Dr. Jessica Pryce and her team at the Florida Institute for Child Welfare (Institute) are continuously working with researchers and organizations to find effective, evidence-based solutions to child welfare challenges in Florida. As a part of this mission, Pryce has actively sought out unique, innovative opportunities to inform and address the challenges present in child welfare.
Dr. Michael Killian (Ph.D., 2012; MSW, 2005; BS, 2003) always took a keen interest in exploring psychological and social issues. While at FSU as an undergraduate student majoring in psychology (B.S., 2003) he worked in several of the university’s psychology labs. His interest to work more directly with families led him to an interest in social work.
As Florida State University prepares to welcome more than 6,000 freshmen this fall, the university is offering a new online tool to help students adjust to campus, improve mental health, increase resilience and reduce stress.
The “Student Resilience Project” is an online, evidence-informed trauma resilience training tool developed by the Institute for Family Violence Studies at the FSU College of Social Work. The institute began to roll out the tool with a soft launch Aug. 1.
There are many ways to serve your country, and the career of Captain Jay A. Seligman (MSW, 1993; BA, 1990) reflects a lifetime of dedicated service to both his country and its citizens. After four years of service as a clinical social worker and an Officer with the United States Air Force, Captain Seligman knew he wanted to serve in a different capacity. He commissioned with the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and received an assignment with the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) in 1998.
“I came to social work because I wanted to work in a discipline that valued the individual’s lived experience,” Dr. Tanya Renn stated when reflecting on why she chose the social work profession.
In collaboration with the FSU Alumni Association, the FSU College of Social Work established a new networking opportunity for social work alumni, known as the Social Work Alumni Group (SWAG). The vision is to connect College of Social Work alumni for networking and outreach initiatives.
Interest in the creation of an alumni networking group began in early 2018 as the College celebrated 100 years of social work at Florida State. Seeing a need for a way to celebrate the legacy at FSU with the need to connect with graduates of all ages, the SWAG group was created.
On the last day of the summer 2018 semester, the FSU College of Social Work hosts its Summer Graduation Reception. The reception celebrates the graduation of 17 BSW and 103 MSW students and includes a program featuring remarks by Dean Jim Clark, Reception Speaker and Alumnus John Sheetz, and Student Speaker and BSW Graduate, Jenna Michelson.
“My passion for social work began here,” Dr. Shalay Jackson (MSW, 2006) said emphatically about her experiences as a social work student at FSU. “I was challenged, supported, and inspired by a compassionate community of faculty, staff, students, and alumni." Dr. Jackson received her BSW and MSW degrees, and later her Doctor of Public Health degree from the University of South Florida.
Undergraduate student Kaylyn Thigpen has always been a self-advocate. Faced with several personal health issues, open conversations about them became a necessary reality. Since November 2017, Kaylyn approached each of her professors on the first day of class to inform them of her brain aneurysm diagnosis and how to respond in an emergency situation. “This led to a lot more conversations with my professors, particularly with Carol Edwards,” she explained. “We talked about health insurance and how hard it is to get quality care.”
Florida’s Fostering Success Program launched this year with the Florida State University Success Institute, a week-long overnight professional development and employment readiness training from June 17-22, 2018. The Institute, which is only one component of the Fostering Success program, is a collaboration between the FSU College of Social Work and the Florida Department of Children and Families, along with participating local child welfare experts, social work faculty members, and former Fostering Success participants.
