Stories


Featured News from KU Social Welfare

Photo illustration of wooden family figures in front of law books and a gavel
On March 25, the School hosts two free continuing education sessions at K-State Salina and online. The sessions are "Skillful Practice with High-Conflict Families" and "Assessing Family Well-Being."



Student Stories: KU Social Work



“I see social workers and veterans have some similarities, particularly in being resilient,” said Turk, who served in the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. “There are a lot of things we have to deal with, and we don’t always have all the resources, so we do the best that we can with what we have available to us.”
The Achievement & Assessment Institute’s Center for Educational Opportunity Programs is hosting its sixth annual I Am First Too commemorative poster unveiling in honor of members of the KU community who have excelled as role models and advocates of first-generation student success.
MSW student Shaye White
“I’ve always been set in stone in going back to my community,” White said. “I really want to help and there’s so much to be done. I see some things are still affecting us and I want to go help my people.”

Research Stories: KU Social Work



Dr. Logan Shinkai Knight's research prioritizes survivor leadership and expertise for developing the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to address human trafficking. Her work on survivor resilience and altruism involves survivors in all stages of research from study design to dissemination.
In recognition of her exceptional contributions to the internationalization of research and education, Terry Koenig, professor of social welfare, will receive this year’s KU International Affairs Advisory Board International Research Award.
Collage of images showing a researcher in a biomedical sciences laboratory, researchers in an engineering lab space, and K-12 students in a classroom. Kansas prairie grasses create a background for the images.
Research and development expenditures spanning all University of Kansas campuses increased to $546.1 million in fiscal year 2024, surpassing the half-billion-dollar mark for the first time in university history. The reverberations of that growth extend far beyond KU to benefit people throughout the Sunflower State and beyond.

Alumni Stories: KU Social Work



Making hard topics digestible is at the core of Kabuya’s social work journey. Her leap of faith took her from a place where mental health was taboo to a career where she helps families in need.
Ananda is a first-generation college student, majoring in film and English as an undergraduate student at KU, where she participated in feminist activism and volunteered at a local domestic violence shelter.
Dr. Kortney Carr
Dr. Kortney Carr will tell you that her journey to social work is a surprising one. She got her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Central Missouri and didn’t see social work as her initial path. But Dr. Carr cites the wellness of Black men, trauma and hope as her scholarly interests.

Community Engagement Stories: KU Social Work



The KU School of Social Welfare collaborated with ACOSA to visit the KC Beehive and discuss the fight to house the homeless.
On Feb. 25, Grand Challenges for Social Work panel “Focus on 4s: Advancing Family Well-Being Through Data-Driven Interventions in Early Childhood Mental Health” will be available for free on Zoom with prior registration.
Photo illustration of wooden family figures in front of law books and a gavel
On March 25, the School hosts two free continuing education sessions at K-State Salina and online. The sessions are "Skillful Practice with High-Conflict Families" and "Assessing Family Well-Being."

Giving Stories: KU Social Work



The planned gift, estimated to be over $1 million, will primarily provide scholarships to future KU social work students.
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.
Baby Jay and Big Jay mascots holding signs that read Thank You
The eighth annual One Day One KU set a new giving day record for the KU School of Social Welfare. Gifts will support social work students and education at KU.

Faculty & Staff Stories: KU Social Work



International policy organizations that aim to address social problems such as domestic violence tend to provide guidance, especially to developing nations, but more could be done to consider what they could learn from those on the ground.
In recognition of her exceptional contributions to the internationalization of research and education, Terry Koenig, professor of social welfare, will receive this year’s KU International Affairs Advisory Board International Research Award.
Dr. Logan Shinkai Knight
Dr. Logan Shinkai Knight's research prioritizes survivor leadership and expertise for developing the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to address human trafficking. Her work on survivor resilience and altruism involves survivors in all stages of research from study design to dissemination.

School of Social Welfare News

Social work experts to present on family support, assessment

On March 25, the School hosts two free continuing education sessions at K-State Salina and online. The sessions are "Skillful Practice with High-Conflict Families" and "Assessing Family Well-Being."

Record-high research at KU benefits Kansans, fuels state economy

Research and development expenditures spanning all University of Kansas campuses increased to $546.1 million in fiscal year 2024, surpassing the half-billion-dollar mark for the first time in university history. The reverberations of that growth extend far beyond KU to benefit people throughout the Sunflower State and beyond.

Social Welfare raises over $43,600 on One Day One KU

The eighth annual One Day One KU set a new giving day record for the KU School of Social Welfare. Gifts will support social work students and education at KU.

Faculty research profile: Logan Shinkai Knight

Dr. Logan Shinkai Knight's research prioritizes survivor leadership and expertise for developing the theoretical and practical knowledge needed to address human trafficking. Her work on survivor resilience and altruism involves survivors in all stages of research from study design to dissemination.

Follow KU Social Welfare

Study Social Work at KU

KU's School of Social Welfare offers social work degree programs at undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels: BSW, MSW, DSW and PhD. Learn more.