Florida State University welcomed 316 new students into the prestigious Garnet and Gold Scholars society for the spring 2020 semester, the largest class of inductees since the program's inception. Inductees were honored through a virtual reception due to COVID-19. Eight recent College of Social Work graduates were among the 316 undergraduate students inducted into the society.
This semester, two FSU College of Social Work faculty members were honored for excellence in teaching, Keithen Mathis and Shalay Jackson. As student-oriented awards, recipients are nominated by students and alumni and selected for their outstanding efforts that lead to successful teaching and learning.
Dr. Shalay Jackson has made it her mission to engage her students in the content and courses she teaches that later translates to competence in the social work field. This approach is especially important for courses like her Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations course (SOW4360) as excitement and enthusiasm for community engagement is imperative for immersion and appreciation of the coursework.
Celebrations for the spring graduating Class of 2020 went digital due to the social distancing practices necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic. Florida State University gathered virtually on May 2 for a virtual commencement ceremony presided over by FSU President John Thrasher.
Growing up with a parent working in the social services can often instill an interest in helping others, but the Beecher family have a special familial dedication to the service of others. With a mother serving on the civilian side for the US military with Family Advocacy and Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR), the family grew up in Okinawa, Japan with exceptional interest and understanding of social issues.
#GivingTuesdayNow is a global day of generosity and unity, a day to come together and give back in response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19, no matter who or where we are.
A team from Florida State University’s College of Social Work has received a $200,000 grant to develop a new evidence-based curriculum related to substance use disorders.
The FSU Center for the Study and Promotion of Communities, Families, and Children (CFC Center) based at the Florida State University College of Social Work received a 2020 Expansion of Practitioner Education grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Lauren H.K. Stanley, a social work doctoral student and instructor, felt humbled when she got the notice that two of her students nominated her for an FSU teaching award. “She was a fantastic professor. She really made the subject understandable and fun to learn. I learned a lot and enjoyed being in the class,” they wrote in their nomination.
The FSU Center for the Study and Promotion of Communities, Families, and Children teamed up with the FSU College of Social Work and the National Association of Social Workers, Florida Chapter (NASW-FL), to develop the Nourish to Flourish Project. This project was created to provide recognition, appreciation, and support to the social work profession.
The current Coronavirus pandemic has drastically increased the need for resilience interventions, but social distancing and isolation have made connecting a challenge. When Dr. Machelle Madsen Thompson first heard about the effect COVID-19 was having in the beginning, she knew she wanted to help. She made it her personal mission to help address trauma and resilience in ways that improved the lives of children and families.
