CSW General

Florida State University’s 

Matthew (Matt) Walsh (MSW ’21) was appointed on August 13, 2025, as the secretary of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ).

Bailey Marie Latchford, a junior at Florida State University, is pursuing a dual degree in social work and criminal justice. Her journey to FSU was influenced by her three brothers who attended the university before her, the size of the campus and the many opportunities it offers.

“My inspiration to pursue social work stemmed from a commitment to human rights and desire to address disparities at a systems level, particularly for vulnerable children and families,” shared Dr. Kaela Byers. “I was particularly drawn to the potential for research to inform policy and practice changes that lead to more supportive and accessible systems.”

Starting in July 2025, the College of Social Work will sponsor the Toolkit on Successful Co-Parenting After Divorce, a training created by the Institute for Trauma and Resilience housed at the college. The training is an important resource helping divorced parents across the country create low-conflict, high-cooperation coparenting relationships.

Jenny McCorkle grew up in Indiana with a family legacy in teaching.  She went to Ball State University with the intention of following this path laid out for her.  “I was in an advanced student teaching program, which gave me the opportunity to realize that I did not enjoy facing a classroom of 25 to 30 young children at eight each morning,” she recalled.

In March of 2024, research faculty Dr. Gashaye Tefera, Dr. John Mathias and the Stoops Center for Communities, Families, and Children  at the College of Social Work were awarded a Florida Institute for Child Welfare grant, funding a project titled: “Vulnerability and Resilience During a Natural Disaster: Exploring the Experiences of Foster Children in Florida.”

Florida State University researchers are working with Wisconsin-based Ventris Learning to move new tools into elementary school classrooms that will help teachers identify children who are at risk for reading difficulties.

Undergraduate student Jackzyri Torres knew on her first campus visit to Florida State University that it had for her a “homelike vibe” and could envision herself as a student there. “It’s safe to say that the community and hospitality is what drew me to FSU,” she conveyed.

Originally from Miami, Florida, she was thrilled to come to Florida State as a first-generation college student. She declared a double major in psychology and social work with a minor in Italian to combine two of her passions, helping others and travel.

The Florida Institute for Child Welfare recently hosted an experiential Faculty Demo Day, inviting FSU faculty, many from the College of Social Work, to engage with state-of-the-art educational technologies.