:45 AM to 11:15 AM. for a low-key celebration of our August fundraising success in support of the SSW Field Fund. Small notecards will be available for folks to write a quick note of thanks to the donors who supported the SSW Field Fund during the month of August. Other fun activities are being planned. No RSVP is needed; just swing by and help us celebrate!
9.13.24 Homecoming Networking Reception
On Friday, September 13, you are invited to join us for an all-school networking dessert social at 1:30 PM. All alumni, donors, faculty, staff and students are welcome to attend the dessert social at 1:30 PM in the ECC. Please RSVP so our development team can plan accordingly. Hope you can join us!
October
10.8.24 Book Discussion and Signing with Andrew Bridge
The event with Andrew Bridge, will take place from 12:30 - 2 PM. in the ECC. The first hour will include a discussion about his work and his newest book, The Child Catcher, with time at the end for a book signing. More info will be forthcoming, however, you may RSVP early here.
10.17.24 Social Justice Changemaker Lecture featuring Nikole Hannah-Jones
This year’s Social Justice Changemaker Lecture will feature Nikole Hannah-Jones, the Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of the 1619 Project and a staff writer at the New York Times Magazine. The event will be held on Thursday, October 17, 2024, from 10 - 11:30 AM in the Rogel Ballroom at the Michigan Union. More info is forthcoming; however, you may RSVP early — space is limited and available on a first-come basis. After in-person capacity is reached, a virtual option will be available.
10.24.24 - 10.27.24 CSWE Annual Meeting in Kansas City
The SSW Development and Alumni Relations Office will not host an alumni reception this year at CSWE.
10.25.24 and 10.26.26
Look to Michigan Campaign Launches
The University of Michigan will launch our next University-wide comprehensive fundraising campaign to the public in October 2024. The University’s Vision 2034, entitled Look to Michigan, provides the framework for the next campaign, which will be entitled Look to Michigan. SSW has been working to solidify our strategic plans to chart our path forward while using those strategic priorities as the basis for building a case statement that outlines the School’s fundraising priorities for the Look to Michigan campaign. Among top philanthropic priorities are student support (scholarships and field stipends), faculty support (professorships and research support), and program support to move us into the next 10 years and beyond. More information will be coming soon!
January 2025
The Society for Social Work and Research Conference will be held in Seattle from January 15-19, 2025. More information about an alumni reception at the conference will be forthcoming.
Updates from the School
February 2025
We are excited to host the Winkelman Memorial Lecture. More information will be forthcoming.
March 2025
March is Social Work Month! After receiving glowing feedback about last year’s event at the U-M Golf Course, SSW will again host a Social Work Month celebration. More details to come soon. The University’s annual day of giving is Giving Blueday. It will take place in March. More details and a date will be forthcoming.
Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Updates
The DEI Office, led by experienced faculty, staff, and students, works tirelessly to create an environment that reflects our values and goals. We invite you to join us Wednesday, September 25 at noon in the ECC or virtually for our State of DEI event to hear about what we have been up to and to look forward to what’s to come for Year 2 of our DEI 2.0 Strategic Plan. Our goals for the 2024-2025 academic year build off the work started in our first year. In our first year, DEI students and staff hosted or co-hosted more than 100 DEI-focused events, workshops, training, and leadership development. We also funded $36,000 to support student, staff, and faculty projects that align with the values of social justice, anti-racism, and addressing systemic inequities.
Core goals that UMSSW is focused on this year will be to increase the recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups; enhance the campus climate by providing professional development and continuing education opportunities that focus on implicit bias and conflict resolution training; use restorative justice practices to develop a pathway for conflict resolution to address specific DEI-related challenges and microaggressions faced by students; increase accessibility and equity by addressing the financial aid needs of our students through workshops and providing information about funding resources; increase community engagement and sense of belonging by hosting events focused on critical justice themes and providing social justice training through our various programs; and support the distribution of grant awards to support DEI-focused scholarship, research, and other activities supported by our social justice impact fund.
If there are ways that your work is contributing to the core goals, please let us know! We continuously evaluate and enhance our DEI strategies and invite you to share your experiences and ideas.
Facilities Updates
The major, building-wide mechanical HVAC upgrade that has been ongoing for the last nine months is near completion and should be operating as normal. If you are still experiencing any local heating or cooling control issues, please report them to facilities so they can be addressed. With the completion of the HVAC project, the Kindred sculpture will be returning on August 28. While it was away, it was fully refurbished and looks as good as new. We’re looking forward to its return. We also are in the planning stages of several exciting projects that will be starting soon. This fall, we will undergo a complete building signage update, a whole-building LED lighting upgrade, and a restroom conversion that will increase the number of gender-neutral stalls within the building. In Spring of 2025, we will remodel the courtyard to improve accessibility amongst other updates.
Faculty Affairs Updates
The ADFA office is working on several initiatives for the upcoming Academic Year. During the fall semester, the associate deans are hosting informal lunch “office hours” with faculty on Tuesday, September 3 at 12 PM and Wednesday, October 2 at 12 PM, in Room 2824 SSWB. We hope to see you there!
The ADFA office is hosting several professional development workshops focusing on pathways to full professor. Announcements for these events will go out soon, so please keep your eyes open and join us for these events
The ADFA office is working with standing committees to implement processes for revisions to the faculty handbook. The executive committee is focused on annual review processes, and the P&T committee will consider content related to tenure and promotion processes. We look forward to providing updates and obtaining feedback at faculty meetings throughout the semester. In concert with potential revisions to the annual review process, and based on feedback from faculty, the ADFA office is in the initial stages of looking at workload equity considerations.
Updates from the School
Marketing and Communications Updates
The Marketing and Communications team has been hard at work with supporting all of the School’s messaging and communications efforts. We are working with the web office and an outside vendor to move the website and intranet redesign forward. Along with incredible partners, we are messaging out some of the School’s new programs and initiatives such as the Michigan Title IV-E Child Welfare Fellowship, the PhD program in Social Work and Social Welfare, and the soon-to-be renamed MasterTrack Certification. The MasterTrack Certificate will become the Social Work Essentials certificate in 2025 – same great education, with a new name and delivery platform.
We are also working on the finishing touches of the next issue of our alumni magazine, Ongoing. Past issues are archived on our website. Look for the completed magazine in the fall – where you can read about community conversations, our new leadership, our incredible alumni and faculty achievements, and more!
We have had two staff changes. David Pratt, one of our writers, has officially retired. Niki Williams, our multimedia designer, is moving out of state. We are in the process of finding a replacement for Niki’s position, but at this time, will not fill David’s position.
Program Updates: CASC, MSW, and PhD
CASC Updates
The CASC team has been hard at work planning for the 2024-2025 school year. Highlights for the upcoming year include monthly Communi-TEAs between undergraduate students, faculty and staff, as well as many volunteer opportunities with local non-profit organizations coordinated by our student board members.
In addition, CASC was recently awarded the Detroit Community-Academic Urban Research Center Collaborative Research Small Planning Grant. This grant will focus on developing a community impact partnership amongst a newly formed Detroit grassroots organizing collective.
The 4+1 programs (with UM-Sociology and UM-Dearborn) will welcome 15 students to begin their MSW coursework with us this Fall. We are in the fourth year of the 4+1 program and have exciting opportunities to recruit students earlier in their educational journey at UM-Ann Arbor and UM-Dearborn this upcoming fall. Check out our program website for more updates and information!
Finally, in bittersweet news, Diana Seales will be leaving her role as Assistant Director of CASC to take a tenure track faculty position in the Department of Community Sustainability at Michigan State University. Dr. Seales received her PhD from MSU in May, and she will begin her new position in September. We are forever thankful for her many contributions to CASC and wish her all the best in her new position! We are lucky that Dr. Seales will be continuing to teach with CASC this fall as she makes the transition to MSU.
MSW Updates
Our reaccreditation self-study and site visit are now complete, and we eagerly anticipate a decision from the Council on Social Work Education Board of Accreditation at their October meeting. The curriculum committee and pathway/ essential leads have been discussing the role and frequency of the pathway and essential meetings. Now that the new curriculum has been in place for a couple of years and accreditation is behind us, we have reduced the frequency of the ADEP-scheduled meetings. Individual pathway and course leads may still coordinate additional meetings as needed. Faculty participation in the pathway and essential groups is really important in shaping the curriculum and keeping content current. Faculty will find the meetings on their calendars already for the fall.
PhD Updates
As you are aware, we are preparing for our inaugural cycle of offering two PhD programs - the Joint Program in Social Work and Social Science and the new PhD in Social Work and Social Welfare - in Fall 2025. The doctoral website has now been updated to reflect the new standalone PhD in Social Work and Social Welfare and includes an overview of both of our doctoral programs and a diagram that is meant to help prospective students have some idea about the two programs. Applicants are able to apply to both programs (PhD in Social Work and Social Welfare & Joint PhD in Social Work and Social Science).
Updates from the School
Research Updates
We are excited to introduce our inaugural School of Social Work Grand Rounds, launching this fall. The Grand Rounds events will feature thought leaders in our field sharing their research and expertise related to the impact of racism on health and mental health, prevention interventions for Black girls in the areas of sexually transmitted diseases and substance abuse, Tribal-based intervention research in the areas of substance use disorders, obesity prevention and physical activity promotion, diabetes and depression, and HIV prevention; and using a community-centered approach to design and implement interventions that address the needs of diverse Latinx populations. The first Grand Rounds event will be held on September 18th, 2024, with one additional event in October and two in the winter semester. The events will take place in the School of Social Work ECC and will be available virtually, offering valuable insights, practical knowledge, and networking opportunities for all attendees.
We encourage students, faculty, alumni, and practicing social workers to participate in these enriching sessions to stay informed about the latest trends and practices, enhance professional skills, and earn continuing education credits. Detailed registration information will be provided via email and on our website.
On September 11th, our school will host the inaugural “Michigan Momentum: Showcasing the Cutting Edge of Social Work Science” poster event with lunch. We invite our faculty and students to share a poster to showcase their current and ongoing research for their mentors, fellow students, and colleagues. We encourage our MSW students to attend Michigan Momentum to learn more about the innovations in research being led by our faculty, students, and trainees! Detailed registration information will be provided via email and on our website. Have questions? Please contact Laura Brown. The Associate Dean for Research will cover the cost of printing (limited to one poster per presenter). Please submit a PDF of your poster and we will print it for you!
Strategic Visioning and Initiatives Updates
We have been working all summer to compile the thoughts, ideas, and perspectives from the school community into a draft strategic vision. Special thank you to Sue Ann Savas for her work and collaboration in helping draft the vision. In early fall, the draft vision will be shared with the entire school community for feedback. We will also use the fall to prioritize implementation actions.
After receiving a unanimous faculty vote to green-light the idea for an MA in social impact and leadership, a team of faculty met over the summer to work on a more developed proposal. The team has also been working on the concept with the Center for Academic Innovations. The team plans to share the draft proposal for faculty consideration in late fall.
We have also been coordinating the School’s involvement with election-related activities for this fall. A calendar of events will be distributed soon.
Website Updates
Thank you to everyone who has provided feedback on the website and intranet redesign through surveys, focus groups, user testing, and other ways that the community has been involved at various stages of this initiative, which started in early 2023.
Using the feedback provided, our vendor has helped to create a design and functionality of these two critical resources for our community. We are now in the implementation stage of the project. Because of this, a project freeze is still in place, and the web team will not be taking on any new projects.
Interested in a sneak peek at what the website will look like? Check out these two draft sample pages. You will see components that you helped shape. The vendor used all of the words and themes that emerged from the surveys and focus groups and created a visual balance of warm and inviting with our prestigious #1 ranking, U-M brand identity with individuality, colorful components without being distracting or overwhelming, and highlighting what makes U-M SSW unique (for example, showcasing the art from our art collection).
The website is projected to be completed in early 2025. If you have any questions, please contact ssw-website-redesign@umich.edu
