“I often say that I carry social work into every room I enter. It is not just what I do, it is a part of who I am,” expressed Jalaycia Lewis (BSW ’20). “When others see a startup or a technology venture, I see the person behind it, their story, their sacrifices and the people counting on them to win. That perspective grounds everything.”
The FSU College of Social Work celebrated spring 2026 social work graduates at its semesterly graduation event in Opperman Music Hall in the College of Music’s Kursteiner Building. The event welcomed graduates and their guests, celebrating 47 BSW and 146 MSW graduates.
Dean David Springer presided over the event for his last formal with the college. “I know from experience that as an alum, there is a strong and steadfast bond that remains with Florida State University,” he expressed in his closing remarks.
Dr. Annelise Mennicke (MSW ’11, PhD ’15) received the 2026 Social Policy Researcher Award from the Society for Social Work and Research for her significant contributions to violence prevention policy. She is an associate professor at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, and is associate director of research for UNC Charlotte’s Violence Prevention Center.
This spring, Jeffrey (Jeff) Binkley was appointed as the director of Maura’s Voice Research Fund, housed within the FSU College of Social Work. The Maura’s Voice Research Fund was founded by Mr. Binkley and his late wife, Margaret Binkley, in March 2019 in the aftermath of the 2018 yoga studio shooting that took the life of their daughter Maura and FSU professor Dr.
Erika Cuffy, an assistant teaching professor at the College of Social Work, was awarded a 2025-26 University Teaching Award for Community Engaged Teaching.
Phyllina Sunshine Valus Arnold (BS '02, MSW' 10), who goes by Sunshine, has worked in the social work field for more than two decades, but it's only since 2023 that she has worked with Citrus County Fire Rescue as a part of the county's community paramedicine program.
From an early age, Patrick (Pat) Garvey (BSW ’72) heard about the importance of an education from both of his parents, Robert and Jean Garvey. After the untimely death of his father when he was 12 years old, Pat and his four siblings continued to hear that message echoed on an almost daily basis from his mother.
Each year, Oasis Center for Women and Girls (Oasis Center) highlights trailblazers in the Tallahassee-Leon County area, recognizing individuals across all professions who have paved the way for future generations to thrive.
On January 22, the FSU College of Law hosted the 2026 FSU AI Day in the Capital event, which brought together leaders in government, law, technology, and academia from across the university to examine the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for public institutions, civic infrastructure and ethical governance.
Dr. Walter Hudson was a highly regarded faculty member at the FSU College of Social Work during the 1980s and came back in the 1990s. When Dr. Hudson passed away in 1999, he was posthumously honored by colleagues, family, and friends who contributed to fund a scholarship for future doctoral students. More than a dozen students were supported by the scholarship over the years. Eventually, however, the funds were depleted, and the fund was on the verge of being closed.
