Social Work Month celebrated with advocacy, community outreach and a dialogue on diversity

Annually the College of Social Work joins NASW to celebrate March as Social Work Month and strives in acknowledge the occasion and the importance of social workers and their profession in several ways throughout the month.

Social Work Month was kicked off on March 3^rd with a Social Work Festival on the Tallahassee main campus to highlight the College’s programs and opportunities for our social work students and for students on the campus at large.  Participants include the BSW, MSW, and Doctoral Programs, International Programs, Professional Development and Certificate Programs, the Institute for Family Violence Studies, the FSU Association of Student Social Workers and the FSU Career Center. Students had the opportunity to mingle with the program leaders throughout the day over refreshments. And students also had the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to advocacy by crating and posting signs for a variety of populations that social work serves.

On March 21^st, a group of volunteers from the College planted a memorial vegetable garden at the Tallahassee-Leon Homeless Shelter for the benefit and use of the homeless population it serves. The garden was dedicated in a ceremony with Director of The Shelter, Jacob Reiter and homeless advocate and faculty member Dr. Tomi Gomory to the memory of late faculty member Dr. Wendy P. Crook. Dr. Crook was a passionate champion for the homeless of Florida and each year the College dedicates itself to honoring her memory through the Wendy P. Crook Project, a service project aiding the local homeless population. The vegetable garden will continue to be planted each year, starting next year at The Shelter’s new location.

Finally, the College concluded Social Work Month with its annual Diversity Event. This year a “Diversity Dialogue on Human Trafficking and Social Justice” presented by speakers Jane McPherson and Gabriella Marquina.  Jane and Gabriella presented a broad, insightful picture of the impact of human trafficking on various ages, ethnicities, backgrounds and genders in order to promote understanding of the prevalence and impact human trafficking has on people all over the world.  They offered compelling information to the crowd of participants in Miller Hall about warning signs of human trafficking and the various ways victims can be served and rehabilitated.

This year’s celebration of Social Work Month, as well as past and future celebrations, shows the College of Social Work’s commitment to community and the populations social work serves.  To learn more about the College’s upcoming outreach and events visit csw.fsu.edu.