Alumni & Friends

As a first-generation college student, Lauren Johnson (BSW, 2006) knew what it was like to not only navigate a new environment and culture but how the assistance of others can make all the difference in an individual’s success.

“My professors that taught at the College of Social Work helped me not only academically, but as an individual, cultivating me into the person I am today,” she recalled. “I had so many questions on how everything worked and regardless of how many questions I had or what assistance I needed my professors were always willing to help.”

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Felicitas Brugo Onetti always felt drawn to working with immigrant populations. She volunteered extensively with Guatemalan and Mexican migrant and refugee families while growing up in Miami, Florida and attended several mission trips while earning her social work degree at The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.

“It is a passion of mine, working with people who are immigrants – like me,” she said. “I always felt called to this population, using my... skills and being a native Spanish speaker to reach more individuals needing help.”

The College of Social Work at Florida State University hosted its 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award and Student Scholarship dinner on Thursday, October 13, 2022. The event honored five distinguished social work graduates and 2021-2022 student scholars.

More than $168K in scholarships were given in 2021-2022 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.

Dr. Taylor Dowdy-Hazlett, a recent FSU College of Social Work graduate joins the faculty of the University of Kentucky College of Social Work as an assistant professor.

A recent study from Florida State University examined how the cumulative experience of violence can impact virally stable people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

An UF-FSU Translational Health Research Seed Grant was recently awarded to an interdisciplinary team of Florida State University faculty for a study to address chronic disease in rural populations. The pilot study will test the feasibility and acceptability of a chronic disease risk reduction program among rural adult participants.

UPDATE September 26, 2022:

Due to Hurricane Ian, the FSU Alumni Association has postponed this week's Homecoming events Thursday, September 29 through Sunday, October, 2, including Friday's parade.

All College of Social Work events related to Homecoming will be canceled.

Florida State University's Tallahassee and Panama City campuses will be closed Thursday, September 29 and Friday, September 30. Additionally, the College of Social Work will be closed on Wednesday, September 28.

The College of Social Work is eager to welcome all of our students including our latest cohort of doctoral students. Each comes to Florida State University with experiences and a dedication to social work research and scholarship that will benefit the profession and the populations it serves.

Jessica Griel-Burkhart joined the FSU College of Social Work faculty at the beginning of 2021 as an instructional specialist. This fall she will step into the the role of assistant teaching faculty with field education faculty advising undergraduate and graduate social work students as they navigate their field internships and teaching clinical social work classes. 

Dr. Jessica Pryce joined the FSU College of Social Work faculty and the Florida Institute for Child Welfare in 2017 and will step down from the role in December 2022. Under her leadership, the institute has expanded and grown in its mission and impact.