On Friday, May 5, 2023, the FSU College of Social Work celebrated spring graduates and its annual Award Recipients at a celebration in the social work lobby of University Center, Building C.

Spring graduates included 41 BSW graduates, 145 MSW graduates and two doctoral graduates, Chris Collins and Melissa Murphy.

At the event, awards were presented to exemplary students, faculty and field educators nominated internally for their efforts and dedication at the College of Social Work.

A recent study led by Beren Crim Sabuncu, an FSU College of Social Work doctoral student explored how spiritual and social support can be related to the long-term impacts of trauma. One source of trauma on the rise is natural disasters, Crim noted.

Crim, PhD candidate Wenyi Li, and FSU Distinguished Research Professor Dr. Amy L. Ai were particularly interested in the relationships between these protective factors and hurricane-related trauma for volunteers responding after a storm.

Dr. Qiuchang Cao, who also goes by Katy, learned first-hand as a clinical intern during her Master of Social Work program the challenges marginalized older adults experienced and was also deeply impressed by the resilience they demonstrated. While providing mental health counseling to minority/minoritized students, international scholars, and transnational families in a graduate housing community she gained more perspective on the experiences of minority/minoritized populations across the lifespan.

“When it comes to survivors and victims, there has been this perception that when they are no longer being exploited, that ‘they are free,” explained Erica Howard, an advocate in Northeast Ohio for Empower Her Network.

May is recognized as National Asian and Pacific American Heritage Month, an opportunity to recognize the diverse people, cultures and communities of Asian American, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Island Americans making up an important part of American life.

Conqualla Scott has been named Florida State University’s 2023 Humanitarian of the Year for her work in helping vulnerable populations. She was among 12 students nominated by their colleges, all of whom were honored during the annual celebration on April 7.

Children who need life-changing heart transplants in Florida will be able to receive free support to help improve medication adherence, which can potentially reduce the frequency of organ rejection over the next two years, thanks to a National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award for $1.67M to Scene Health (formerly emocha Health), a leading video medication adherence platform.

Florida State University’s Center for the Study and Promotion of Communities, Families and Children (CFC Center) and the Health and Wellness Center, along with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and Leon County Government, will host “Pitch Your Pills” events to educate and equip the public to dispose of unwanted or expired medications.

“Pitch Your Pills” will take place April 19-20, 2023, at several locations throughout Tallahassee on

This year, Kristel Avilus, a former “Pace girl,” was named the new associate executive director for the Pace Center for Girls Leon in Tallahassee, Florida. She is the first girl to become a director in the Pace Center for Girls 38 year history.

She is a licensed clinical social worker and earned her Master of Social Work degree (2018) from the FSU College of Social Work. She was previously the social services manager, representing the first Pace alumna to serve in a management role for the Leon Center. 

Citation metrics provide a potentially useful tool to quantify and measure the scholarly impact  a research article, a given scholars impact and even the development of research and ideas. A recent article in Research on Social Work Practice identified the Top 100 contributors to social work journal scholarship worldwide.