Social Work  News

Undergraduate (BSSW):

Emily Clapper
Sophia Violetta Dimambro
Talia Rae Hazlett
Ava Marion Henderson
Sara Hyams
Grace Elaine Jacobs
Chevon C Janczuk
Averi Nicole Kaplowitch
Marija Mitov
Julianna Reese Sutow
Aglaeth Vazquez
Alexandra N. Vroman

Graduate (MSW)

Julie Marie Assaf
Tiffany Marie Bombardo
Laura Elizabeth Buys
Amy Cousins
Vera Dickey
Kristina Marie Dullen
John Michael Endries II
Jennifer Christie Finn
Nadine Flynn
Mikayla Hermann
Michelle Lucille Hopp
Lorraine Allison Howell
Emanuel Jenkins Sr.
Jasmine Lightburn
Allie S. LoPresti
Shannon Lee McMann
Sarah Elizabeth Nunes
Sarah Kay O’Meara
Benjamin Phelps
Brandi Filicia Pidkaminy

Tapping into Resources for Academic Success

Khin Aung, a major in Social Work, is a native of Myanmar and immigrated to Syracuse from Thailand. On top of being a wife and mother of two middle-school sons, she is the first in her family to go to college. Although she is juggling a lot of responsibility as well as learning English as her third language, she has been able to achieve academic success. One of her achievement strategies has been Syracuse University’s Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS).

The CLASS center offers tutoring as well as academic coaching that teaches students how to study effectively. Peer educators also provide support for maximizing online learning, where students can construct a plan for success in any online course, and in peer-to-peer mindfulness workshops focused on common issues that students experience in completing assignments or taking exams. To provide course-specific tutoring for a wide range of courses and majors, CLASS uses a scheduling and payment platform operated by Tutor Matching Service.

Aung, a Higher Education Opportunity Program scholar, has found that CLASS tutors help ensure that she understands the assignment and can check her reading comprehension on material that she has reviewed on her own.

When Aung first decided to go back to school, she started with English as a Second Language at the Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center (SEOP). Then she studied for her GED. “After I passed the GED, I decided I could go to college, so I took some pre-college courses, also at SEOP,” Aung explains Then I earned my associate’s degree at Onondaga Community College. Finally, I enrolled at Syracuse.”

Aung asks professors for permission to record some lectures, so she can go back over them to make sure she fully understands the material. “Then, if I don’t understand the writing prompt or assignment instructions, I can work with a tutor to get help or to make sure I understand the reading,” she says.

Noting that her social work professors really want her to succeed, Aung says, “I think students should ask for help every time they have a chance. I go to office hours, talk to the teaching assistant, talk to professors or get a tutor.” She describes herself as a shy person, even in her first language, but notes that everyone at CLASS and at Syracuse University is so willing to help that she no longer hesitates to ask questions if there’s something she doesn’t understand completely.

Some students seek tutoring only after they have academic setbacks, but first-year student Alejandro Parra, has also tapped the Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS) early in his Syracuse University career. Coming from Queens, New York, Parra was a little nervous when he first arrived at Syracuse in fall 2020.

“I was worried about being academically challenged or overwhelmed,” Parra says. “I was taking chemistry and statistics and economics, which are known to be hard courses. I heard about CLASS and went to check it out.”

Wanting to start his college career on the right foot, he enrolled in group tutoring for all three courses. He says, “I had the best experience and, even in the group tutoring sessions, I found it very individualized. It was really helpful to meet with the tutor before the weekly lecture to get an overview of the material. Then, in lecture, I got more out of it and was able to ask better questions to be sure I really understood the material.”

“My advice to any new student at Syracuse University is to use all of the resources that are here. I participated in tutoring but I also went to my professors’ office hours—I actually wrote it down on my schedule.”

He wants students to know that, while it may seem scary at the beginning, “all of the tutors at CLASS really want to help you, that’s why they are there. They know the material and can help you be sure you understand the key concepts. Also, going to CLASS taught me study strategies, like going through my notes and putting key equations and important topics on summary pages in my notebook, which helps me prepare for exams.”

CLASS is now recruiting peer tutors and academic coaches for Fall 2021.

~ Adapted from a Syracuse University News story by Ellen de Graffenreid published on Friday, May 7, 2021.

New book explores all-generations expansion of Social Security

In their newly-released book, co-authors Eric R. Kingson, professor, School of Social Work, and fellow policy expert, Nancy J. Altman, president of Social Security Works, make the case for an all-generations expansion of Social Security. Released on April 13, “Social Security Works for Everyone: Protecting and Expanding the Insurance Americans Love and Count On,” shows the benefits of doing so for Americans of all ages, races, genders, and ethnicities.

As he thinks about his students, Kingson explains, “knowledge of Social Security and related policies is important for students to understand: as professionals who will be assisting people in gaining access to various services and benefits; as advocates; as citizens, who need to understand the protections they earn for themselves and their families through their hard work and payroll contributions; and, as both citizens and professionals, who need to understand the historical context and implications of various policy proposals.”

Kingson writes about the politics and economics of aging, generational equity, and caregiving and is the co-founder Social Security Works in 2010, currently serving as its board chair. Says Kingson, “it’s always good for professors to have knowledge that goes beyond book-learning. More directly I like to think that writing this book and, importantly my policy and advocacy work, allow me to bring some of the policy issues I teach about to life.”

Scholars and political activists who are nationally known for their work on Social Security, Altman and Kingson have deep knowledge of the program that extends back over four decades. One or both have served as policy advisers on bipartisan commissions under the Reagan, George W. Bush, Obama, and Biden administrations. In addition, they founded the non-profit organization Social Security Works in 2010, as well as the Strengthen Social Security Coalition, composed of more than 350 of the nation’s leading national and states seniors’, women’s, disability, civil rights, netroots, and other organizations. In 2015, they put forth a compelling brief for America’s time-tested and beloved Social Security program in Social Security Works!, which they now expand upon in their new book.

To learn more about the book, visit The New Press publisher’s site.

Falk College Board Member and Social Work Alumna Honors an Orange Friendship

It was the place where she met her best friend Heidi and her husband Jason while preparing for a career as a social worker. She recently became a member of the Falk College Advisory Board.

In December 2020, Stacy established the Sunflower Scholarship, a name which holds special significance for her and Heidi’s friendship. The scholarship will support current social work students by defraying tuition costs. “It’s something that I feel so connected to, and I know how important it is.”

Growing up, Stacy knew she wanted to be in a helping profession. “I knew someone at our synagogue who was a social worker,” she says. Stacy found her way to Syracuse University” I really didn’t find myself until I got to college and started my social work classes. That’s when I excelled. I knew I was in the right place and in the right profession.”

While the University was a big place, the School of Social work made her feel right at home. “For me, coming from a small town, small school, I liked that personal experience.” she says You get to actually know everyone in your program.”

Stacy’s best friend was someone she met her first day at Syracuse. Heidi was a social work major, too, and coincidentally the two lived on the same floor in Day Hall. “We clicked on day one and became good friends very quickly,” she says.

As a student, Heidi relied on scholarships to pursue her passion for social work. Stacy’s parents, inspired by Stacy’s love for the social work program, became supporters the School of Social Work. “My parents knew how much I loved the program, so they started giving. They designated their gifts to the Dean’s scholarship fund because they knew Heidi would be a beneficiary.” Thanks to the support of student scholarship funds, Heidi graduated and went on to earn a master’s degree. Today, she owns two yoga studios where she connects her social work practice to yoga.

Seeing firsthand the importance of scholarship funds, Stacy decided to continue her parents’ legacy of giving by establishing the Sunflower Scholarship fund.

Stacy met her future husband, Jason, while at Syracuse University, where Heidi and the School of Social Work played a prominent role in his marriage proposal to her, which included a surprise trip to Paris. “I had a test scheduled right after the weekend he planned to surprise me with a trip to Paris. He knew that being the kind of student I was, I would never get on a plane knowing I had a big test. He called my professor, Robert Keefe, and told him he was planning to propose. He asked if I could take the test at a later time. My professor was so excited to be involved, he ended up changing the test for everyone,” she says. Stacy and Jason are a second-generation orange love story, as Jason’s parents also met at Syracuse University—his mother from the School of Social Work and his father from the College of Law.

“The most impactful aspects of my Syracuse experience were the classes I took and the professors I had at the School of Social Work,” she adds. In social work education, Stacy says nothing prepares students like the social work field placement. “That’s where you learn how to be a social worker,” she says. “That’s where it all comes together—you really have to take what you’ve learned in the classroom and apply it. You have to sit across from someone and speak to them, hear them tell their story.”

Her BSSW from Syracuse granted her advanced standing in Columbia University’s graduate program, where she completed her master’s degree in one year as opposed to two. She worked for a number years in the field of mental health before raising her family. Now, she serves as a board member for the National Alliance on Mental Illness of New York City and volunteers as a helpline responder, where she gets to use her social work degree.

“I feel most connected to my Syracuse experience and my Syracuse professors,” she says. As a member of the Falk College Advisory Board, Stacy will be actively engaged with Falk College leadership.

New Fund Supports Social Work Student Field Placements

In Falk College, field placements are a critical focus of graduate and undergraduate degree programs. The School of Social Work’s Office of Field Instruction has long-standing relationships with nearly 200 human service agencies across 14 New York counties, offering students a wide range of opportunities to train in real-world settings alongside agency-based field instructors, many of whom are alumni—more than 70 percent in 2020-21.

Thanks to a generous donor, the newly created Social Work Field Education Discretionary Fund, there is a designated fund that specifically helps cover the costs associated with field placements, such as transportation, background checks, and fingerprinting fees. The funds help manage unanticipated costs so that students focus on what’s most important—course work and field work.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of social workers is expected to grow 13 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the 4 percent average growth rate for all occupations. Many social work students pursue careers as social workers, others use the degree as a foundation to enter other helping professions such as teaching or law, or enter medical fields such as pediatrics, psychiatry, or nursing.

“The Office of Field Instruction has a strong belief in ensuring equal opportunity when it comes to securing internships, and this fund helps us do that,” says Tracy Walker, LMSW, Director of Field Relations in the School of Social Work. “Through the Social Work Field Education Discretionary Fund, students can choose a field placement experience that meets their professional interest and goals without financial barriers getting in the way.”

Mya Martin, an advanced-standing MSW graduate student pursuing her passion for helping others. “I’ve always wanted to help individuals that look like me that may be dealing with mental health-related issues.” Her field placements as both an undergraduate and graduate student have expanded her understanding of social work and the differences in micro and macro practice. Her most recent placement at Mckinley Brighton Elementary required a background check. “I reached out to the Field Office. They were incredibly helpful and easily reimbursed me for the out-of-pocket expenses.”

Allie LoPresti, another social work graduate student, plans to use her degree to work with children and families in a school setting. This year, her field placement at Grant Middle School required fingerprinting. “Through my placements I have gained many professional connections and opportunities to observe and work side by side with professionals with a wide variety of experience,” she says. “I have enhanced my creative problem-solving skills, as well as advocacy and communication.
The experience my field placements have given me also come with increased confidence in my training, education, and skills as I enter the field of Social Work.”

Social work field placement sites range from not-for-profit human service organizations, government organizations, school systems, correctional facilities, mental health clinics, and hospitals, among others. More information about field education in Falk College.

Pen pal program launches during National Professional Social Work Month

Social Workers United, a graduate student organization in Falk College’s School of Social Work, recently introduced its members to a pen pal program with senior citizens. Many social work students engage with the elderly during field placements and volunteer activities and continue to serve this population after graduation.

The pen pal program launch, which is open to the University community, coincides with National Professional Social Work Month. Recognized each March at Syracuse University, this month-long commemoration honors one of the largest professions in the country. This year’s theme is “Social Workers are Essential.”

“Social workers have been advocating and caring for others across the country as our nation has experienced an incomparable pandemic, racial unrest, and economic uncertainty,” says Jennifer C. Genovese, the master of social work (MSW) program director and a faculty member of the School of Social Work, as well as an alumna of the program. “We are so proud of our students who truly reflect the values of social work. Their ongoing commitment to caring for others symbolizes that social workers are essential.”

Handwritten letters offer a meaningful way to stay in touch with loved ones, especially for the elderly. “Everyone needs connection right now,” says Ben Phelps, a second-year MSW student and the president of Social Workers United. “People don’t write letters anymore. Younger generations are not used to doing it. But for many senior citizens, writing and receiving letters is what they do and what they love.”

This past fall, Social Workers United also sponsored its annual food drive for the Syracuse community that yielded almost $1,000 in donations for the Rescue Mission. The drive combined virtual and contactless donations. Says Phelps, “I knew about 25 percent of the people sending me money through Venmo, which was rolling in constantly from classmates and their families.”

Seeing the community need-and the community response to helping-the students wanted to do more. When Phelps saw a social media post aimed at connecting pen pals with senior citizens, he and his peers decided to take action.

As participants in the Ready to Care Program, Social Workers United is directing those interested in reaching out to senior citizens to an online system that collects and distributes the letters. The process is easy, allowing users to upload a handwritten letter and image or complete an online form that places content into an appealing visual format. The letter writer simply hits the send button and letters are matched with a recipient who receives a printed letter by mail. Letter writers can share their email or mailing address to stay in touch although it is not required. For more information about the pen pal program, please email bephelps@syr.edu.

“By their actions, Social Workers United members, led by president Ben Phelps and vice-president Laura Buys, have demonstrated the core values of our profession: service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence. Even during a year of uncertainty and remote learning, these MSW students have found ways to contribute to the local and national community,” notes Genovese.

Social work is one of the fastest-growing professions in the United States according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics. Social workers serve in many capacities across the life continuum, helping individuals and families from infancy through the senior years. “The recent events in our society have promoted renewed interest in having social work skills applied in a variety of ways to ensure that social justice is at the center of our response to need on every level,” says Professor Carrie Jefferson Smith, director, School of Social Work.”

Thousands of professional social workers have been trained at Syracuse University’s School of Social Work for more than 60 years. Many have chosen to remain and practice in the Central New York area.

Learn more about Social Work Month 2021.

Online Master of Social Work Opens Doors to Career Changers, Working Professionals

The School of Social Work will welcome its first cohort of online master students in May, and Professor Ken Marfilius is excited.

“We are already seeing strong applications for our first cohort of 50 students. I think the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated acceptance of online learning,” Marfilius says. “The flexibility that this program offers is appealing to working professionals, including active duty military and veterans. It will serve anyone who wants to work for social and economic justice in the digital age and beyond.”

Carrie Smith, professor and interim director of the School of Social Work in Falk College, agrees and notes that ubiquitous technology is only part of the equation.

“What has happened with COVID is that it has created this giant pause for the country and the world,” Smith says. “People have fewer distractions, they have been stilled and are seeking information. A lot of that information has been unsettling, frustrating and has impacted lives in unanticipated ways.

“Historically, when there have been times of crisis, depression, despair or economic change, people decide they are going to change careers and do something to give back,” Smith adds. “Social work is one of the original giving back professions.”

The online M.S.W. incorporates the same social and economic justice approach as Syracuse’s existing social work programs. Developed in partnership with 2U, the 60-credit degree can be completed in 36 months, including 1,000 hours of field placements, and students with a bachelor’s in social work can pursue an accelerated track consisting of 36 credits that can be completed in 24 months with 500 hours of field placement.

Students can choose from two tracks: The advanced clinical practice concentration prepares mental health clinicians for practice as a licensed clinical social worker (L.C.S.W.), and the advanced integrated practice concentration prepares students for direct practice and leadership in a wide range of human services organizations. All of these options are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and prepare students to sit for the Association of Social Work Boards licensing examination.

“Having earned my master of social Work at Syracuse University, I am proud that we will be offering this fully integrated online M.S.W.,” says Diane Lyden Murphy, dean of the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics. “The program maximizes access to the social work profession and flexibility for many of our interested students. The online M.S.W. offers entrance to a lifelong socially responsible career where professionals engage and guide people through mental health, behavioral health and social challenges.

“The School of Social Work is a legacy program, recognized for its excellent graduates, high licensing pass rates and alumni practicing across the nation,” Murphy adds. “We are pleased to continue our strong tradition of professional education for online students.”

Marfilius says that the University’s social work faculty are excited about the opportunity to reimagine how courses are delivered and the opportunities that students will have to do their fieldwork close to home. There are live class sessions and asynchronous learning elements that faculty have designed to work together seamlessly.

“People are doing more online, it’s less intimidating,” says Smith, “but our faculty are also very focused on ensuring that we maintain the human connection in the context of the technology.”

Students will also experience the human connection through field placements in their own geographic area. Marfilius, who has experience with online education while in the military, says, “Social work needs leaders. We know that prospective students—as I saw when I was in the Air Force—want to give back to and support their communities while gaining additional leadership skills.”

Tracy Walker, director of field relations, agrees.

“Ideally, we want students to complete their field work within 60 miles of where they reside. Each student will be working with placement specialists to determine their interests and goals,” Walker says. “We are building partnerships with a wide range of organizations including government, not-for-profit, health care and the Veterans Administration.”

Walker says that students get support at all phases of the program, and adds, “The field team will interact with the students and their field sites just like they are in our community. It is a priority for us to be available and responsive.”

Student internships provide progressive learning, with a virtual field experience in the first semester building to a generalist approach, then moving into each student’s professional focus. This virtual anchor course helps students engage in risk management, intervention strategies and ethical decision-making in a setting that simulates what students may encounter in practice.

“Research shows that the use of simulation can be really important to developing direct practice skills,” Walker says. “Students engage with standardized patients – actors who are trained to simulate clinical situations and typical client interactions – and receive feedback on their approach before they work directly in an organization.”

There are also field seminars, where students and faculty have broad and open discussions integrating what students learn in the classroom with what they experience in their internships. This structure was piloted in Fall 2020 for current residential program students with positive feedback.

“It’s become abundantly clear that the future holds more need for social workers. The quality of education we provide prepares these students to make a connection person-to-person, build trust and problem-solve with clients,” Smith says. “With the expanded use of technology to connect people with resources and extend the reach of human services professionals, we’re expanding the tool set that MSW graduates will have to respond to people in need of resources.”

~ A Syracuse University News story by Ellen de Graffenreid originally published on March 8, 2021.