FSU College of Social Work students proceeded into the FSU Ballrooms at the Oglesby Union wearing their regalia surrounded by proud family and friends and cameras clicking. The College’s annual Spring Graduation Reception started early Friday morning, May 4^th with more than 650 people in attendance to watch FSU social work students graduate among their peers.

Dean Jim Clark began the event's program acknowledging the support of family and friends that graduates would also need as they started their journeys as social work practitioners and professionals. Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Craig Stanley also recognized all the students who received individual honors, accolades, and participation in social work organizations like Phi Alpha Honor Society, CSW Ambassadors, and Interprofessional Fellows. College award recipients included:

• Elizabeth J. Piccard BSW Student of the Year - Elliott Schmidt: Elliott was commended for his advocacy on behalf of the transgendered community. His nominator wrote, “Keeping social work values close to his heart, Elliot Schmidt will be an incredible influence in the professional.”
• Patricia V. Vance MSW Student of the Year Austin Crawford: His nominator wrote that “Advocacy and compassion are intrinsic to his personality. This is obvious when you acknowledge his formal and informal involvement with social justice.”
• Doctoral Student of the Year Megan Deichen Hansen: Megan’s nominator highlighted her efforts within the doctoral program as the student representative to the Doctoral Program Committee and organization of a doctoral Social Justice Coalition as well as for her active and engaged scholarship. Her nominator wrote, “she is not only a highly intelligent and skillful student, but she also demonstrates integrity, humility, and kindness that shines through in her work and interactions with others.”
• Institute for Family Violence Studies Director’s Award Brittney Clemons: Brittney received her award for her stabilizing force on the Institute’s team for three years where she would become an expert in trauma-informed practices for police officers and community violence research. The Institute’s Director Karen said that “Her calm, focused approach to teamwork inspires all of our students, researchers. Our Institute is stronger because of her leadership.”
• Instructor of the Year Alison DeBelder: A lawyer specializing in mediation, Professor DeBelder was praised by her nominator, who said, "She fights for absolute justice and exemplifies the true qualities of a social worker – empathy, compassion, great listening skills, self-awareness and true kindness.”
• Professor of the Year Award Dr. Lisa Schelbe: Dr. Schelbe was nominated by three students who praised her emphasis on ethics and integrity, her dedication to classroom engagement and community evolvement, and for her commitment to child welfare through the CSW Arts & Athletics Camp. One nominator wrote that she stands out because of her, “enthusiasm to educate and connect with not only her students but any individual who is part of or impacted by the field of social work.”
• Field Educator of the Year Award Ashwin Sharma: Ashwin is a clinical supervisor and therapist at Touchstone Family Association in Vancouver, British Columbia. He provided an exceptional international field experience for MSW student Glenn Gantner.

Audience members were moved by Student Speaker and MSW Graduate Amore Rodriguez and her emotional reflections on her family experiences as Cuban refugees fleeing to the U.S. for better opportunities. She earned her BSW in 2015 and received her joint degree in social work and public administration in 2018. During her Master’s degree programs, she worked extensively with The Center for Leadership and Social Change and the PeaceJam Southeast Foundation as a mentor coordinator training other students to become mentors.

PeaceJam recognized her extraordinary efforts and selected her to lead international conferences in Guatemala and Athens, Greece. She also helped leadership roles at FSU’s Multicultural Leadership Summit and Mentoring Institute, the Institute for Nonprofit Innovation and Excellence, Seminole Torchbearers, the Garnet and Gold Scholars Society and the National Association of Social Workers. She will continue her efforts in the non-profit and social impact sector in Miami, Florida close to friends and family after graduation.

 “I was taught that people’s lives and futures matter, and that freedom should be a right, not an endeavor,” Amore during her speech. “My acceptance at Florida State University marked a moment in history for my family. It meant that I would become the first American-born to attend college. My acceptance into the College of Social Work means that I would continue the lineage of fighters in my family. Why? I was choosing a career that would offer hope for those that are broken, voiceless and underprivileged in our society. A degree in social work was a way for me to continue the responsibility of giving back and fighting for the freedom that we all deserve.”

Following Amore were passionate words from Keynote Speaker and College of Social Work Faculty Member Carol Campbell Edwards, a dedicated social work educator, and advocate. Carol has developed child welfare curricula for the Florida Department of Children and Families and served as a national consultant for the Youth Law Center-Quality Parenting Initiative. She also served as professional development director for Big Bend Community Based Care, and as the statewide training manager for Florida Professional Development Centers.  She is president-elect for the National Association of Social Workers Florida Chapter (NASW-FL), stepping into the position of president in June 2018.

Carol put on her glasses and looked out to the audience. “Let me just look at you, and tell you all that you are amazing,” she said. “Each student comes rich with family and life experiences. Some of your experiences are more challenging than others, yet collectively you’re all seeking to learn, grow and develop.” Her speech praised student efforts that allowed them to triumph over adversity as well as move away from comfort zones to come together to empower each other, “with a spirit of mutual respect and appreciation.” She encouraged the audience to interact and respond to whenever she said, “You did it,” with a collective, “We did it.”

Carol underscored the importance of social workers as leaders, particularly for social justice. “The clinician must become the advocate, the researcher the policy informant and developer, the instructor the catalyst, putting all the pieces together,” she emphasized.

Students walked proudly across the stage with smiles to receive their alumni pins and shake Dean Clark’s hand. The College proudly celebrates and congratulates the graduates of the Class of Spring 2018!

To view all of the Spring Graduation Reception photos, visit our Facebook page.