Archive Posts
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Former School of Social Work Dean Honored
Professional NotesIn October 2024 at the Council on Social Work Education’s Annual Program Meeting, Dr. Barbara W. Shank, St. Thomas School of Social Work dean and professor emerita, was the recipient of the 2024 CSWE prestigious Established Faculty Service and Leadership in Social Work Education Award. The award recognizes a social work educator with 10 years…
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Building a Legacy of Advocacy and Service: School of Social Work Celebrates 50th Anniversary
AlumniAfter years of serving as the primary caregiver for her grandmother, Florence Wright ’15 MSW developed a passion for working with older adults. “It didn’t take long before I realized that I wanted to help people, and I had this curiosity in understanding their thoughts, feelings and experiences during times of great stress, loss and… -
St. Thomas Addresses Grief Literacy With New Interdisciplinary Initiative
Tommie ExpertsEverybody grieves. It is part of the human experience. Yet, it is often misunderstood. To address this emotional process, the University of St. Thomas has launched Good Grief, St. Thomas, a new interdisciplinary initiative on grief literacy. The partnership through the Family Studies program and the School of Social Work is part of a global… -
Dr. Ankita Deka Named Director of Master of Social Work Program
Professional NotesThe Morrison Family College of Health at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota has named Dr. Ankita Deka its next director of its Master of Social Work (MSW) program. Deka started her new role at the School of Social Work in August 2024. A highly respected leader in social work education, Deka comes to… -
Doctor of Social Work Program Director Published in International Journal
Professional NotesDr. Catherine Marrs Fuchsel, program director for the Doctor of Social Work program at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, recently published an article in Social Work Education - The International Journal. Fuchsel’s research article is titled “Doctoral program support impacts student educational experience: examining the virtual holding environment across DSW cohorts.” The study is… -
College of Health Receives Grant to Support School Social Worker Pipeline
St. Thomas 2025 - Grow the Morrison Family College of HealthThe School of Social Work at the Morrison Family College of Health just received a $622,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Education to help attract and prepare students for a career in K-12 school social work. Facing a shortage of support services staff in schools across Minnesota and the nation, the funds will allow… -
College of Health Receives Nearly $1 Million Grant to Address Opioid Epidemic
St. Thomas 2025 - Grow the Morrison Family College of HealthA $900,000 grant from the Minnesota Department of Human Services will allow the Morrison Family College of Health at the University of St. Thomas to quickly train more students to serve on the front lines of the opioid crisis. The School of Social Work will use the funds to develop and launch a new co-occurring… -
Serving Two Callings: Blending Faith and Social Work for Older Adults
Health & EducationIn some ways, St. Thomas Master of Social Work alumnus Dr. Sunghwan Cho sees his dual roles as professor and priest as two sides of the same coin. Since his ordination in 2012, Cho has had a passion for working with older adults. Now making waves as an associate professor in the School of Social… -
Dr. Kingsley Chigbu Receives 2023 Excellence in Socio-Psychological Assessment Award
Professional NotesDr. Kingsley Chigbu, assistant professor in the Morrison Family College of Health’s School of Social Work, received the 2023 Excellence in Socio-Psychological Assessment Award at the African Mental Health Summit on July 15. The award was in recognition of Chigbu’s outstanding contributions to the field of mental health in service of the African community in… -
Interprofessional Teaching Leads Students to Collaborative Careers
St. Thomas 2025 - Grow the Morrison Family College of HealthNurses and social workers collaborate daily when caring for patients, but the students training for these professions almost never cross paths. The Morrison Family College of Health at the University of St. Thomas is changing that thanks to a plan of integrated learning and teaching across health disciplines. Together, students from the Susan S. Morrison…