The Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR), a leading academic and research organization in the field of social welfare announced the winners of the 2015 award for the “Best Scholarly Book in Social Work Published in the last three years.” FSU College of Social Work Associate Professor Dr. Tomi Gomory’s book Mad Science: Coercion, Diagnosis, and Drugs received one of the two honorable mention awards.
After months of reports about problems in Florida’s child-welfare system, lawmakers this year approved a sweeping reform bill that included establishing an institute to guide state leaders, in part, by evaluating the success of their policies.
Now, as the Florida Institute for Child Welfare at Florida State University prepares its first report to Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature, people responsible for improving the lot of the state’s children hope the institute will provide important perspective.
The Florida State University College of Social Work was well represented at the 2015 Society for Social Work and Research annual conference in January in New Orleans, Louisiana. The College hosted a reception at the Galvez Restaurant on Friday, January 16th for alumni and friends in the French Quarter and had a booth in the conference exhibit hall. Some of the highlights of the SSWR conference for the College included the recognition of Drs. Tomi Gomory and Jeffrey Lacasse along with Ph.D.
A new report from the Florida Institute for Child Welfare — created last year as part of a wide-ranging reform law — calls for state leaders to go well beyond their previous efforts to fix the state’s troubled child-protection system.
The 50-page report, submitted Friday to Gov. Rick Scott, Senate President Andy Gardiner and House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, focused on “the need for a statewide, system-wide child welfare strategic plan” that pulls together the disparate parts of Florida’s response to the abuse and neglect of children.
In 2015, three faculty members will take on new leadership roles within the College of Social Work.
A group of researchers from Florida State University received a $250,000 grant from the Vandermark Foundation to create an online toolkit designed to foster healthy co-parenting in families of divorce.
The FSU College of Social Work held its annual Spring Convocation on May 1, 2015 for its Class of 2015 graduates at the Oglesby Union Ballroom on the FSU main campus. A record number of people, more than 700, were in attendance to celebrate the newest group of BSW, MSW and Ph.D. social work graduates. Dean Nick Mazza presided as Master of Ceremonies for his last convocation, before retiring in the fall. Convocation’s Keynote Speaker was alumna, Dr.
Florida State University has named an expert on forensic mental health as dean of the College of Social Work.
James J. Clark, who has served as professor and director of the School of Social Work in the University of Cincinnati’s College of Allied Health Sciences since July 2012, will begin work at Florida State on July 20.
Alumna Samantha (“Sam”) Spiers (BSW, 2012; MSW, 2014) had never considered a career in advising, but the previous BSW advisor and alumna Lisa Burgos (BSW, 2009 ; MSW, 2010) in Sam the same passion for helping people, especially students. “Little did she know how much I would love advising students,” Sam joked when reminiscing about applying for the position. But, Sam has excelled in her role as BSW advisor for the FSU College of Social Work.
Dr. Machelle Madsen Thompson, an FSU College of Social Work adjunct professor and alumna, was honored for her efforts in teaching on April 27, 2015 at the FSU Faculty Awards Dinner. Machelle received the biennial Ralph Stair Prize in Innovative Education for her inventive assignments in social work that aid students in better understanding the impact of living in poverty.
