CSW General

The FSU Multidisciplinary Evaluation and Consulting Center (MDC), welcomed Dr. Shannon Bennett as the new director and Ms. Alicia Nohle as the new assistant director.  The MDC offers diagnostic and consultation services for children with complex medical, educational, emotional, and behavioral problems, as well as support for families, educators, and school personnel. The MDC is one of six university-based centers across the state of Florida and serves 20 school districts across the panhandle.

Dr. Carol Campbell Edwards, an associate teaching professor and director of the BSW and Professional Development Programs at the College of Social Work, serves as the National Association of Social Workers Board Director for Region VII, serving Florida, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

The FSU Institute for Family Violence Studies at the College of Social Work is thrilled to share its new name, the FSU Institute for Trauma and Resilience Studies (ITRS).

“This change more accurately reflects the duality of our research and projects in maltreatment and well-being. The new name is also more closely aligned with our robust and multidisciplinary professional development curricula on FSU Learn,” said ITRS Director Karen Oehme.

“Early parenthood is associated with risk factors for both the mother and child and involvement in foster care amplifies these challenges,” stated Esaa Mohammad Sabti Samarah, a doctoral candidate at the FSU College of Social Work.

A recent study in the Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal by Esaa and Professor Melissa Radey and Associate Professor Shamra Boel-Studt at the FSU College of Social Work examined the roles of formal and informal support for mothers aging out of maternity group homes as their young families face a variety of complex challenges.

“My earliest memories are connected to exploring the little patch of nature in my backyard,” recalled Kathleen McIntyre, an MSW student in the Online MSW Program at the FSU College of Social Work.

Researchers at the Florida State University College of Social Work are expanding their work in criminal justice settings to offer trauma-based behavioral health programming to youth 21 and under in adult jail settings.

The FSU College of Social Work will renovate its University Center, Building C (West Tower), location at Doak Campbell Stadium during the summer 2024 semester. Renovations will take place on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the West Tower from June through July 2024. The upgrades should not impact summer classes for social work students on the 1st floor of University Center C.

On May 3, 2024, the FSU College of Social Work celebrated its spring 2024 graduates at its semesterly graduation event. This semester, 37 BSW students and 129 MSW students, including 87 Online MSW students from across the United States, graduated. 

The event also included honoring the College of Social Work award recipients, nominated and selected by their peers. Award recipients include:

Assistant Teaching Professor Brenda Legaspi was awarded a 2023-2024 Excellence in Online Teaching Award from Florida State University for her exemplary teaching approach through the College of Social Work’s Online MSW Program. 

Founded in 2011, the Arts & Athletics Program at the FSU College of Social Work was established as a positive youth development initiative by then-Dean Dr. Nick Mazza through the support of generous FSU donors Guy and Delores Spearman.