Alumna Maxine Thurston-Fischer’s legacy lives on at FSU
Tuesday, April 01, 2014
Dr. Maxine Thurston Fischer quietly made history at FSU in 1964 when she became the first African-American student to receive a degree from the University, graduating with her Master’s in Social Work. But her contributions to the University and the College of Social Work didn’t stop there. Her degree was a catalyst for a lifetime dedication to social work and social activism.
Posted Under: Alumni & Friends, CSW General
Karen Keroack honored for more than 28 years as a social work educator
Monday, March 31, 2014
At the conclusion of the spring 2014 semester the College of Social Work will bid farewell to long-time faculty member Karen Keroack. For over 28 years Karen has served as an invaluable member of the faculty, acting as an instructor and area coordinator for the Gainesville Part-Time MSW Program.
Posted Under: Alumni & Friends, CSW General, Faculty & Research
Building creative communities: Creative connections
Friday, March 28, 2014
On January 31st I turned twenty years old, and on that same day I left the comfort of Tallahassee for the experience of Colquitt, Georgia. Colquitt, Georgia, is a small town in the southwestern part of Georgia, and it has quite the story to tell. A lot of people assume that for a community to be lively and exciting it must be in a large city, or other urban area. Colquitt, Georgia disproves that assumption with simply its murals alone.
Posted Under: Alumni & Friends, CSW General
Domestic violence resources made available to Puerto Rico’s law enforcement
Friday, March 21, 2014
The Institute for Family Violence Studies in Florida State University’s College of Social Work has partnered with the Center for Public Safety Innovation at St. Petersburg College to create a Spanish-language version of an online training program to prevent domestic violence in the homes of law enforcement officers.
The Spanish-language online training went live March 17 and is free to all law enforcement agencies in Puerto Rico.
Posted Under: Alumni & Friends, CSW General, Faculty & Research
Rushing to prescribe: Antidepressants and grieving parents
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Some doctors are too quick to prescribe antidepressants to parents who have suffered the death of a child either during pregnancy or within the first month of life, according to a study conducted by Florida State University researcher Jeffrey R. Lacasse.
In a study of 235 bereaved parents participating in an online support community, Lacasse found that 88 — or 37.4 percent — of them were prescribed a psychiatric medication to help them cope. Some women received prescriptions within a week of losing their children.
Posted Under: CSW General, Faculty & Research
Doctoral student’s Three Minute Thesis wins People’s Choice Award
Saturday, March 01, 2014
Florida State’s Graduate School held its first Three Minute Thesis competition on February 25th in front of a live audience on the main Tallahassee campus. Developed by The University of Queensland in Australia, this research communication competition challenges doctoral student competitors to present a comprehensive and captivating oration on their dissertation topic and its significance in three minutes or less. Popularity for the competition has spread across the globe and is held i
Posted Under: Alumni & Friends, CSW General
Distinguished Graduates: A New Tradition
Thursday, December 12, 2013
The fall 2013 semester marked the beginning of a new tradition recognizing five distinguished graduates from to the College of Social Work at the annual student scholarship dinner. The College’s commitment to service lives on through its students and alumni, exemplified by the five special people acknowledged as this year’s dinner, including: Distinguished Emeritus Alumni Award (Joyce Laidlaw), Distinguished Young Alumni Award (Dana Morris-Brooks), Distinguished Field Educator Award (Sharon Maxwell-Ferguson), Distinguished Alumni in Social
Posted Under: Alumni & Friends, CSW General
Gerontological/Aging Studies: An increasingly important focus in social work
Friday, December 06, 2013
“I did my initial field placement in gerontology and it was right after my dad died. He was an older gentleman and I really saw the need. Social workers are always talking about those personal experiences and I had that experience and decided that was the way I wanted to go,” Victoria (Vicky) Thomas reflected when seated at her desk at Elder Day Stay, a facility run by Elder Care Services, Inc. in Tallahassee, Florida.
Posted Under: Alumni & Friends, CSW General
Doctoral student highlight: Jamie Clem
Thursday, December 05, 2013
Introduction by Dean Nicholas Mazza:
Posted Under: CSW General
Preventing adolescent depression in rural communities
Wednesday, December 04, 2013
With research indicating that the early stage symptoms of depression emerge in early adolescents there is a strong need for early intervention, according to Assistant Professor Dr. La Tonya Noël.
“”It is when these symptoms are not addressed at this stage that it progresses to Major Depressive Disorder, which can be a lifelong struggle,” Dr. Noël stressed. “So all the research basically indicates that it’s best to intervene early to prevent this.”