Alumni & Friends

As Assistant Director of Experiential Learning at the FSU Career Center, Alexis Fraites (MSW 2019) meets a variety of students and alumni at various stages in their career journeys. “I’m here to support every need along the spectrum,” she expressed. “From first-year students who are still figuring out their interests and goals, to seniors preparing for graduate school or job searches, and alumni further in their career who need support in their next steps.”

The National Association of Social Work, Florida Chapter (NASW-FL) held its annual LEAD event on February 5-6, 2024. The FSU College of Social Work co-hosted the event, helping to provide space and support.

Drs. Melissa Radey and Shamra Boel-Studt recently published two articles from a study funded by the Florida Institute for Child Welfare (FICW) aimed to provide insights into maternity group homes and their services to young mothers and their families.

Dr. MaKenna Woods, a three-time Florida State University graduate, joined the University of West Florida (UWF) Department of Social Work staff as an assistant professor this spring.

A Floridian since the age of 10, she’s excited to continue making a difference in her home state. “I am looking forward to affecting so much change in my own little corner of the world,” she shared. “I have so many ideas that I couldn’t pursue as a student as dissertation deadlines loomed.”

Kenisha Anthony, a first-generation college graduate, had a rough road early in life. Removed from her parent's custody at the age of four due to their struggles with substance use, she spent most of her childhood in foster care. "We were unable to be reunified, and I never returned home," she shared in a VoyageMIA article.

This year, Dr. Sudarshan Kapoor was selected by his peers as a Social Work Pioneer, recognized nationally by the National Association of Social Workers. Social Work Pioneers are chosen for their contributions to exploring new territories and building outposts of human services across the United States of America. Honorees were recognized at an event in October at the Cosmos Club in Washington, DC.

The College of Social Work is excited to welcome our newest cohort of doctoral students. Each joins Florida State University's academic community with a broad range of experience in social work and an interest in contributing to social work research and scholarship to advance the profession and benefit the diverse populations it serves. 

Schyler Brumm

Originally from Central Florida, Schyler attended Florida State for her bachelor's degree in psychology and dual master's degrees in social work and criminology.

In a recent report published by The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC), researchers shed light on the state of corporal punishment in U.S. public schools and its relationship to trauma-informed education policies.

The College of Social Work at Florida State University hosted its 2023 Distinguished Alumni Award and Student Scholarship Awards dinner on Thursday, October 19th. The event honored five distinguished social work graduates and 2022-2023 student scholars.

More than $108K in scholarships were given in 2022-2023 to support undergraduate- and graduate-level social work students with interests in areas including child welfare, social policy, international social work, social work practice and military veterans.

Patricia (Pat) Brazil Lager served as a social work instructor for more than 20 years and was the founder of the International Programs at the College of Social Work at Florida State University. She passed away on October 14, 2023, but left an indelible legacy at the college and FSU that continues to impact social work students and graduates to this day.