December 2020 | Thanks and Transitions
It's time for graduating students to give presentations about their internship experiences, service projects and research, many of which have measurable impact. This year it's possible to view some of the presentations virtually - see Upcoming Events below. (Pictured: Leslie Hitson, May 2019 Master of Arts in Nonprofit Management & Leadership Spring Colloquium. Photo: Laurie Anderson)
It’s hard to believe (and actually somewhat of a relief) that 2020 is almost over. It has been a year unlike any we’ve ever seen, filled with challenges, stresses, and loss. It has also been a year where we have seen people be their bravest and best selves. Front line workers, including social workers, have continued to provide care during the pandemic. People have reached out to help each other and encourage each other. Here at the School our faculty and staff have been flexible and resilient in ways I can’t even express—finding creative ways to teach online, hybrid, in masks, or outside in the fresh air. Our students have been amazing, often balancing their own education with helping children learning online at home or caregiving for loved ones at high risk for COVID. As we end the season of thanksgiving, I am thankful for each and every person at the School, all of whom have extended grace and kindness. I am equally thankful for each of you, our alumni and supporters, who do so much for the School.
All of us are now preparing to transition to 2021. Moving forward is exciting, but this year it is bittersweet, because we are saying goodbye to four longstanding and pivotal members of our School community, all of whom are retiring. Dr. Larry Nackerud has been at the School since 1994, serving as a professor, associate dean, interim dean, and director of the doctoral program, among other things. Larry is a consistent voice for human rights and justice, a committed scholar, and a brilliant and beloved teacher. It is hard to imagine the School without him. Dr. Tom Artelt also has deep roots here at the School and at UGA. Tom is a “triple dawg” with an AB in Political Science, and MSW and PhD in Social Work, all from UGA. He began working as an instructor at the School from 2003-2009, left us for a while, and then returned in 2017. Since then he has served as BSW field coordinator and MSW/MDiv program coordinator, and his leadership will be sorely missed in both these roles.
Two of our key staff people are also retiring at the end of 2020. Ms. Teresa Payne is our director of Information Technology Services. She began working here in 1988, and has grown to become a real leader for our strong IT team. She has brought the School’s technology into the 21st century; we are all grateful for her vision and her patience (particularly with Luddites like myself!) and will miss her. Our last retiree is Ms. Laurie Anderson, our public relations specialist, who began at UGA in 1990. It is thanks to Laurie that we have this monthly e-newsletter, as well as our magazine Connect, our other publications, and our redesigned website. Laurie has made sure that the good work of our faculty and students is communicated through our website, UGA sites, and press releases. She has been a bridge between our work and the non-academic world, and we’re grateful for her ability to translate what we do to the broader community. We’ll definitely miss her voice.
Deepest thanks to all four of our retirees, and best wishes for the adventures ahead!
This will be our last newsletter before the new year. Know that we are all thankful for your support and caring, and wish each of you a wonderful season filled with joy and love. I’m looking forward to our ongoing work together in 2021!
Warmly,
Anna Scheyett
Dean and Professor
UGA Master of Social Work increases reach and enrollment
In its first year, the University of Georgia’s School of Social Work Online MSW program has nearly doubled its expected enrollment.
The Backpack Project Athens strives to connect communities, ease homelessness
The Backpack Project Athens, an organization led by students at the University of Georgia, is working to help unsheltered people by giving them supplies, meals and support.
2020-21 Service-Learning Fellows
Rebecca Wells is incorporating student service-learning experiences with Georgia Options, a developmental disability service provider, for her “Disability and Social Work” course.
From tackling domestic violence to racism and discrimination, faculty and students are exploring innovative ways to address the toughest challenges of our time.
IT director assists students, community with technology
Teresa Payne believes knowledge should be accessible to everyone. In addition to her job as director of information technology for the School of Social Work, she has taught courses and supported projects that address the digital divide in underserved populations.
Pastor heads to grad school to learn counseling, health
Dual degree program gives Maggie Leonard more tools to support community.
As program coordinator for College Factory Inc.'s scholarship initiative, last year LaDiamond Lett, MA NML ’20, helped 42 high school students successfully apply for more than $81k in scholarships and grant funding for college. She hopes to double that number this school year.
“I love what I do!” says Lett. “Every day I am afforded the chance to pay it forward to a community, its leaders, and educators who cared about my success. The Athens community wrapped its arms around me, nurtured me, and told me I could do anything as a young, Black girl (no matter what neighborhood I was from).”
Last year Lett’s proposal for an arts program for youth in under-resourced Athens communities was awarded a grant from the Giving Voice to the Voiceless Fund. The fund is sponsored by UGA alumna Charlayne Hunter-Gault. This fall, in recognition of Lett’s community service, the UGA Black Faculty & Staff Organization presented her with the Myron Burney Service Award.
Building camaraderie despite social distancing
Splitting up her class and using good communication is working for Tiffany Washington.
Miriam Sabin, PhD '02, has traveled around the globe providing expertise in epidemiologic, monitoring and evaluation of health data. She currently spends time in New York, where she is a senior editor with the British medical journal The Lancet.
"UGA School of Social Work gave me a world class foundation in social work research that has continued to guide my work. I continue to benefit from my academic preparation professionally, which ensured I could work at all levels - whether on micro level issues or global ones. As such, I have been so fortunate to have worked at the CDC, the World Health Organization and now the British medical journal The Lancet thanks to the versatility I developed at UGA SSW. I owe a great deal to the faculty and the opportunities I had and will be forever grateful. I carry my friends from UGA SSW in my heart and throughout the rest of my career."
Support future scholars and change-makers with a gift to the
MSW/MPH Virtual Capstone Poster Presentations
Thursday, Dec. 10, 8:00 a.m. – Friday, Dec. 11, 5:00 p.m.
Five-minute videos of research conducted in fulfillment of the MPH degree includes presentations by students in the dual MSW/MPH program.
Hosted by College of Public Health
Contact: Mumbi Anderson, mumbi@uga.edu
Thursday, Dec. 17, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Learn how graduating students strengthened nonprofit organizations.
Contact: Dr. Tony Mallon, ajmallon@uga.edu
Friday, Dec. 18
Undergraduate Ceremony: 9:30 a.m.
Graduate Ceremony: 2:00 p.m.
Contact: Jennifer Abbott, jabbott@uga.edu
Join fellow Social Work Bulldogs committed to increasing access and affordability for the next generation. Your gift, no matter the size, empowers students to deliver innovative solutions for challenges and transform the way people experience life.
|
The University of Georgia Foundation is registered to solicit in every state and provides state specific registration information at http://www.ugafoundation.org/charity.