The Social Work Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity Awards (SWURCAA), an initiative created by Dean Nick Mazza and developed with Pam Graham (Director of BSW Program) and the FSU Office of Undergraduate Research has provided four undergraduate social work students with the opportunity to work directly with faculty members on some of their current research projects and have been awarded a $1,000 stipend for their efforts during the spring semester.  These competitive awards (based on rigorous criteria) afford selected BSW students the opportunity to experience the discipline and rewards associated with social work research, while assisting faculty members in cutting edge research that matters.  This year the awardees of the SWURA program include: Christopher Collins, Victoria Hamel, Katherine Millsap and Wang Chun Rosenkranz.

Chris Collins, working with Karen Oehme, JD has the unique experience of working on the project, “Medical Screening of Domestic Violence Victims/Survivors,” which entails the College’s Institute of Family Violence Studies collaborating with the National Hotline on Domestic Violence and the FSU College of Medicine to conduct a study on whether healthcare providers are screening patients for domestic violence, both in routine care settings and urgent care settings.  Chris will assist with research on the complex issues of medical screening and will focus on the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered victims who are screened.

Victoria Shelton, paired with Tom Smith, PhD will work on the project, “Uncertainty Aspects of Personal Finance Behaviors.” This study will create a regression model of the role of uncertainty in personal finance and will use Money Attitudes and Mindfulness as moderators of the overall model.

Katherine Millsap will work with Karen Randolph, PhD on the project, “Evaluation of the Fostering Achievement Fellowship (FAF) Program,” in which the College of Social Work will conduct an evaluation of the project.  The FAF program is a collaborative effort among Tallahassee Community College, the Florida Department of Children and Families, Big Ben Community Based Car, Big Brothers, Big Sisters and several other local human service agencies designed to strengthen education attainment among young adults who have been emancipated from foster care.

And, Wang Chun Rosenkranz is collaborating with Eric Garland, PhD on the project entitled, “Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement for Chronic Pain and Prescriptive Opioid-Related Problems: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.”  This research entails a randomized clinical trial of a Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement intervention for individuals with chronic pain and prescription opioid-related problems.

The program is one that the College hopes to continue to expand to further the exposure of undergraduate social work students to the inspiration and impact in social work research impacting practice and policy. While the above awards refer to involving students with the research of faculty members, the College will also provide the opportunity for independent student research projects under the guidance of a faculty mentor. The Mentored Research and Creative Endeavors (MRCE) awards will have the same general requirements but will involve a detailed proposal of a project to be conducted over a summer semester. This is a $4,000. stipend and results in a poster session at the FSU Fall Symposium. The undergraduate research experience is expected to be a truly rewarding experience for both the students and faculty.  It is also clear that when undergraduate students are engaged in research, there is a greater likelihood that they will continue with a successful graduate education.

To learn more about these assistantships, contact BSW Program Director Pam Graham at pgraham@fsu.edu.