News


Fri, 07/26/2024

Associate professor of practice will join School of Social Welfare in fall 2024

Dr. Roslyn Christopher brings lecture experience on various topics of social work and social work practice, including work as an adjunct lecturer and practicum instructor at KU since 2011. She received her Ed.D. in educational leadership at Baker University and her Master of Social Work from the KU School of Social Welfare.
Wed, 07/24/2024

School of Social Welfare professor of practice remains dedicated to rural areas

Christina Boyd, an associate professor of practice at the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare, was doing a training session when a mom in the audience shared an experience. A neighbor’s son got cancer, and the community responded by showing up with casseroles and words of support. Boyd called them the “casserole brigade.” An endearing sign of togetherness in a rural community.
Fri, 07/19/2024

Transformative planned gift is largest in KU Social Welfare history

The planned gift, estimated to be over $1 million, will primarily provide scholarships to future KU social work students.
Wed, 07/03/2024

BSW Student Spotlight: Brianna Herrera

"I think getting a degree in social work helps with understanding a lot of systems and hardships that people go through," Herrera said.
Thu, 06/20/2024

Alumni spotlight: Kelly G. Loeb

School of Social Welfare alumni Kelly G. Loeb's career was inspired by her late grandmother, who had Alzheimer's.
Fri, 05/31/2024

BSW Student Spotlight: Juliana Kuhn

Juliana Kuhn is a senior pursuing her BSW at the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare.
Fri, 05/31/2024

Dr. Nancy Kepple awarded 2024 Suzanne and Harry Statland Award for Excellence in Research and Scholarship

Dr. Kepple’s academic work delves into understanding the social ramifications of the availability, distribution, and utilization of psychoactive substances, particularly within the realm of child maltreatment.
Thu, 05/30/2024

Social Welfare students receive Do Good for Erin Langhofer Memorial Scholarship

The Do Good for Erin Langhofer Memorial Scholarship was named after a two-time graduate of the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare.
Thu, 05/30/2024

2023-2024 Margo Award Winners Announced

The KU School of Social Welfare is pleased to announce the following 2023-2024 Margo Award recipients.
Thu, 05/30/2024

KU Social Welfare community mourns passing of Professor Emeritus Rick Spano

Spano retired from the School of Social Welfare with emeritus status in 2018, after 43 years of teaching KU social work students.
Wed, 05/29/2024

2024 Dean's Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching awarded to Nicole Gilmore

As an adjunct professor, Gilmore teaches undergraduate courses in topics such as interviewing skills and community and organizational dynamics, and at the MSW level, she teaches courses focused on human rights and social justice, trauma-informed care, and social work practice.
Wed, 05/29/2024

2024 Mignot Award granted to Joseph Bush

The 2024 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Adjunct Teaching and the Mignot Award was awarded to Joseph Bush, M.A., for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Wed, 05/29/2024

Michelle Levy awarded 2024 Suzanne & Harry Statland Research Staff Award

Levy has published and presented nationally and internationally. Her work includes leadership of a program that received the inaugural Academic Excellence Award from the American Public Human Services Association.
Wed, 05/29/2024

Dr. Renee White awarded 2024 Gene A. and Gretchen Budig Award for Excellence in Teaching

Dr. White brings her decades of social work practice and teaching experience, deep commitment to social work values, and enthusiasm for building collaborative relationships to the KU School of Social Welfare’s MSW students at all levels.
Fri, 05/17/2024

Alumni Spotlight: Isaac Sanders

Isaac Sanders, MSW 2018, shares how a macro specialization informs their social work career.
Tue, 05/14/2024

Three new tenure-track faculty will join School of Social Welfare in fall 2024

Three new tenure-track faculty will join the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare as assistant professors this fall. Kathryn Berringer, Logan Shinkai Knight and Ricka Mammah will start their roles in August 2024.
Mon, 05/13/2024

KU announces promotion and tenure for three Social Welfare faculty and researchers

Three social welfare faculty were promoted. Jason Matejkowski is now a full professor with tenure. Meredith Bagwell-Gray and Sarah Jen are now associate professors with tenure.
Wed, 05/01/2024

Social Welfare students among new 2024-2025 Self Memorial Scholars

Twenty-two students have been selected to receive the University of Kansas Madison and Lila Self Memorial Scholarship for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Thu, 04/25/2024

BSW Student Spotlight: Allison Monteleone

Allison Monteleone decided to major in social work to create change in the world. Read about her experiences as a social work student, BSW Student Ambassador and undergraduate research scholar.
Wed, 04/24/2024

Event to connect the issue of MMIWG2ST+ to social work values of service

MMIWG2ST+ is an inclusive acronym describing missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls, and gender-diverse relatives. Join us in learning about these tragic injustices and their roots in the violence of colonialism and anti-Indigenous U.S. policy — and in committing ourselves to solidarity and justice with Indigenous communities. 
Tue, 04/23/2024

Study: Marginalized communities develop 'disaster subculture' when living through extreme climate events

A new study from the University of Kansas found residents of one Seoul, South Korea, neighborhood have grown so accustomed to living through extreme climate events they have developed a “disaster subculture” that challenges both views of reality and how social agencies can help.
Fri, 03/22/2024

Donors give $22,160 to KU Social Welfare during One Day One KU

The seventh annual One Day One KU set a giving day record for KU Social Welfare. On March 6, donors made 167 gifts totaling $22,160 to support social work education at KU.
Thu, 02/29/2024

Social Welfare student to present at Kansas Undergraduate Research Day at the Capitol

Kansas Undergraduate Research Day is intended to raise awareness of the research being conducted by undergraduate students at state universities.
Fri, 02/23/2024

Social work Grand Challenges event focuses on supporting older adults facing social isolation

The Grand Challenges for Social Work is an initiative within the social work profession to champion social progress around a series of grand challenges that the profession works to affect.
Wed, 02/14/2024

KU scholars strive to advance racial equity through newly funded research projects

The project teams — representing five units across the university — were chosen through a peer-reviewed competition co-sponsored by the Office of Research and the Hall Center for the Humanities. They each will receive approximately $20,000 to support their work.
Mon, 02/05/2024

Study: International organizations take oversimplified approach to understanding domestic violence in Nepal

A new study from the University of Kansas has found that research reports written or sponsored by international organizations have often taken an oversimplified “cultural essentialist” approach to understanding domestic violence in Nepal.
Thu, 02/01/2024

Social welfare researcher Pegah Naemi Jimenez receives KU Research Achievement Award

Naemi Jimenez’s scholarship focuses on cross-system approaches and community-engaged research that addresses social problems experienced by children and families in marginalized communities.
Wed, 01/31/2024

School of Social Welfare is hiring Professor of the Practice

The (open rank) professor of the practice for the School of Social Welfare is a non-tenure track faculty member who possesses the expertise and achievements to provide professional instruction.
Fri, 01/19/2024

KU Social Welfare community mourns passing of Professor Emeritus James Taylor

Dr. Taylor retired from the KU School of Social Welfare with emeritus status in 2002, after 26 years of service to the university. A memorial service is scheduled for Jan. 23.
Fri, 01/05/2024

KU Social Welfare faculty, researchers to present at SSWR 2024 conference

More than 30 faculty, researchers and students from the KU School of Social Welfare will have their work represented at the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) annual conference, happening Jan. 10-14.

Media Contacts

Margaret Hair

School of Social Welfare

785-864-9876