Alumni & Friends

Connie E. Jenkins-Pye has lived by her philosophy, “to whom much is given, much is required,” and has illustrated this, particularly through her work as a social worker. She has spent the past 23 years with the Tallahassee Police Department’s Serious Habitual Offender Comprehensive Action Plan (SHOCAP) as a case manager working with at-risk youth that have had encounters with law enforcement and the Department of Juvenile Justice. Ms.

Alumna Samantha (“Sam”) Spiers (BSW, 2012; MSW, 2014) had never considered a career in advising, but the previous BSW advisor and alumna Lisa Burgos (BSW, 2009 ; MSW, 2010) in Sam the same passion for helping people, especially students. “Little did she know how much I would love advising students,” Sam joked when reminiscing about applying for the position. But, Sam has excelled in her role as BSW advisor for the FSU College of Social Work.

Dr. Machelle Madsen Thompson, an FSU College of Social Work adjunct professor and alumna, was honored for her efforts in teaching on April 27, 2015 at the FSU Faculty Awards Dinner. Machelle received the biennial Ralph Stair Prize in Innovative Education for her inventive assignments in social work that aid students in better understanding the impact of living in poverty.

Savannah Native, Dr. Catherine R. Gayle; Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Social Work at Tuskegee University was appointed to serve as a member of the Council on Social Work Education Commission on Accreditation (COA). The term becomes effective July 1, 2015−June 30, 2018. The work of the Commission on Accreditation fulfills the critically important function of maintaining and advocating for quality in social work education through its accreditation/candidacy of more than 750 social work (Baccalaureate and Masters) programs in the United States.

This year, doctoral candidate Leah Cheatham received a second year of funding as a part of her Doris Duke Fellowship for the Promotion of Child Well-Being. The fellowship is awarded annually to select doctoral students across the country that are to become the next generation of leaders within the field of child welfare.

Dr. Annelise Mennicke, a recent graduate of the doctoral program of the FSU College of Social Work, was awarded the 2015 student award for leadership and service from the Group of the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE) for her work in sexual violence prevention on FSU’s campus.

The Florida State University College of Social Work celebrated with alumni, donors, faculty, staff, and students at the annual Student Scholarship and Distinguished Alumni Dinner on September 10, 2015, at the FSU Alumni Association. Dean Jim Clark and faculty member Rosalyn Deckerhoff presided over the ceremony, which included words of gratitude and inspiration from MSW student Rachel Mack. A majority of the 57 social work scholarship recipients at the BSW, MSW and Ph.D. level were in attendance to receive recognition.

MSW students Cristina Batista and Jasmine Haynes will join a select group of students from public and private universities to experience the Florida Gubernational Fellows Program. This program provides a year-long immersive experience for these students in key areas of state government and on-the-job training.

Fighting domestic violence is my passion, and as a student at Florida State University I am always looking for ways to learn more about this very important issue. The courses I have taken at the College of Social Work and my ongoing experience as a research assistant at the Institute for Family Violence Studies has provided me with a growing knowledge about domestic violence.

The College of Social Work’s new dean, Dean Jim Clark was introduced to a number of alumni, donors, community partners, faculty, staff and students at a welcome reception held in his honor. Below, are his remarks made at the welcome reception addressing the state of social work and the College of Social Work and his plans and initiatives for the future.