For many years, generous support from Mr. Alan B. Mirken has made possible a three-day New York City educational immersion program for students in the Falk College’s School of Social Work. This recent gift from Mr. Mirken will expand programming this year—and in future years—in the annual “Roots of American Social Work” program. This unique and innovative three-day educational opportunity brings students face-to-face with sites of significance to the history of social work, giving them a close-up view of contemporary practice. This social welfare history tour to such sites as the NY Tenement Museum helps students to learn how U.S.…

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), and the School of Social Work in the Falk College at SU, began its annual commemoration of National Professional Social Work Month on March 1. The NASW designated March as National Social Work Month in the 1960s to provide recognition and voice for social workers who represent one of the largest professions in the country. SU’s School of Social Work has been recognized nationally for community organization and activism, clinical training in family systems, gerontology, and concentrations in health and occupational social work. SU’s School of Social Work has educated generations of social…

The Syracuse University Aging Studies Institute—the collaborative initiative of the Falk College and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs—held a conference on “Social Support and Service Provision to Older Adults: Marjorie Cantor’s Legacy to Gerontology” in New York City in January. The event recognized the pioneering scholarship of the late Professor Marjorie Cantor that advanced understanding of the lifestyles of older persons, the importance of caregiver support systems, and needs of elders across class and culture. The event featured a full-day agenda of aging-related topics and speakers with expertise in those areas, including faculty from the Falk College and…

The Daily Inspiration feature in The Syracuse Post-Standard and its online companion, Syracuse.com, presents the expertise of community thought leaders on topics of interest locally for personal reflection and enrichment. In addition to his faculty role in the Falk College’s School of Social Work, Dr. Keith Alford is a member of the InterFaith Works Board of Directors and was the featured author of the Daily Inspiration column for a week in February 2014. The inspirations are connected to Prof. Alford’s research focus, which includes cultural diversity, mental health service delivery, contemporary rites of passage programming, and loss/grief reactions.

Deborah Ducett joined the Field Office in the School of Social Work in January as the new director of field education. She received her MSW and BSW from Syracuse University. Her clinical, administrative and academic career has included psychotherapy, case management administration, and teaching in the School of Social Work at the University of South Florida (USF), where she also oversaw student placements and served as advisor and liaison to students in their internship settings. She initiated the first part-time MSW program and a BSW program on the Sarasota-Manatee satellite campus of USF. An active member of NASW, she chaired…

The 2014 Martin Luther King Jr. Unsung Hero Awards were presented to four members of the Syracuse University and greater Syracuse communities during the University’s 29th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration, “Pursuing the Dream: Against All Odds.” The event was held Sunday, Jan. 19, in the Carrier Dome. This year’s Unsung Hero Award recipients were Joseph Bryant, Debra L. Person, Georgia A. Popoff and Dorothy Russell. The awards are presented annually to people who, in the spirit of King’s “beloved community,” have made a positive difference in the lives of others but who are not widely recognized for their…

Operation Christmas Child delivers shoe boxes of gifts to children all over the world. The Social Workers United student organization is currently collecting empty shoe boxes with lids or plastic containers and small gifts to fill each box. Those willing to donate can drop off boxes to Lisa Kennedy at 440 Sims Hall. Gift collection is set-up outside the 3rd floor Atrium in Sims Hall. Gift Suggestions Include: School Supplies: Pens, pencils and sharpeners, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc. Toys: Small cars, balls, dolls, stuffed animals,…

Jails and prisons have become the nation’s largest psychiatric institutions, especially for low-income persons and persons of color. The National Sheriffs’ Association reports that in virtually every county across the country, county jails hold more people with severe psychiatric illness than any psychiatric facility in that county. More often than not, these facilities are under-equipped to address mental health and related substance abuse problems. The intersection of New York’s state and local corrections systems and mental health policies and services with respect to incarcerated persons who are seriously mentally ill was explored during the Syracuse University School of Social Work’s…

Ellen DeLara, associate professor in the Falk College’s School of Social Work, interviewed hundreds of students for a book she co-authored, “And Words Can Hurt Forever: How to Protect Adolescents from Bullying, Harassment, and Emotional Violence.” She recently spoke with Channel 9/WSYR (ABC-TV) about the problem of hazing among student-athletes and the active, on-going roles parents and other adults must play. “Adults cannot afford to pay attention to hazing only when an incident erupts,” notes deLara. “Hazing is typically a part of an organization’s ongoing culture and traditions. Consequently, adults need to be looking for it, reviewing group practices, and…