Contact : a newsletter for the School of Social Work and its alumni

              School of Social Work
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Fall 2007
Carolina social workers:
2 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 3
am very excited to bring you this 25th
Anniversary edition of Contact. What
better time to present it with a fresh, new
look and printed in full color throughout.
Many things have changed over the years
since this publication began, but instead of
looking to the past let’s focus on where we’re
going. One of the emerging activities at the
School, as well as the University, is our in-creasing
attention to being a leader in the era
of globalization.
This issue of Contact highlights many of
the international activities of our faculty and
students at the School of Social Work.
The School continues its work with
China, and I have had the pleasure of
traveling there several times over the past few
years.
This past summer, the School hosted a
study abroad trip to China in which a diverse
group of students, faculty and professionals
from across the country participated. This
trip was possible by building upon the success
of visits from Chinese delegations to our
School, enabling us to build vital connections
with a number of Chinese universities and
government agencies. The resulting exchange
of ideas and perspectives has been amazing.
Shenyang Guo and Kim Strom- Gottfried
were instrumental in putting this trip
together.
Another important China activity for
the School has been the adaptation of Mark
Fraser’s “ Making Choices” program into
elementary schools there. A few years ago, a
Chinese delegation paid a visit to the School
of Social Work. They visited a third grade
classroom in a nearby public school where
children were engaged in Making Choices, a
character education program. The Chinese
were so taken with the program, that today
colleagues from both countries are adapting
the Making Choices curriculum for use in
public schools in China. And, a manualized
treatment of the Making Choices book is be-ing
published in Chinese.
The School continues its presence in
Israel, and two of our faculty have been ac-tively
engaging with colleagues there. Michal
Grinstein- Weiss has been working with
Israel’s Ministry of Social Affairs around the
concept of asset building as an intervention to
break the cycle of poverty. And Dennis Orth-ner
was invited to The Learning Fair in Israel
to present the work he has done in developing
Learning Cultures in public school settings.
Students and faculty also visited Kenya
this summer on a study abroad program.
Amelia Roberts led a group of 23 students
from universities across the United States on
an unforgettable two- week trip. The group at-tended
lectures, tours, and visited social agen-cies.
And of course, no trip to Kenya would be
complete without going on safari.
In putting together this issue of Contact,
we were excited to learn more about what
our students and alumni have been doing
internationally, and we are so proud of their
hard work and commitment. We profile Ma-rissa
Walker, who worked in the Dominican
Republic; Camille Smith, who took a job in
New Zealand; and Tim Schwantes, who trav-eled
to Honduras to build homes with Habitat
for Humanity. Then there’s Emily Sanford,
who worked at an AIDS hospice in South
Africa on her summer field placement.
Nancy Dickinson, director of the Jordan
Institute, traveled to the United Kingdom as
part of the institute’s continuing work to bring
attention to the problem of sex trafficking. She
also has been working with New Zealand’s
Family Commission for a series of workshops
on family issues, and recently attended a
seminar there.
And to wrap up the special international
section of this issue, we are happy to welcome
several international students to the School.
We profile three of them to get their perspec-tive
on studying here.
I am also happy to announce more great
news. The School has received two of our larg-est
gifts ever. Sam and Betsy Reeves donated
$ 1 million to establish the Sandra Reeves
Spears and John B. Turner Distinguished Pro-fessorship.
A portion of the Reeves gift will
be combined with a $ 250,000 gift from Janie
and Billy Armfield to establish the Armfield-
Reeves Innovations Fund, which will provide
research grants to faculty and students. Just
as this issue of Contact was going to print,
the School received one of the largest gifts in
its history— a planned gift valued at over $ 1.3
million from Mel Adair. The School of Social
Work has exceeded its fundraising goals for
the Carolina First Campaign by 47% so far.
Sadly, not all recent news has been good.
The School and community mourned deeply
when we lost three beloved former faculty
members— Florence Soltys, Phil Cooke and
Al King— in as many months. Each of them
dedicated their lives to social work education,
and their work lives on due to their many
remarkable accomplishments and all the lives
they touched. We will never forget them.
I am very proud of what the students,
faculty, staff, alumni and friends of the School
continue to accomplish together, both here
and abroad. Thank you for all you do.
From the Dean...
Jack M. Richman
I
International Feature
China and Carolina: learning from each other • 4
“ Making Choices” program expands to China • 6
Sharing expertise and innovation in Israel • 7
Two weeks in Kenya • 8
Carolina social workers abroad • 10
Welcoming students from around the globe • 12
Jordan Institute director travels to United Kingdom and
New Zealand • 13
School News
Revisiting rural child welfare practice in North Carolina • 14
Students participate in legislative Lobby Day • 16
North Carolina’s jails not equipped to deal with mental illness • 17
Faculty spotlight • 18
New doctoral students • 20
In memoriam • 21
Graduation pictorial • 22
Alumni and Development News
Distinguished alumni award winners • 26
Jeff Smith wins Tate- Turner- Kuralt champion
award • 26
School receives one of the largest gifts
in its history • 27
UNC receives grant for project to help elementary
schools • 27
School receives over $ 1 million to establish
professorship and innovations fund • 28
Honor roll of donors • 30
Alumni update • 32
Clinical lecture series • 33
Former legislator joins board of advisors • 33
Alumni president’s letter • 34
Contact through the years
Contact
Dean
Jack Richman
Associate Dean for Advancement
Mary Beth Hernandez
Director of the Annual Fund and
Alumni Relations
Kristen Huffman
Editor, Designer and Photographer
Director of Communications
Michelle Rogers
Contributing Writers
Nancy Dickinson
Libbie Hough
Christine Howell
Kathleen Rounds
Jennie Vaughn
School of Social Work
The University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill
CB# 3550, 325 Pittsboro St.
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
( 919) 962- 1225
http:// ssw. unc. edu
Printed with soy ink
on recycled paper
First issue, 1982 1992
1994
2004
contents
4 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 5
“ I went on this trip prepared to learn about Chinese culture. I
didn’t expect to learn so much from it or our hosts, or to have
my life changed so dramatically by one experience.”
Tami Hefner, MSW student
H efner was one of a diverse group of students, facul-ty,
and professionals from around the country who
participated in the School’s inaugural educational
trip to China. Organized by the School of Social Work and
Carolina’s Summer School Office, the trip to Shanghai,
Hangzhou and Beijing marked a first for the University,
as well, and provided American and Chinese participants
alike a unique opportunity for mutual inquiry.
“ China is an enormous factor in the global community
and if our students want to conduct international policy
comparisons, then we must understand as much as we can
about that country,” shares Kim Strom- Gottfried, Smith P.
Theimann Distinguished Professor for Ethics and Profes-sional
Practice and one of three faculty members who
organized and participated in the trip. Experiences like this,
Strom- Gottfried says, allow students to observe the limits
and possibilities that exist within a particular society to ad-dress
vital issues. This new awareness then enables them to
view our society, social work, and the people we work with
from a new perspective.
While American participants receive much from the
dialogue with others abroad, they can also offer a lot to
the exchange. “ Social work is a new profession in China,”
Strom- Gottfried states. “ Their social work instruction
comes from a theoretical base, as they haven’t developed
their own best- practice strategies yet.” However, the
Chinese government is eager to change that and, in part,
explains the ease with which the program has come into
being.
The program is an outgrowth of
a relationship that commenced in
2005— when a Chinese delegation of
visited the School for the first time.
One person who has been instrumental
in forging this relationship is associate
professor Shenyang Guo. Guo was involved with plan-ning
the program from the get- go, and his knowledge of
both cultures, the School and his fluency in both languages
proved invaluable. Guo served as the primary translator.
Guo is excited about the potential social work educa-tion
and research collaborations that exist for China and
the School. “ U. S. social work can provide a great deal of
technical assistance to China, and China’s reliance on
community resources to help needy populations will be
[ instructive] to us.” Of the trip itself, Guo feels this experi-ence
further prepared our students for their future work. “ It
broadens their view about social work practice, policies and
issues with vulnerable populations. And their multicultural
perspective becomes real.”
Jack Richman, dean of the School, also had a hand in
bringing the trip to fruition by building upon the success
of visit from a Chinese delegation here in 2005 ( see related
story on “ Making Choices,” page 6). Since then, Richman
has established vital connections with a number of Chinese
universities and government agencies. “ An experience like
this further aligns our instruction with the first goal in the
University’s six point strategic plan: to provide our students
with a global education. In order for students to be leaders
in a global community, they have to understand what that
means and what their role will be,” Richman states.
And for Richman, who has traveled extensively, the
exchange of ideas and perspectives on this trip was unlike
anything else he’s experienced. “ We had 21 American
participants from schools of social work at Carolina,
Loyola, University of Pennsylvania, and Fordham. We also
had a judge from Durham, North Carolina, a legal aid
lawyer from New York City, faculty from our School, and
UNC faculty from other departments on campus,” he says.
“ When you factor in the informal dialogue with Chinese
students, trips to our hosts’ homes, agencies, hospitals, pre-sentations
from Chinese scholars, social work practitioners
and government officials… the learning we all experienced
was authentic and occurred at multiple levels every day.”
and Carolina: learning from each other
By Libbie Hough • Photos by Kim Strom- Gottfried
Student Reflection
“ I’m an Adult Services Program Manager
with Catawba County Department of Social
Services and in my final year at the School
of Social Work. The trip to China challenged
the mind- set I had in place when it came to
working with my clients. In China, so much of
what happens for people in need comes from
a more holistic focus than I see here. I find that
in the U. S. we’re so tied to diagnosing and
treating the ‘ disease’ or to enforcing regula-tions
that we lose sight of the person. I know I
make better decisions now than before I went
abroad. And since I’ve been back, I’ve shared
my insights with line staff, our Social Services
board and even churches. The next step is to
advocate for changes in policy at the state
level.” — Tami Hefner, MSW student
4 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 6 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 7
“ That’s a foul.”
“ No, it wasn’t.”
“ You’re lying.”
“ Take that back or I’ll punch you!”
W e’ve all seen what happens when children lack the neces-sary
cognitive skills to process social information, especially
if they perceive the communication as an insult or threat.
Fights ensue; feelings get hurt. “ That’s pretty universal,” says Mark
Fraser, John A. Tate Jr. Distinguished Professor for Children in Need. So
is the desire to teach children the skills they need to better interact with
their peers and adults.
A few years ago, staff from China’s National Family Planning and
Population Control ( NFPPC) visited Duke and tacked on a special visit
to UNC’s School of Social Work. The Chinese visitors went to a third-grade
classroom in a nearby public school where children were engaged
in Making Choices, a character education program for elementary- aged
children.
“ They went bonkers,” says Fraser of the 26- person delegation. “ They
were loving the idea of teaching social skills to children as young as eight
years of age.” The visits from China continued as did conversations about
adapting Making Choices for use in Chinese public schools.
The NFPPC has been particularly interested in addressing the so-cialization
needs of children from single children homes. The organiza-tion
recognizes that these children have unique challenges, like single
children everywhere, when it comes to developing peer- related social
skills.
To date, a manualized treatment of Fraser’s book has been translated
into Chinese. Colleagues from both countries— including co- authors
Shenyang Guo, Steve Day and Maeda Galinsky— are adapting the Mak-ing
Choices curriculum for use in China so it will have greater cultural
relevance. In the coming year, the program will be tested in public
From North Carolina’s baseball diamonds to
China’s soccer fields By Libbie Hough
A ctively engaging with colleagues from around the world ben-efits
the global community and makes positive impacts here
at home, as well. Within the last year, two faculty members
have collaborated with social workers and other professionals in
Israel around a number of issues.
Michal Grinstein- Weiss, assistant
professor, has been working with
Israel’s Ministry of Social Affairs around
the concept of asset building as an
intervention for social and economic
development. Grinstein- Weiss has
devoted much of her career to the
research of Individual Development
Accounts ( IDAs), matched savings pro-grams
designed to help low income
households save and accumulate im-portant
assets, such as homeownership
and education, that promote financial independence.
In March 2007, Grinstein- Weiss was invited to give opening
remarks at the Senior Staff of Social Policy in Israel Podium, New
Programs to Alleviate Poverty: The Role of the Ministry of Social
Affairs. “ Today, the international discussion on social and economic
development includes the need to find ways for the poor to save
and build assets, and many see asset accumulation as a main com-ponent,”
Grinstein- Weiss shares.
Policy makers and academics in Israel have expressed interest in
testing IDAs in tandem with the country’s new negative income tax
policy. If IDAs are implemented in Israel, this would give Grinstein-
Weiss the opportunity to conduct comparative research about the
program in two settings. The results could impact future program
development in both countries.
Sharing with colleagues is an expected part of the Israeli profes-sional
social work culture. Every year, social workers from around
the small country are invited to convene and present to one another
new strategies and innovative practices. “ It’s truly amazing,” says
professor Dennis Orthner, who attended the event this year. “ Close
to 2,000 people, over two- thirds of the social workers in the country,
gather and are actively learning from one another.”
The Learning Fair, as it is called, has occurred annually for the
past five years. This past year, Orthner was invited to present his
work in developing Learning Cultures, specifically in public school
settings. “ The culture in Israel allows, in fact, it expects that people
will share ideas to aid in developing best practice,” says Orthner. “ It’s
a very mature process, one that we can learn a lot from. It’s inspiring
to see professionals from the smallest villages to the city of Jerusa-lem,
Arabs and Israelis, come together, promote innovation across
communities and develop best practice strategies to deal with a
variety of issues.”
Sharing Expertise and Innovation in Israel
By Libbie Hough
Michal Grinstein- Weiss
Dennis Orthner
Mark Fraser’s “ Making Choices” elementary
school program expands to China
schools there and the School will send a delegation to China to review
the programs’ progress.
Fraser explains that the adaptation process is particularly gratify-ing.
“ We’re charting a process for adapting materials developed in
one culture for use in a another culture. That is as much a part of our
learning process as anything else.”
Steps to a Better Outcome
Based on the social- cognitive model, the Making Choices curriculum
is appropriate for all children. The program includes multiple lessons
corresponding to one of seven steps in processing social information.
• Step 1: Find the clues. “ What do people’s faces look like? “ What
are their bodies doing?
• Step 2: Interpret the clues. “ What do the clues mean to me? “ If
someone has made me sad or mad, did he or she hurt me on
purpose or by accident?”
• Step 3: Set the goal and figure out what kind of goal it is. “ What
do I want to happen?” “ Is my goal helpful or harmful?”
• Step 4: Generate possible actions. “ What can I do to deal with
this?”
• Step 5: Evaluate the actions “ How would I feel if someone did this
to me?” “ What could happen if I responded this way?”
• Step 6: Make a choice. “ Do it!”
Through all steps, stop, think and ask: How do I feel? How are others
feeling? What can I do to calm myself down?
Adapted from the Making Choices curriculum
http:// ssw. unc. edu/ jif/ makingchoices
Mark Fraser
Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 8 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 9
ave the world. If we’re honest, that may be the mind- set some of us have at the start of a trip to a
place in need. But as Dr. Amelia Roberts, associate professor, points out, that’s not the attitude
many of us would bring home, especially after a two- week trip to a place like Kenya.
From June 11 until June 26, 2007, Dr. Roberts led a group of 23 students from universities from
across the country to Kenya. With co- leader Dr. Margaret Spearmon of Washington University
School of Social Work, Roberts and the group explored Kibera, one of the country’s largest
slums, attended lectures at the University of Nairobi, toured Nairobi and surrounding areas,
visited non- governmental organizations and faith- based social agencies, commuted to rural
health clinics and spent time with special guest speakers.
“ Not only did we increase our understanding of Kenyan culture and a variety of social
issues,” shares Roberts, “ We were forced to confront much of our western thinking, values, and
points of view about social problems, family and community life, spirituality and poverty.”
Over the course of 15 days, students explored, compared and contrasted social issues that
occur in both countries: end- of- life care, parentless and orphaned children, and HIV/ AIDS, to
name a few. There was even time to see elephants, lions, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, wildebeest,
zebras, monkeys, and other animals common in the everyday lives of Kenyans. The group’s experience
ended with a three- day safari that provided participants time to reflect on Kenyan culture and to think
critically about their own biases and perceptions as Americans.
By Libbie Hough
“ You Americans come rushing in with
your digital cameras and your hand
sanitizer, and you think you’re going
to save the whole world.”
Personal communication quoted in The Perception of American Beneficence
in Africa, a paper by Bonnie Jones, MSW student, UNC- Chapel Hill School of
Social Work
A profound time for reflection: two weeks in
Students experience slums and safaris on an unforgettable African adventure
Student experiences
Kibera slum
Joy… happiness… laughter… strength… hunger… pain… suffering… survival. It
is hard to imagine that these conflicting words all describe the same place. Kib-era,
the second largest slum in Nairobi, is a paradox of thriving community and
immense economic deficiencies. It provided me a unique opportunity to exam-ine
the different views of poverty and wealth in Kenya and America, and then
compare social work interventions used to alleviate poverty in each country.
Erin Dennis, Winston- Salem State University
HIV and its stigma
One afternoon, a Kenyan man hinted at a romantic relationship with me. I
showed no interest, and what he said next surprised me: “ I’m not positive,” he
said. His accent was quite strong and I asked him to repeat himself. “ I’m not
positive,” he said reassuringly. In the U. S., if a woman rejects a man’s advances,
or vice versa, I doubt that thoughts immediately go to HIV/ AIDS status as the
motivating factor for the disinterest.
Jeanna Walker, University of Illinois at Chicago
Street children
They are everywhere. They claim the street as their space. Their activities are
endless: washing cars, shining shoes, taking fares on buses, selling food and
trinkets, watering flowers in cemeteries, singing on buses, pushing barrows,
helping out with construction, clearing away guts from market stalls, collecting
rubbish, gathering bottles and paper, cleaning fish, carrying luggage, wrap-ping
goods, knitting, looking after other children, dealing drugs, prostituting
themselves, holding their hands out for money and food, sniffing glue on park
benches, hanging out in gangs on street corners, or darting between shoppers’
legs in crowded streets after stealing a purse. They are street children.
Bonnie Jones, UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work
The day a shop owner refused to sell to us By Amelia Roberts
Bargaining at the marketplace can at times become exhausting for an American.
Near the end of our trip, I saw a carved giraffe. I had not seen such a beautiful carv-ing
before in any of my visits to Africa. I was eager to purchase it, but was just too
tired to bargain. The owner of the shop was clearly unhappy with my unwillingness
to yield, and eventually refused to sell anything to any of the travelers.
Then, while flying home to America, I read a book I purchased in Kenya entitled
Sharing Boundaries – Learning the Wisdom of Africa by Annetta Miller ( 2003). Miller
shares these words of wisdom:
“ Five hundred shillings,” he said, as I picked out a basket. “ Two hundred,” I countered.
“ Four hundred.” “ Two hundred.” “ Three hundred and fifty,” he offered. “ Two hundred.”
In Africa, bargaining is never just selling and buying. It constitutes a relationship
between two people. The outcome must be pleasing to both to ensure that the relation-ship
continues.
“ OK, two hundred and fifty.”
“ OK, two hundred and fifty.”
He laughed, slapped my hand in jovial affirmation, and handed me the basket.
Wow! From my western perspective, I now understand that I really offended
the owner of that store. There is no wonder that he did not want to sell anything to
any of our group! We were too busy to stop and attempt to develop a relationship
through the bargaining process.
8 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 10 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 11
Carolina social workers abroad
By Libbie Hough
Marissa Walker: Finding Common Ground
After earning her MSW in 2005, Marissa Walker lived in Santo Domingo, Dominican
Republic for one year. While abroad, she worked at Look At Me, a bilingual school teach-ing
library classes, character education and second grade ( www. lookatme. edu. do). She elected
to work a year on the island country to improve her Spanish and her understanding of this
Spanish- speaking culture.
“ Being a social worker helped me build relationships with students and co- workers,” she
says of her time in the small, impoverished country. “ I also felt [ my social work education gave
me] a unique perspective in looking at poverty and the sometimes harsh conditions of the
country.”
While not specifically engaged in social work practice during her time in the Dominican
Republic, Walker is already reaping the benefits from being among people of a completely
different culture. She’s from Boston, where many Dominican immigrant families live. She finds
that when she tells client families that she lived and worked in their home country, the joining
process is made much easier. Indeed, they immediately find common ground.
“ Living and working abroad is a wonderful, enriching experience,” Walker shares. “ But
beware— you may get attached and not want to leave!”
Camille Smith: Forming New Opinions
Camille Smith ‘ 05 likes a challenge. So much so that she took a job and set up house in Wel-lington,
New Zealand. Smith is regional manager of the New Zealand AIDS Foundation
( www. nzaf. org. nz), a national organization that provides services to people infected and affected
by HIV. Her primary role is to oversee HIV counseling and testing services in the region. She
also represents the agency in the local community and organizes its volunteer program.
Being in another country enables Smith to see America’s social welfare and health care
systems from a different vantage point. A self- defined critic of both systems in the United States,
she’s finding that distance from home has allowed her to be a bit more appreciative of each
system. At the same time, she’s grateful for and astonished by the flexibility and informality
found in smaller decentralized systems like the one in New Zealand. “ I’ve learned that there’s a
profound difference between health policy and health care,” she states. “ Liberal policy doesn’t
always equate to access to services, nor does conservative policy mean no access. It’s how policies
are implemented that make the difference.”
Living in New Zealand hasn’t been without its challenges. “ It’s expensive and it’s in the
middle of nowhere; flying home for the holidays can cost up to a month’s salary.” And because
there is no formal social work education process and no licensed social workers, Smith finds she
yearns for the camaraderie of peer social workers.
She’s certain however, that living and doing social work abroad was a good decision. She’s
learning new systems, cultural norms and expectations, and she feels this is making her a more
competent and flexible professional. And she’s enjoying some of the perks of being one of the
few trained and licensed social workers in the country. “ The School did a good job of giving me
a sense of professionalism and the confidence to voice my professional opinion,” Smith shares.
“ Just the other day, I received a call from the head of the ministry of health; he wanted my opin-ion
on a new policy! That wouldn’t happen at home.”
Tim Schwantes: Building Connections
Spring break… time to catch some rays! That’s just what Tim Schwantes ‘ 07 and 14 other
School of Social Work students did this past year. No, they didn’t head to the beaches of Can-cun.
They traveled to San Pedro Sula, Honduras to build homes with Habitat for Humanity.
For Schwantes, however, the trip to Honduras was more than an exercise in creating shelter;
the time abroad was a transformative experience, one that he feels will shape his social work
career. Being in the very poor town of San Pedro Sula, Schwantes became more cognizant of
the comparative privilege he had while growing up. “ The [ trip] helped me to want to raise more
awareness to others about the economically depressed areas both [ at home] and abroad,” he
says.
Not only does Schwantes feel more equipped for the social work profession from his time
abroad, he’s appreciative of the preparation his social work training gave him for the experience.
“ Having a social work education helped me to see many strengths that the community, as well
as the family we were building for, had in place,” he says. That’s a critical concept to grasp, he
says, to be an effective social work practitioner. “ Where we assume as a place to start with an
intervention may be very different from where we actually start, once we get to know the client
and community.”
Schwantes says that it is hard for him to adequately describe the mutual exchange that hap-pened
between their Habitat team and the family during their time together. “ It is an amazing
feeling to know that you helped to build a house alongside a family that will later get to call it
home.”
Note: Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the Western hemisphere. Before 1998, Honduras
had shown moderate economic growth as a result of government reforms. Nevertheless, after losing
US $ 3 billion due to Hurricane Mitch, Honduras’ economy is still in the process of recovery. The ag-riculture
sector, responsible for most exports, was the worst affected. Mitch also caused more than
6,000 deaths and left 8,085 missing and 75,000 homeless ( source: www. habitat. org).
Emily Sanford: Speaking a New Language
The challenging process of engaging with persons and social issues in a cross- cultural context
can illuminate and reframe concerns in your own context— professional or personal. While
not easy, the process ultimately allows you to better serve the very people you are trying to help. So
says Emily Sanford, a dual degree student at the School of Social Work and Duke Divinity School.
Sanford learned this essential concept on a recent ten- week summer field education placement
at a Methodist church in Durban, South Africa. The church works with an AIDS orphanage, an
AIDS hospice, a preschool and a homeless shelter. Eager to jump in and help from day one, San-ford
found herself quickly humbled by her inability to converse with those she was there to serve.
Her experiences with the church, and with a Duke- sponsored two- week travel program after-wards,
enabled her to change long- held attitudes and behaviors. “ I arrived with two large suitcases
and serious misconceptions about what I was ‘ bringing’ to South Africa,” Sanford says. “ I was
naively enthusiastic about my ability to make a difference in the lives of people living in extreme
poverty or dying from HIV/ AIDS.”
Participating in worship services in isiZulu and Xhosa, struggling to communicate with non-
English speakers, and hearing refugees’ painful stories of xenophobia opened her eyes and kindled
a desire to address those issues upon her return. “ The language barriers I experienced in South
Africa made me realize the value of learning Spanish [ at home],” she shares. “ Hearing the stories of
isolation and distress from refugees offered me a different perspective of the situation of immi-grants
in the United States.”
Sanford was able to pick up a few essential phrases in isiZulu and Xhosa, and found that pro-cess
equally frustrating and rewarding. Learning a new language isn’t always easy, but the value in
acquiring a new way to communicate is immeasurable.
To learn more about the initiative to fight HIV/ AIDS in South Africa, visit www. littletravellers. net.
10 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 12 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 13
Veronica Sunderland- Perez Mexico
What is your area of interest?
Women’s reproductive and sexual health. I am also interested in
the acculturation process of Latinos in the U. S.
Where do you plan to work after graduating?
I have lived in the U. S. almost as long as I have lived in Mexico
so I feel connected to the U. S. There is a need for bicultural/
bilingual workers, particularly in North Carolina, so I feel I could
make an impact by staying here. At the same time, I think about
returning home or going to another country in Latin America.
Do you see parallels between social work issues in the United
States and issues in your country?
Social workers in both countries see the importance of policy
and lobbying to change policy. There is a lot of work to be done
in Mexico with communities that have members who come to
the U. S. to work. When people return to Mexico, they have new
ideas and ways of living and that can create conflict with those
who stayed behind. In terms of reproductive health and access
to care, Mexico can learn from the pro- choice movement, but we
have some unique cultural differences and will have to tailor our
efforts to fit those needs.
What about being in
the states has proven to
be the most amazing or
surprising?
I am always taken aback by
how warm people are and
how willingly they include
me in their families.
Welcoming students from around the globe
By Libbie Hough
or several years, the Jordan Institute for Families has been
involved in two projects with international connections:
combating sex trafficking, and the International Association
for Outcome- Based Evaluation and Research on Family and Chil-dren’s
Services. During the summer of 2007, activities related to these
projects took Jordan Institute Director Nancy Dickinson to the United
Kingdom and New Zealand.
Combating sex trafficking
Since 2004, the Jordan Institute has been a member of an interdisci-plinary
UNC working group to bring attention to the problem of sex
trafficking in North Carolina and across the country. The Victims of
Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 ( Public Law 106- 386)
defines trafficking in persons as “ a modern form of slavery,” noting that
at least “ 700,000 persons annually, primarily women and children, are
trafficked within or across international borders. Approximately 50,000
women and children are trafficked into the U. S. each year.” While traf-ficking
in persons is not limited to the sex industry, many victims are
trafficked into the international sex trade by force, fraud or coercion.
In April 2006, the Jordan Institute was a sponsor of a conference
entitled “ Sexual Trafficking: Breaking the Crisis of Silence” along
with the Carolina Women’s Center, schools of Social Work and Public
Health and the Office of Research Development. A second conference,
“ Combating Sex Trafficking: Prevention and Intervention in North
Carolina and Worldwide,” is scheduled for April 3- 4, 2008 at the UNC
Friday Center.
On June 28- 30, 2007 the British Consul-ate
in Atlanta, GA sponsored four U. S.
citizens— including Dickinson— to attend
an international conference on “ Human
Trafficking: How Best to Stem the Flow?”
Held at a 16th century manor house in Sus-sex,
UK, the conference attracted over 60
participants from more than 36 countries.
The United Nation’s Protocol to Prevent,
Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons,
Especially Women and Children ( the Pal-ermo
Protocol) provides an international
requirement among ratifying countries to prevent and combat traffick-ing
in persons, paying particular attention to women and children, and
to provide protection and assistance to victims of human trafficking.
The three “ Ps”— prevention, protection and prosecution— were the
framework for conference presentations and discussions. Much of the
discussion will inform the UNC sex trafficking conference program
and some of the UK presenters have been invited to speak at the con-ference.
New Zealand’s Family Commission
On the other side of the world from Chapel Hill, an international as-sociation
of researchers, including Dickinson, was hosted by the New
Zealand Families Commission ( komihana a whanau) for a series of
workshops and discussions about research on family issues. Estab-lished
in 2004 under the Families Commission Act 2003, the Com-mission
is an autonomous entity whose role is to act as an advocate
for the interests of families across the country through research, policy
initiatives, collaborating with services and partnering with families.
The influence of European and Maori traditions and language was
evident at the Commission, as it is across the country. On the first
morning of our seminar, for example, we participated in a traditional
Maori welcoming ceremony, including a speech by the local Maori
elder, exchanging songs, and greeting members by touching noses.
Every public exchange after that welcome began with the greeting “ kia
ora!”
Shortly after our arrival, the Families Commission launched a
major Campaign for Action on Family Violence to help change the
way New Zealanders think and act about family violence, a concerning
problem in the country. The main theme of the campaign is “ Fam-ily
Violence: It’s not OK but it is OK to ask for help.” Through media,
public task forces, telephone help lines, and support services, the
campaign encourages people to take action, whether by seeking help or
speaking out.
Another major issue that the Families Commission promotes is
balancing work and family. In addition to workplace policies such as
flexible work arrangements that support families’ work life balance, the
Commission is also advocating for better parental leave options. The
goal is that by 2015 New Zealand parents will be able to take just over a
year’s paid leave from work, including a month’s paid leave for fathers.
The Families Commission has titled this initiative “ It’s about time…
towards a parental leave policy that gives New Zealand families a real
choice.”
Members of the International Association agreed that our respec-tive
countries have a lot to learn from New Zealand’s commitment to
its families.
Jordan Institute director travels to United
Kingdom and New Zealand By Nancy S. Dickinson
Combating Sex Trafficking
An International Conference
April 3 & 4, 2008
Friday Center, UNC- Chapel Hill
Prevention and Intervention in
North Carolina and Worldwide
Dickinson ( center) at the Families Commission with Dr. Robyn Munford ( left),
from Massey University in New Zealand, and Dr. Clare Tilbury from Griffith
University in Australia
Maori welcome ceremony
Zumrad Ahmedjanova Uzbekistan F
What is your area of interest?
I would like to work with our immigrant population and to provide mental health counseling to
women.
Where do you plan to work after graduating?
There is so much to learn here. I want to work in the United States for a while and then take what
I learn here and apply it to my work at home. We have a repressive government so things will be
difficult, but I want to try to do what I can to close holes in services for women.
Do you see parallels between social work issues in the United States and in your country?
Both countries have big bureaucracies. And there’s never enough money to do the work that needs to be done. There are also
differences. In Uzbekistan, services there tend to be family- based. Here things are more community- based. We tend to have
the compassion, but not the structure, while in the U. S. there is the structure, but not always the compassion.
What about being in the states has proven to be the most amazing or surprising?
How interested people are in knowing whether or not you attend church. I’m Muslim and at home it’s more an issue of that
being my tradition or culture; here it’s more like a brand that identifies or categorizes people.
Dipanwita
Bhattacharya India
What is your area of interest?
Management and Community
Practice- Families and Children.
Where do you plan to work after graduating?
I plan to work here for maybe two to three years, and then go
back to India.
Do you see parallels between social work issues in the United
States and issues in your country?
Yes, definitely. There are parallels in issues that concern women,
even though the U. S. is supposed to be a much more open
society. In my work with domestic violence victims, I repeatedly
come across underlying issues of patriarchy and sexism, even
here.
What about being in the states has proven to be the most
amazing or surprising?
Most amazing— the stimulating learning environment. It
encourages you to think out of the box. Most surprising— the
quantities people can eat!
12 14 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 15
Revisiting rural child welfare practice
in North Carolina
By Christine Howell
Photos by Ellen Ozier Hayes
ural child welfare social work has been the focus of a group
of faculty and staff of the Family and Children’s Resource
Program located in the Jordan Institute for Families. With
Gary Nelson and Lane Cooke as co- principal investigators, this focus
has been supported over the past four years by a grant from the U. S.
Children’s Bureau.
The project, which deviates from the “ norm” with regard to
research projects, turned its exploration inside out and upside down.
Instead of assuming deficits for rural North Carolina communities, as
described in much of the past research on rural child welfare, the ap-proach
taken first explored the strengths and successes associated with
rural child welfare practice. An underlying project belief is that these
strengths can be called upon to deal with the very real challenges that
do exist in rural communities. A parallel belief is that the field of child
welfare practice as a whole might have something to learn from rural
child welfare. It is somewhat more traditional to think that innova-tion
and practices worth learning center in our more urban areas. An
abiding assumption in the field is that rural communities are typically
somehow behind the times. With these points in mind, the project
uncovered some surprising findings.
The search for strengths and successes began as the project ex-plored
outcomes for 14 rural and remote project counties utilizing a
longitudinal data base that tracks the experience of cohorts ( or groups)
of children as they enter placement authority for the first time, a data
base designed by Charles “ Lynn” Usher of the UNC School of Social
Work, and maintained by Dean Duncan and staff from the data and
evaluation team at the School. With limited employment opportuni-ties,
greater poverty, little to no access or availability of transportation
services, child care and professional referral sources, rural counties
were found to perform just as well, and on some measures, better than
their metropolitan counterparts in the state. In fact, the more rural the
county, the fewer times children are moved from one placement to an-other
during their first spell of placement and leave the system earlier,
either to be reunited with parents or to adoptive or other permanent
homes. In addition, rural counties were found to score better on fed-eral
process measures for social work practice compared to their urban
counterparts.
The search for success didn’t end with a look at the numbers. It
continued through a process of qualitative analysis to explore the
“ stories” behind these numbers. Borrowing principles from the Ap-preciate
Inquiry approach to engagement, the project staff interviewed
families, social workers, community professionals, members of the
faith communities, as well as members of the Cherokee tribe about
their experiences with the social services system in their counties.
Audio and photographs from these visits were engineered to develop
a mini documentary on child welfare practice in rural communities
titled, “ Rural Communities in Transition” and paints a complete pic-ture
of what leads these economically struggling areas to achieve good
outcomes for their communities and families.
The presentation mentioned above was shown to approximately 50
people who gathered at the first Rural Child Welfare Summit, “ Coming
Home” in June. Those in attendance talked of the strengths rural com-munities
possess, the challenges that they face, and expressed a shared
determination to listen to their own intuition and professional training
when supporting the people they know— the families and children of
their community.
The project will continue its work for another year as the team
disseminates the findings from their research and interviews with the
people of rural North Carolina. Part of this dissemination plan will be
to engage a larger audience about the work done in rural communities,
about re- engaging our sense of community as we look toward more
and better strategies to serve children and families in our public social
services agencies. Perhaps we can go home again.
R
14 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Rural counties were found to
perform just as well— and on
some measures, better than—
their metropolitan counterparts
16 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 17
C- NASW Legislative Advocacy Day, affectionately known
around the School as Lobby Day, occurs during February or
March each year. NASW works closely with the North Caro-lina
Child Welfare Education Collaborative, of which the School is a
member, to make the daylong event exposing students to the legislative
process a success.
“ We had more students attend this past
year than ever before,” says Joanne Caye,
clinical assistant professor at the School and
one of our many faculty members dedicated
to teaching students about public policy pro-cesses.
“ And believe it or not, we don’t have
to do a lot of selling. The students who come
feel pretty strongly about being present.”
Most of the students who participated
this year’s Lobby Day were also in Marie
Weil’s Policy Practice class. “ This is such an
important aspect of student learning,” Weil
said, referring to making the connection
between policy and practice. Some class
members brought with them prior legislative
experience, and Weil, the Berg- Beach Distin-guished
Professor of Community Practice,
feels this added a vibrant dimension to the
class and to increased the success of this
year’s Lobby Day.
Take Alison Kiser ‘ 07. She was active
in advocacy work with Planned Parenthood
throughout her second year placement. “ I’ve
seen firsthand how important it is to create
good public policy in order to support and protect the people working
in the trenches.” While frustrating to see efforts stall or even fail, Kiser
has also had moments when her hard work paid off, when she was able
to change someone’s mind on an issue. “ There is no experience more
gratifying to me than that in policy work.”
Public policy will be an important part of the work that any social
worker does, directly or indirectly. What individuals learn from op-portunities
such as Social Work Lobby Day can be a great help to you
in the future, explains Kiser. And she urges all social workers to engage
themselves in policy work after graduation. “ You may not ever want
to be a professional lobbyist, but you can still write letters and make
phone calls to your elected officials and make a huge difference.”
Kiser currently works as the associate director at the Common
Sense Foundation in Raleigh, North Carolina. Common Sense is a
non- partisan, progressive think- tank that produces research on rel-evant
public policy issues in North Carolina.
Alex Miller ‘ 07 worked with the Covenant with North Carolina’s
Children, and with its members and organizations on the Covenant’s
entire legislative agenda. He co- wrote and managed the development,
submission and gathering of support for an anti- bullying bill, the
School Violence Prevention Act. The bill is historic because it is the
first time a bill including the protected categories “ sexual orientation”
or “ gender identity and expression” passed either chamber in the North
Carolina legislature. The bill is still pending in senate committee, so he
plans to work on it again this year.
“ Alex’s work was so well recognized, that last spring he was asked
to serve on the panel that introduced all lobby day participants to the
lobbying process,” says Weil, proudly.
“ I’ve been able to apply the skills and values I learned at the School
of Social Work directly to my career in the political arena,” says Miller.
“ Not only in working for the passage of
legislation that will benefit disadvantaged
communities, but also working to get a
leader on social and environmental issues
elected.” Miller’s experience and passion for
the causes he’s lobbied have led him to his
current position as campaign manager for
state senate candidate Mike Nelson.
Current MSW student Paul Lanier was
another of Weil’s students who participated
in Lobby Day, and had prior exposure to
the legislative process. “ Becoming familiar
with the process and demystifying the
power structure is the first step in advo-cating
for issues that affect you and your
clients,” he says. “ And Lobby Day is a great
place to start.”
Lanier, who at one time worked with
children in a therapeutic setting, has
witnessed the effect state- level policy deci-sions
have on the quality and availability
of services to clients at the local level.
“ Your future as a social work professional,
whatever that may be, is directly impacted
by decisions made in Raleigh.”
Of his work engaging in the legislative process, Lanier states, “ It
has given me direction in my career. I can see where there is room for
a social work professional at the policy table. Our voice needs to be
there, not just for our profession, but for those we represent.”
Learning how to make a difference
Students participate in legislative “ Lobby Day”
By Libbie Hough and Michelle Rogers
he care and treatment of people with mental illness is
increasingly being handled at county jails that are ill-equipped
to deal with such inmates, according to re-search
conducted by School of Social Work faculty members Anna
Scheyett and Jennie Vaughn.
The study was funded by the North Carolina Governor’s Advo-cacy
Council for Persons with Disabilities, a state- funded advocacy
organization. Scheyett and Vaughn conducted detailed telephone
interviews with 80 of the 93 active county and regional jails in North
Carolina for the study and also studied mental health screening
tools used by participating jails and examples of jails’ emergency
protocol for suicidal inmates.
While no one knows how many people with
mental illness are in North Carolina’s jails, the U. S.
Department of Justice has estimated that up to
two- thirds of local jail inmates have some mental
illness symptoms. Based on this federal calculation,
the report authors said, more than 11,000 inmates
in North Carolina jails have mental health problems.
Services for persons with mental illnesses in
North Carolina have undergone significant changes
in recent years in response to state legislation
requiring counties to stop providing mental health
treatment and instead contract services out to
private providers. The state is preparing to close one
of the state’s four residential psychiatric hospitals
and downsize others in an effort to provide individuals with care in
less- institutional settings closer to their homes.
Advocates say the changes have created significant problems
in continuity of care and coordination of services for people with
mental illnesses, and that many of those who most need treat-ment
are going without— often resulting in situations that require
police intervention or arrests. Most inmates in jails are awaiting trial,
although some have been convicted and are serving a sentence.
While most jails try to identify people with mental illness before
they integrate them with other inmates, a great majority of jailers
do not receive adequate training on how to identify those who
need help, the study found.
Even when jails do identify troubled inmates, they have a hard
time properly treating them because jails are not set up to be
mental health clinics. Most of the jails surveyed, and nearly all rural
jails, rely on public mental health clinics for treatment, and about a
third said they occasionally use their guards to transport inmates to
mental health appointments outside the jail— costing manpower
and equipment.
Jailers said that even obtaining a staple of mental health
treatment— medication— was difficult, cumbersome and costly.
More than half the jails surveyed said it took them a day or more to
get medicines for inmates who did not bring their own, and money
for the drugs represented a significant portion of jail budgets, which
are supported by taxpayer dollars.
As a result of the research, the North Carolina General Assembly
passed legislation during its 2007 session requiring jails to work
with public mental health providers to develop a standardized,
evidence- based screening tool for all inmates as they enter custody,
and to develop additional effective training for jail staff so they can
better recognize signs of mental illness.
Copies of the study report are available from project coordina-tor
Jennie Vaughn at ( 919) 962- 8352 or jsvaughn@ email. unc. edu or
online at www. cladisabilitylaw. org.
North Carolina’s jails not equipped
to deal with mental illness
By Jennie Vaughn
Two MSW students receive
Bryan Fellowships
Hope Marasco and Marilyn Lundin, final year MSW students,
received two of five Robert E. Bryan Fellowships for summer
2007.
Sponsored by the Carolina Center for Public Service, the
fellowships are awarded to students for innovative approach-es
to public service.
Marasco launched an alternative summer camp for lower-income
families in Orange County. “ Camp Alianza” was also
sponsored by the Carrboro- based non- profit, El Centro Latino.
Lundin established a Johnston County branch of the
National Alliance for Mental Illness, which serves the public
through free educational seminars, provides information and
support, and creates family classes to improve communication
and understanding about mental illness.
Study reveals a critical
need for inmate care
Anna Scheyett
Jennie Vaughn
T
Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work N
The Raleigh News and Observer contributed to this article..
18 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 19
Oscar Barbarin
Barbarin was invited by Speaker Nancy Pelosi to be the
scientific expert on the Learning in Early Childhood
Panel at the National Summit on America’s Children,
sponsored by the U. S. Congress.
The National Research Council appointed Barbarin
to the Committee on Early Childhood Mathematics. The
first committee meeting was held in Washington, DC in August.
Natasha Bowen
At the end of September, Bowen and Flying Bridge
Technologies received a Phase II SBIR grant from NIDA.
In the first year of the grant, she will further develop all
online aspects of the Elementary School Success Profile
Model of Assessment and Prevention, and Gary L.
Bowen, who is an investigator on the grant, will oversee
further online development of the SSP. In the second year, she will con-duct
an experimental test of the ESSP MAP in a nearby school system.
Bowen ( PI) and Joelle Powers ( Co- PI), a new clinical assistant
professor at the School, received a $ 375,000 grant from Strowd Roses
Foundation and Triangle Community Foundation which will allow
them to apply the ESSP in three schools in the Chapel Hill- Carrboro
City School system over a three year period ( see story on p. 27).
Bowen also has a University Research Council grant that is being
used to fund the use of the ESSP MAP in one elementary school in
Pittsboro, NC. She will work closely with staff at the school to improve
the achievement of 65 students with low EOG scores.
Mimi Chapman
Chapman has received $ 300,000 from the Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation ( RWJF) to implement and evaluate
a new mental health services delivery package for new
immigrant Latino youth in Chatham County, North
Carolina. Partnering with Chapman on the three- year
project will be staff members of El Futuro, a mental
health agency located in Orange and Chatham counties of North
Carolina that addresses the unique mental health needs of the Latino
community. Chapman’s project was one of 15 selected from across the
country and from a pool of 350 applicants as a part of the RWJF Car-ing
Across Communities Grant Initiative.
Congratulations to Chapman on being granted tenure and promo-tion
to associate professor. “ This is a wonderful achievement and ac-knowledgement
of her expertise and productivity in teaching, research
and service,” said Dean Jack Richman.
Michal Grinstein- Weiss
Grinstein- Weiss has been awarded a $ 750,000, three-year
grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation, to study the long- term impact and benefits
of individual development accounts— savings accounts
targeted to the poor that provide matched savings, finan-cial
education and case management. Account holders
can only use the money to purchase a first home, start a small business,
pay for post- secondary education and job training, or other invest-ments
that promote long- term development.
Grinstein- Weiss was nominated by the UNC Center for Commu-nity
Capitalism to serve as a faculty fellow. She will lead the data analy-sis
and publication of findings from an eight- year evaluation of the $ 4
billion Community Advantage Program, which is a collaborative effort
of the Self- Help Credit Union, Fannie Mae, and the Ford Foundation
that helps low- and moderate- income families become homebuyers.
Clinical Assistant Professor Mat Despard, doctoral students Johanna
Greeson and Yeong Yeo, and final year MSW student Susanna Bird-song
will team with Michal on this effort.
Grinstein- Weiss received a $ 50,000 grant from the FB Heron
Foundation. This award will supplement the $ 750,000 grant she
received from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
Michal’s work on IDAs is also featured in a HUD publication, “ Ideas
that Work.”
Matthew Howard
We extend a warm welcome to Matthew O. Howard,
PhD, formerly a professor at the University of Michigan
School of Social Work and the School of Medicine’s
Department of Psychiatry. He joined our faculty on July
1 as the Frank A. Daniels Distinguished Professor of Hu-man
Services Policy Information. “ As the Daniels chair,
Matthew Howard brings vital international expertise in a number of
areas but especially in the emerging area of adolescent inhalant abuse.
Further, he is a wonderful classroom teacher and brings federal fund-ing
to the school,” said Dean Jack Richman. “ In addition, his national
leadership experience and research expertise will be immeasurably
helpful in terms of mentoring our junior faculty.”
Howard was appointed to a three- year term to the editorial board
of the journal Social Work in Public Health. He was also appointed
to another term on the editorial board of the journal Social Work
Research, to run through 2009.
Howard was part of a team of researchers from some of the
nation’s top universities who found that teens who inhale danger-ous
fumes have a high rate of suicide. The study shows that inhaling,
or huffing as it is called, the vapors from many common household
solvents can lead to suicidal thoughts as well as behavior in adoles-cents.
The biggest surprise in the study came with the girls. There was
a history of attempted suicide in 81.3% of girls who abused or were
dependent on the inhalants, while with the boys it was 59.5%.
John McMahon
McMahon received an award from the North Carolina
Foster and Adoptive Parent Association ( NCFAPA)
honoring his dedication to North Carolina’s children
and families. In particular, they recognized McMahon’s
work as editor of Fostering Perspectives, a publication
through which he has empowered children, families,
and human service providers and helped to make family- centered
practice a reality in North Carolina.
Faculty spotlight
Dennis Orthner
Orthner was featured in a recent WUNC radio program,
“ The State of Things,” where he discussed a new book he
co- edited, “ Ending Poverty in America.” For more infor-mation
about the book and the Center on Poverty, Work
and Opportunity, check out their Web site at http:// www.
law. unc. edu/ centers/ poverty.
In June, Orthner went to Israel to meet with leaders of the social
welfare and education ministries. He presented at a national confer-ence
of social workers on the role of technology in social work practice
and on innovations in organizational learning in social service agen-cies.
He also presented his research on CareerStart, a middle school
intervention that targets the needs of at- risk students, to education
and welfare researchers in Israel as part of their efforts to examine
programs and policies for school reforms in their country ( see story on
p. 7).
Jack Richman
Dean Richman traveled to China in October to attend
and present the keynote lecture at a social work confer-ence
in Shanghai, entitled “ Knowledge, Policy and
Service: A Dialogue Between East and West on Social
Work.” His presentation was “ Social Work Practice
with At- risk Youth: Theory, Research and Strategies of
Intervention.” Richman also delivered a presentation called “ Commu-nity
Social Work Development in the United States” at the opening of a
government community development center in Shanghai.
Amelia Roberts
For the second year in a row, Roberts was awarded a
$ 1,000 Robertson scholarship in order to continue the
development of leaders in the dual degree MSW/ MDIV
program between the UNC School of Social Work and
Duke Divinity School.
Roberts also led a study abroad program last summer
in Kenya ( see story on p. 8).
Anna Scheyett
Scheyett was promoted to associate dean for Academic
Affairs. “ Anna Scheyett has been an outstanding teacher
and mentor to many students over the years and her
leadership is critical to the continuing success of our
student affairs division,” said Dean Jack Richman.
Scheyett and Jennie Vaughn were panelists on a
statewide cable TV program called OPEN/ net that aired July 31. The
show focused on questions concerning care for persons with mental
illness in North Carolina. Anna and Jennie discussed their recent study
on mental illness in North Carolina jails, which was funded by the
Governor’s Advocacy Council for Persons with Disabilities ( see story
on p. 17).
In October, Scheyett successfully defended her doctoral disserta-tion
at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Tina Souders
Souders, director of our Winston- Salem MSW Distance
Education Program, developed a GRE test prep work-shop
exclusively for applicants of the Winston- Salem
program. The workshop was held on three consecutive
Saturdays from Sept. 29- Oct. 6, and covered the three
sections of the GRE exam.
Kim Strom- Gottfried
Strom- Gottfried, Smith P. Theimann Jr. Distinguished
Professor of Ethics and Professional Practice, was named
associate director of the Institute for the Arts and Hu-manities
( IAH) and will direct the Academic Leadership
Program.
“ Kim is a natural for the leadership program,” said
Institute Director John McGowan, Ruel W. Tyson Jr. Distinguished
Professor. “ She has held key leadership positions at UNC and her
scholarly work on moral courage speaks to the biggest challenges faced
by individuals at work and outside of it.”
The Academic Leadership Program prepares and supports the
development of academic leaders at UNC through a unique fellow-ship
program. The program gives faculty members the opportunity
to develop leadership skills, clarify their career commitments, build
a leadership network within the campus and extend their contacts to
other leaders beyond the University.
Sharon Holmes Thomas
Thomas has been promoted to director of Admissions,
Recruitment and Financial Aid. She is an alumna of
the UNC School of Social Work, a clinical instructor,
and most recently served as the director of our Triangle
Distance Education MSW Program.
Irene Zipper
Zipper received a $ 100,000 NC DSS grant entitled,
“ Family Support to Prevent Child Abuse: the Parent- to-
Parent Model.” Irene is the director of the Family Sup-port
Network of North Carolina and a clinical associate
professor at the School of Social Work.
Welcome new faculty
• Martica Bacallao, clinical instructor
• Denisé Dews, clinical instructor
• Matthew Howard, Frank A. Daniels Distinguished Professor for
Human Services Policy Information
• Kerri Patrick, clinical instructor
• Joelle Powers, clinical assistant professor
Gary Shaffer is interviewed for a TV news report on corporal punishment in
North Carolina schools
20 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 21
Carrie Pettus Davis earned bachelors degrees in Psychology and
Social Work and then completed a Masters in Social Work from the
University of Kansas in 2001. Since that time, she has worked for the
University of Kansas, School of Social Welfare primarily as the Justice
and Reentry Projects Coordinator through collaboration with the
Kansas Department of Corrections and federal funding agencies. She
also held positions as a research assistant in a mental health evidence-based
practice project and as an adjunct instructor at the University of
Kansas. Her research interests include adult incarcerated and recently
incarcerated populations; program development and evaluation; and
implementation strategies for evidence- based practices.
Daniel Ison received a BA in Philosophy from Brigham Young Univer-sity,
a Juris Doctor from the University of Cincinnati, and a Master in
Social Work from Ohio State University. Before beginning the doctoral
program, Daniel worked as a mental health counselor at Kenyon Col-lege
in Gambier, Ohio. His research areas of interest are college mental
health practice and preventive interventions with college students.
Micaela Mercado completed a BA in psychology from Nova South-eastern
University and an MSW from Washington University in
St. Louis. She worked as a bilingual field interviewer with Research
Triangle Institute on the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study and
the National Survey on Drug Use and Health Study. Additionally, she
served as a project evaluator with Philliber Research Associates and
as an adolescent health coordinator with Save the Children in La Paz,
Bolivia. Micaela’s research interests center on youths’ transition from
high school to college, youth empowerment, youth employment, edu-cational
attainment, and human capital growth.
Ijeoma Nwabuzor earned a BA in Psychology from Spelman Col-lege,
and in May 2007 graduated with an MA in Social Work from the
University of Pennsylvania. Ijeoma has participated in the LEND fel-lowship
program, a leadership development program at The Children’s
Hospital of Philadelphia, where she examined feelings of empower-ment
among mothers in homeless shelters related to their children’s
health and navigating the health care system. Her research interests
include homelessness, child welfare, child and adolescent development,
children’s health, and African- American children and families.
Tiffany Washington received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Com-munications
from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in
2000, and her Master of Social Work degree from the Joint Master of
Social Work program between the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro and North Carolina A& T State University in 2002. Tiffany
worked as a home health social worker for four years and in the End-
Stage Renal Disease ( ESRD) field for over five years, influencing her
research interests in health and aging. She was most recently employed
as the patient services coordinator for the Southeastern Kidney Coun-cil,
a Medicare- contracted agency providing oversight to dialysis facili-ties
in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Tiffany is the chair
of the North Carolina Chapter of the Council of Nephrology Social
Workers ( CNSW), and the CNSW Region II Representative, providing
oversight to CNSW chapters in ten states. She is the recipient of the
2006 North Carolina CNSW Social Worker of the Year Award. Tiffany
continues to be an active volunteer with the National Kidney Founda-tion
of North Carolina.
Meet our new doctoral students By Kathleen Rounds, PhD
Florence Soltys
Florence Gray Soltys, a beloved teacher known across North Carolina
and the nation as a fearless and tireless advocate for the aged, died Sept.
27. She was 72.
An associate clinical professor in both the School of Medicine and
the School of Social Work, Soltys was also an adjunct associate professor
in the School of Nursing. She lectured in the areas of occupational and
physical therapy in the School of Medicine.
Soltys was the coordinator of the School
of Medicine’s Hubbard Program, an inter-disciplinary
home health program training
students in medicine, allied health, nursing,
pharmacy, social work and dentistry. Each
week Soltys took students on visits to elders
in the community. Social work students also
accompanied Soltys every week when she
worked in the Geriatric Evaluation Clinic at
the UNC Ambulatory Care Center.
In 2001, she received the University’s
Distinguished Teaching Award for Post- Baccalaureate Instruction, and
in 2006, she received the Ned Brooks Award for Public Service.
Soltys retired from the School of Social Work in May after more
than 21 years of service. She died of a heart attack nine days after she
was hospitalized for injuries she suffered in an automobile accident.
“ Florence was a remarkable teacher and was dedicated to her stu-dents
and the field of social work services to aging populations and their
families,” said Dean Jack Richman. “ I know first hand how much her
inspired teaching meant to her students and also how much her leader-ship
meant to the community.”
A native of Tennessee, Soltys earned an undergraduate degree in
nutrition and institutional management from the University of Tennes-see,
then did post- graduate work at Massachusetts General Hospital in
Boston. Her academic career was interrupted for a time by her marriage
to John Soltys, a retired University physician, and the births of their
daughters, Rebecca and Jacqueline.
An editorial in the Oct. 1 News and Observer referred to the pas-sion,
selflessness and courage that she brought to her advocacy for the
elderly. “ She was simply a presence in North Carolina who cannot be
replaced.”
A private funeral service was held Sept. 30, and a memorial service
was held at the School of Social Work on Nov. 10.
Memorial contributions may be made to the School of Social Work
for the Florence Soltys Scholarship Fund. This scholarship was estab-lished
upon her retirement in June, to support MSW students in the
aging concentration. Contributions may be sent using the envelope
enclosed in this magazine.
Philip Cooke
Philip W. Cooke, professor emeritus of
the School of Social Work, died suddenly
on July 30 at his home. A longtime facul-ty
member, Phil came to Carolina in 1967
and taught graduate students in the areas
of public social services administration
and organizational development until he
retired in 2003. In 2002, School of Social
Work students honored him as teacher
of the year. For 10 years, he directed the
Institute for Social Services Planning, where he taught many students
who became North Carolina social services administrators.
An avid Tar Heel fan, Phil was born in Surry County and grew
up in Pilot Mountain and Norfolk, VA. He earned undergraduate
degrees from Mars Hill Junior College and Furman University and
received a MSW from Carolina in 1956. Before he received his doc-torate
in social work from the University of Pennsylvania, he directed
a family and children’s services agency in Baltimore.
Phil is survived by his wife of 26 years, School of Social Work
faculty member Lane Gillespie Cooke; his daughter, Sharon Cooke
Padgett, and numerous other family members.
The School of Social Work held a celebration of Phil’s life on Au-gust
2, where family, friends, colleagues and students spoke lovingly
of Phil and shared poignant memories.
Memorial contributions in Phil’s honor may be made to the
School of Social Work for the Philip Cooke Scholarship Fund. Con-tributions
may be sent using the envelope enclosed in this magazine.
Albert King
Retired professor Albert W. King, 81, died on July 14, 2007 at the
Twin Lakes Retirement Center in Burlington, NC. Al served in
the U. S. Army during World War II. After completing his graduate
education in Social Work at UNC, he practiced in the North Carolina
mountains, was a DSS administrator, and came to the School where
he pioneered Family Centered Social Work Practice. Al taught direct
practice and family practice for years, served as chair of the direct
practice concentration, and eventually became associate dean of the
School and director of graduate studies. He and his wife Catherine
were mainstays of the School’s community.
“ Al King was a wonderful teacher, administrator, and mentor to
students and faculty. He was a gentle man who helped to establish the
direction and upward trajectory of the UNC School of Social Work. I
know that everyone here who knew Al will miss him,” said Dean Jack
Richman.
He is survived by his children, Susan King Miller and Laura
Bennett King, and sister, Marguerite Marie King Dean. A memorial
service was held in Burlington. Memorial contributions may be made
to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Doctoral Student Awards
Keesha Dunbar Anne- Linda Furstenberg Qualitative Research Fellowship for
her study “ Conceptualizing African American Father Involvement”
Susan Fletcher Hartford Dissertation Fellowship for her project that is as-sessing
the treatment fidelity of the Alzheimer’s Association’s national train-ing
program for dementia care
Stephanie Francis Anne- Linda Furstenberg Qualitative Research Fellowship
for her study “ Current Interventions in Co- occurring Child Maltreatment and
Domestic Violence: A Qualitative Study of Changing Policy, Practice and Col-laboration
in North Carolina”
Eric Garland 2007 George H. Hitchings New Investigator Award in Health
Research and Training by the Triangle Community Foundation
Martin Hall Durham Veterans Administration Medical Center Interprofes-sional
Fellowship in Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Services
Johanna Greeson Spencer Found. Education Policy Research Fellowship
Dari Jigjidsuren Spencer Foundation Education Policy Research Fellowship
Sharon Parker NIMH Underrepresented Mental Health Research Fellowship
awarded by the Council on Social Work Education ( CSWE) Minority Fellow-ship
Programs
Tasanee Walsh Second prize, best graduate student poster at the Aging
Exchange Conference, Institute on Aging, University of North Carolina for
Walsh, T. R., & Cutchin, M. P. ( 2007). “ Stress and health in Hispanics across the
life course: evidence from the Texas City Study.”
Traci Wike Spencer Foundation Education Policy Research Fellowship
Memoriam In
Front row: Carrie Pettus Davis, Micaela Mercado, Tiffany Washington
Back row: Ijeoma Nwabuzor, Daniel Ison
22 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work
Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 23
Congratulations
Class of 2007
The School of Social Work held its 86th
annual commencement on May 12, 2007
at the Dean E. Smith Center. 144 MSW
students and five PhD students received
their diplomas. Our speaker was Associate
Professor Florence Soltys.
Photos by Michelle Rogers
Richard Benson Anticipation
Florence Ikechukwu and family Alison Kiser and family
Faculty member Gary Bowen Anna Carlton Watkins
Keesha Dunbar Lining up to march
22 24 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 25
Alexandra Morris and Joshua Harris
Elizabeth Raygor, Christa Atkinson and Megan Andrews
Faculty members Anna Scheyett and Dean Jack Richman
Stage at the Dean E. Smith Center
Caroline Williams Darla Braziel and Leslie Clark
Tim Schwantes
Julie Covell McCormick
Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 26 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 27
Just as this issue of Contact was going to
print, the School received one of the larg-est
gifts in its history— a planned gift valued
at $ 1,393,500 from Mel Adair ’ 76 of Raleigh.
Adair established a charitable gift annuity
with appreciated stock, which provides her
with annual income and a significant tax
deduction. The gift will be used to establish a
$ 1 million professorship and add $ 393,500 to
an existing scholarship established in honor
of Adair by her son, Ken Howard.
Adair worked in social services in both
Warren and Harnett counties in North Carolina. While in the MSW
program, she was the assistant director of New Hanover County
Social Services. After receiving the MSW, she moved to Sheridan,
Wyo., where she worked as a community social worker in a vet-eran’s
hospital. Adair returned to North Carolina 10 years ago to be
closer to her sons and grandchildren.
“ This gift is one of the largest, if not the largest, in our history,
and will establish the largest professorship we’ve ever had,” said
Dean Jack Richman. “ With expert estate planning, Mel was able to
make the ultimate gift to the School. This is a wonderful example of
creative, selfless philanthropy, and I’m very grateful to Mel for this
transformative gift.”
If you would like information about establishing a gift annuity
or other planned giving vehicles, please contact Associate Dean
Mary Beth Hernandez at ( 919) 962- 6469 or by e- mail: marybeth@
email. unc. edu.
trowd Roses Inc. and Triangle Community
Foundation have pledged grants totaling
$ 375,000 to the Carolina Center for Public
Service at the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill for a three- year project that will benefit students
in Carrboro, Ephesus Road and Frank Porter Graham
elementary schools.
In a unique school- community partnership,
Strowd Roses, Triangle Community Foundation and
Carolina are coming together to offer a wealth of
resources to the schools to address the achievement
gap among elementary students. Through its Strowd
Roses Faculty Fund, the Carolina Center for Public
Service will use the gift to support the school- based
research of School of Social Work
faculty member Natasha Bowen, PhD.
“ One of the exciting things about this project
is that it is a collaboration among the researchers at
the UNC School of Social Work, educators in the
Chapel Hill- Carrboro school system, and resources
in the community coming together to provide posi-tive
outcomes to children and families,” said Jack
Richman, dean of the School of Social Work.
Researchers at the School of Social work have
created a comprehensive assessment tool that identifies social envi-ronmental
barriers to learning, called the Elementary School Success
Profile ( ESSP). It includes a collaborative decision- making process, an
online database of intervention strategies, staff development work-shops
and a variety of other resources. The project stresses school, par-ent
and community collaboration to maximize efforts and resources.
More information about the ESSP is available online at
www. schoolsuccessprofile. org.
Beginning this month, the three- year project conducted by the
School of Social Work will follow a group of third graders, identify the
individual needs of the students and work with the schools to develop
strategies to address those needs. Schools will receive generous fund-ing
to purchase materials, training and supplies needed to put strate-gies
into action. Drs. Bowen and Joelle Powers, faculty at the School of
Social Work, will work with school staff throughout the project.
“ The immediate goal is to improve students’ social environments,
as well as psychological and physical well- being. The long term goal is
to improve the academic performance of students, and reduce perfor-mance
disparities based on race/ ethnicity and socio- economic status,���
explains Dr. Bowen.
Strowd Roses Inc. is a nonprofit charitable foundation dedicated
to supporting the Chapel Hill- Carrboro community. It was established
with funds from the estates of the late Irene Strowd and her sister, the
late Gladis Adams. In endowing the foundation, Irene Strowd wished
to honor the memory of her husband, Fletcher
Eugene Strowd, by providing in perpetuity for the
maintenance and care of the Community Rose
Garden that he founded, and by funding projects
and organizations that would improve the quality of
life for citizens of the greater Chapel Hill- Carrboro
community.
Triangle Community Foundation is a nonprofit
organization that makes grants and administers a
variety of programs for the community’s benefit. It
partners with leading corporations and nonprofit organizations that
create innovative solutions to meet the region’s needs and support the
common good.
The Carolina Center for Public Service engages and supports the
faculty, students and staff of the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill in meeting the needs of North Carolina and beyond. The Center
strengthens the University’s public service commitment by promoting
scholarship and service that are responsive to the concerns of the state
and contribute to the common good.
UNC receives $ 375,000 grant for project to help local
elementary schools by Michelle Rogers and UNC News Services
ach year at graduation, the School presents the Distinguished
Alumni Award. It’s our way of honoring alumni who embody
social work values and carry our mission of service into the
world. Alumni can be nominated by peers, faculty members, fellow
alumni or students, and are chosen by a committee based on the fol-lowing
criteria:
• Demonstrate outstanding leadership and make significant contri-butions
to the field of social work;
• Demonstrate a deep commitment to high ethical social work
standards;
• Develop and/ or implement major innovations that have improved
the quality of life for members in his/ her community;
• Benefit his/ her clients, the professional community, and the social
work profession through special contributions, advocacy, and
involvement in professional, civic, or community organizations;
• Be an effective advocate for social work issues.
The School announced this year’s recipients of the Distinguished
Alumni Award during graduation ceremonies in May. Holly Bowles
Blanton ’ 77 and Isabel Geffner ’ 02 were recognized for their out-standing
contributions and leadership to the profession.
Blanton, of Raleigh, is the co- founder of several Wake county
agencies, including the Family Violence Prevention Center, now Inter-act,
and the Parents Anonymous Chapter to support families at risk for
child abuse. In 2002, she was named “ Woman of the Year” in Human
Services by the YWCA of Wake County.
Blanton has always had a deep commitment to high ethical social
work standards, having served on the Human Rights Committee for
Dorothea Dix Hospital and the Governor’s
Council on Volunteerism in the workplace. She
has also developed and implemented major in-novations
that have improved the quality of life
for members of the community and has served
on the board and volunteered for numerous or-ganizations,
including Safe Child, The Healing
Place for Women and Men, Urban Ministries
and Oak Ranch, which is now part of Baptist
Children’s Home.
After graduating from the School of
Social Work in 1977, Blanton raised her fam-ily
and worked for Wake County, Carolina
Employee Assistance and Peace College. She
practiced as a clinical social worker doing
psychotherapy for adolescents and adults until
she “ retired” to help her brother Erskine Bowles
in his 2002 campaign. Today, she is “ proud to
be a happy babysitting grandmother of 6 3/ 4
grandchildren, all of whom live in Raleigh.”
The alumna who nominated Holly for this
award summarized her social work career in
this way: “ Holly has been an effective and dynamic advocate for a
broad array of social work issues for over 30 years. There is no cause
too difficult for her to tackle with her amazing energy and tenacity. She
is a great example of the best of what the UNC School of Social Work
is all about. Her career has been a true calling, going far beyond the
demands of any “ job.”’
Geffner, of Chapel Hill, came to the School of Social Work as a
graduate student in 1999 after a 20- year career in book publishing in
New York City. When she and her family moved to North Carolina in
1995, she decided it was time to focus her professional energy on com-munity
development and advocacy.
While she was a student in the Triangle part- time program,
Geffner recognized a gap in services for adolescents in Orange and
Chatham counties. This was the inspiration for The Community
Backyard, a non- profit that is devoted to addressing the mental health
and substance abuse needs of adolescents in Orange and Chatham
counties.
Geffner’s nominator wrote, “ There is no question that The Com-munity
Backyard, Isabel’s brainchild, is evidence of a major innovation
that has improved the quality of life for community members. Starting
the organization required top- notch leadership skills and creativ-ity,
which she possesses in abundance. The Community Backyard is
now a part of the Orange County Mental Health Association and is
continuing its innovative work in serving teens with mental health and
substance abuse issues.”
After serving as the executive director of The Community Back-yard
for three years, Geffner left the organization to spend more time
with her family. However, she continues her community advocacy
in her current position at SCALE ( Student Coalition for Action in
Literacy Education) in the School of Education at UNC, coordinating
a national project focused on enhancing adolescent literacy. She also
volunteers in the crisis unit at the Chapel Hill Police Department and
has been a volunteer at the Women’s Center, Communities in Schools
and Adolescents in Need.
Introducing…
The 2007 Distingushed Alumni Award winners
by Mary Beth Hernandez
Jeff Smith receives
Tate- Turner- Kuralt
Champions Award
Jeff Smith, a member of the School’s
Board of Advisors, is this year’s recipient of
the Tate- Turner- Kuralt Champions Award
for outstanding volunteer service to the School.
Smith, of Los Angeles and New York, graduated from Carolina
in 1992 with a B. A. in history. He is the CEO of JS2 Communica-tions,
an award- winning public relations and marketing firm. Since
joining the Board of Advisors in 2005, he has provided count-less
hours of volunteer service in helping the School improve its
marketing and public relations. His efforts have assisted the School
in many areas, including student recruitment, media relations,
strategic planning and public relations.
“ Personally, it is an honor and a pleasure to know Jeff, who
comes to his work with us with a great sense of humor, an under-standing
of and appreciation for the social work profession, and a
keen sense of the best ways to promote the many strengths of our
school,” said Dean Jack Richman. “ I am very grateful for his selfless
service.”
Breaking News
Holly Bowles
Blanton ‘ 77
Isabel Geffner ‘ 02
E
Mel Adair ‘ 76
School receives one of the largest gifts in its history
S
Natasha Bowen
Joelle Powers
28 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 29
am and Betsy Reeves of Fresno, Calif., have donated $ 1 million
to establish the Sandra Reeves Spears and John B. Turner
Distinguished Professorship at the School of Social Work.
The gift enables the school to establish an endowed chair to attract
a leading scholar who will teach students methods of working with
families, engagement with community agencies and promoting best
practice models.
The professorship was formally announced on Sept. 14 at a cel-ebration
at the School of Social Work.
A portion of the Reeves’ gift, $ 667,000, is eligible to be combined
with $ 333,000 from the state’s Distinguished Professors Endowment
Trust Fund to create a $ 1 million endowment. The professorship was
established as part of the Carolina First Campaign, a comprehensive,
multi- year, private fund- raising campaign that includes a goal of creat-ing
200 endowed professorships.
The remaining $ 333,000 of the Reeves’ gift will be combined with
a $ 250,000 gift from Janie and Billy Armfield of Richmond, Va., to
establish the Armfield- Reeves Innovations Fund, which will provide
research grants to faculty and students of the School of Social Work.
Janie Armfield is a member of the school’s board of advisors. Billy,
a ‘ 56 alumnus of Carolina, is a past chairman of the university’s board
of trustees. The Armfields are longtime supporters of the School of
Social Work and the University.
The Reeves’ gift is one of the largest donations the School of Social
Work has ever received.
“ This is a transformative gift that will further strengthen our abil-ity
to serve the State of North Carolina, and children and families in
need,” said Dean Jack Richman.
A 1956 alumnus of Carolina, Sam Reeves is the owner of Pin-nacle
Trading in Fresno. The Reeves gave the gift to honor the lifelong
dedication of their daughter Sandra, and John B. Turner, dean emeritus
of the School of Social Work, to improving the lives of children, their
families and communities.
Sandra Reeves Spears owns and operates The Puffin School in
Houston, Texas, a state licensed program for children three to six years
old, and is active in community service involving children, families
and environmental causes. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College,
Wellesley College, Beijing Normal College and the University of Tou-louse
in France. She and her husband Clay have two children, Caroline
and Stephen.
Dean emeritus John B. Turner, a namesake of the Tate- Turner-
Kuralt School of Social Work building, retired in 1992 after a 40- year
career in social work filled with national and international honors and
accomplishments. He has devoted his life to social activism and social
work education.
“ I am delighted to support the School of Social Work,” said Sam
Reeves. “ At its core, the school is about valuing people— especially
the disheartened and the burdened. And in the process, encouraging
choices which will build, transform and embolden people towards a
more liberated life. Every person deserves as much.”
School receives over $ 1 million to establish
professorship and innovations fund
Story and photos by Michelle Rogers
S
Sandra Reeves Spears, School of Social Work board member Linnea Smith, Sam Reeves and Dean Smith
Faculty members Mark Fraser and Dean Jack Richman with
Janie Armfield
UNC- Chapel Hill Chancellor James Moeser
Faculty members Sharon Holmes Thomas and Oscar Barbarin with staff
member Dana Caudill
School of Social Work board chair Louise Coggins and
Sandra Reeves Spears
Billy and Janie Armfield with Armfield Scholars ( center) Kenyette Fowler
and Ashley Ward
Betsy Reeves and School of Social Work board member Jill Gammon
Dean Emeritus John and Marian Turner Chair of the UNC- Chapel Hill Board of Trustees Roger Perry and Sam
Reeves mingle with the crowd
30 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 31
Chancellors Club
$ 2,000 and above
Melvarene Johnson Adair
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The School of Social Work thanks the many alumni, friends, foundations and corporations
who have made financial contributions as gifts or grants for sponsored research between
July 1, 2006 and June 30, 2007. Thanks to your generous support, our School has become
one of the best in the country. We produce leaders in social work education, research, direct
practice and community service. Your generosity enhances everything we do. We have made
every effort to ensure the accuracy of the listing below. If an error or omission has occurred,
please accept our apology and notify Kristen Huffman, Director of the Annual Fund and
Alumni Relations at ( 919) 843- 7285 or Kristen_ Huffman@ unc. edu.
w 1st Time Donor
l Consecutive Donor for 5+ Years
m Deceased
2006- 2007
Honor Roll
of Donors
32 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 33
1960s
Zell Setzer, MSW ‘ 69, and his wife Cindy have retired, sold their
insurance business, bought a motorhome, and served as activity
coordinators at Yogi in the Smokies Campground and RV Resort in
Cherokee, NC. After October, they are headed for Florida, or some
other warmer clime.
1970s
Robin Bilazarian, MSW ‘ 78, LCSW, continues to speak to large
audiences. She presented “ A New Look at Stress Management us-ing
Acupressure: the Emotional Freedom Techniques” at the World
Annual Employee Assistance Program Conference in San Diego in
October. This year she has also presented this topic in New Jersey to
the AAMFT conference called “ Cutting Edge Therapies” and to social
workers. She also presents this frequently at local wellness centers and
to hospital staff. Bilazarian is employed in a private practice and in a
regional trauma hospital EAP program.
Muki Fairchild, MSW ‘ 76, recently retired from her position as direc-tor
of the Department of Social Work at Duke University Hospital and
the head of the Division of Psychiatric Social Work in the Department
of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical
Center.
Diane Gramann, MSW ‘ 76, returned as area director of the Al-zheimer’s
Association of Middle Tennessee. After receiving the Marvin
Runyon Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management and the
Nashville Business Journal Award for Excellence in Communications
during her tenure as executive director of the Community Resource
Center, Diane was a member of the National Association of Social
Workers delegation to the Republic of China and part of a holistic
team of health care professionals visiting Peru to study the influence
of the Inca culture on today’s society there. She serves on the Board of
Directors for the Council on Aging and the External Advisory Board
of the Vanderbilt- Reynolds Geriatrics Education Center in Nashville.
Wilburn Hayden, MSW ‘ 73, was named 2007 Social Worker of the
Year by the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Association of Social
Workers ( NASW).
Maria Possa- Marcandalli, MSW ‘ 79, is a proud grandmother for
the seventh time. Giorgio was born in London on January 9. He was
welcomed by his sister Marta, cousins Elodie, Lauryne, Lena ( living in
France), Matteo and Elena ( living in Italy).
1990s
Geri McKinney Arrindell, MSW ‘ 96, completed her law degree at the
University of Illinois, and has passed the Illinois Bar.
Triangle Community Foundation president Andrea Bazan- Mason,
MSW- MPH ‘ 95, was elected to the board of trustees for Blue Cross and
Blue Shield of North Carolina. Andrea will serve on the governance
and nominating committee and the health care and market initiatives
committee.
Michael Clements, MSW- MPH ‘ 91, has joined the Winston- Salem
Foundation as vice president of community investment. Michael will
oversee and guide the Foundation’s initiatives and community invest-ment
activities, and supervise grant- making and student aid.
Marcella L. Hamilton, MSW ‘ 97, was elected to the South Carolina
Social Work Board.
2000s
Daniel Brezenoff, MSW ‘ 00, has opened a private practice in Califor-nia,
and is running for congress.
Presley Bright, MSW ' 01, welcomes Max Allan Bright, who was born
on July 22, 2007. Max joins big sister Zoe, born in 2004.
Ebon C. Freeman, MSW ‘ 02, received a License for Clinical Social
Work ( LCSW) in Virginia. Ebon is the palliative care social worker for
Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk.
Tracy Hamilton, MSW ' 05, has joined the Women's Health Branch as
the Northern Regional Social Work Consultant for the Baby Love Plus
Program. For the last two years, she worked as a public health program
consultant for the NC HIV/ STD Prevention and Care Branch.
Kathryn Keicher, MSW ‘ 05, received a $ 5,000 award from the Avon
Hello Tomorrow Fund to help clients in UNC’s BRIGHT program
( Bridges to Good Health and Treatment). The program supports
female inmates— many living with chronic diseases such as HIV— in a
successful and healthful transition back into the community.
Workplace Solutions LLC of Whittier, owned by Charles Richard
Panther, MSW ' 00, was recently selected by the Eastern Band of
Cherokee Indians to provide online educational programs, as well as
classroom instruction, for tribal employees.
Sweetly Togba, MSW ‘ 04, was promoted to a supervisory position
at the Durham Department of Social Services. She was also married
recently and her name is now Sweetly Darlingstain Sanders.
Holly Yaeger, MSW ‘ 04, was recently promoted to a new position at
New Hanover County. She has worked at NHC since graduation, and
will be part of a new project with the department.
In Memoriam
Edwin Hubbell Chapin II, MSW ‘ 67, age 72, of Charlotte, died on
October 6, 2007. He is survived by his wife Peg, three children and two
grandchildren. Ed was the director of the Mecklenberg County DSS
for 17 years, served as assistant Mecklenberg County manager, and was
also on the UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work’s board for several
years. In September 2007, by proclamation of the Mecklenberg County
Commission, a wing of Mecklenberg’s new social services building will
bear the name Chapin Hall in his honor.
Ed won the School of Social Work’s distinguished alumni award in
2005. “ He was a social work leader, a respected professional and a very
kind and gentle man,” said Dean Jack Richman. “ He was a good friend
of our school, of social work education, and he will be greatly missed.”
His family and friends have established a scholarship in his honor
at UNC- Charlotte. Memorials may be sent to the Edwin Chapin Social
Work Scholarship, in care of Susan H. Ingle, College of Health and Hu-man
Services, UNC Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte,
NC 28223- 0001.
Marlyn M. Ranck, MSW ‘ 80, age 60, of Durham, died on September 8,
2007 at his home after a heroic battle with cancer. Marlyn was married
to Anita Charles Ranck for 33 years. Surviving in addition to his wife
are two children, Andrew and Sharyn. Born in Lancaster, Pa., he was a
1969 graduate of Eastern Mennonite University with a BA in psychol-ogy.
He earned his master’s degree in psychology from Millersville Uni-versity
and his master’s in social work from UNC- Chapel Hill. Marlyn
was an active member of Durham Mennonite Church, where he taught
Sunday School for many years. He was employed by Value Options as a
case manager.
Rachel Sherman ‘ 99, 31, of Charlottesville, V. A., died in an automobile
accident on April 15, 2007. Sherman was a graduate of Duke University
and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social
Work. She worked for The Finance Project in Washington, DC as a
researcher and writer helping community organizations across the
country finance and sustain local programs for children and families.
She is survived by her husband, Steven.
Gregory Keith Thomas, MSW ‘ 88, age 53, of Kernersville died August
1, 2007 at his home. Gregory was born in Johnson City, TN and was an
Army veteran. He received his BS degree in Philosophy and Sociology
from East Tennessee State University, a BS in Social Work from UNC-Greensboro,
and an MSW from UNC- Chapel Hill. He devoted his life
to service as a clinical worker and psychotherapist in both Forsyth and
Guilford Counties. In addition, he was an adjunct instructor of Sociol-ogy
at Salem College for 12 years. He is survived by his wife of 28 years,
Susan.
Martha Hebbert Wilson, MSW ‘ 42, of Durham, died on August 20,
2007. On July 21, she celebrated her 99th birthday by blowing out
all the candles in one breath. She is survived by her three children,
Charles, Ralph, and Martha Jane, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
She was born in Little Rock, Ark., and graduated Phi
Beta Kappa from Syracuse University in 1930. After moving to Dur-ham
in 1934 with her late husband, Charles, Martha worked as a social
worker and graduated from UNC- Chapel Hill, earning her master’s
degree in social work. She devoted her life to her family, church, social
causes and gardening. Among her many honors, she was chosen Dur-ham
Mother of the Year in 1988. A memorial service was held at First
Presbyterian Church, where she was a member for over 60 years and
taught Sunday School.
Former legislator joins
Board of Advisors
Ruth Cook of Raleigh, a member of
the North Carolina Legislature for
five terms, has joined the School’s
Board of Advisors.
During her tenure in the legisla-ture,
she was ranked the top woman
legislator and the tenth most
effective legislator in the House of
Representatives. Cook was also the
commissioner of the NC Utilities
Commission for nine years and served
as a lobbyist for the North Carolina Chapter of the National
Association of Social Workers.
Cook has served as a board member and volunteer
leader for many organizations in the state, including the UNC
Center for Public Television, Common Cause, the NC Center
for Public Policy Research, the Common Sense Foundation,
and the League of Women Voters of Wake County. In 1991,
Governor James Martin awarded her the Order of the Long
Leaf Pine, the highest civilian honor that can be granted in
North Carolina.
“ We are delighted and honored that Ruth has agreed to
join the Board,” said Dean Jack Richman. “ Her knowledge of
North Carolina government and the social work profession,
as well as her commitment to public service, are invaluable
assets.”
Clinical Lecture Series
Monday, January 14, 2008
Ethics and End of Life Care
Laura Hanson, MD, MPH
Monday, February 18, 2008
How Do We Treat Perpetrators? The Ethics of Working with
Sex Offenders
Melissa Grady, PhD, MSW, LCSW
Monday, March 24, 2008
Using Transference and Counter- transference
David Freeman, MD
Monday, April 21, 2008
Steps to More Powerful Groups
Bohdan Hrynewych, MSW, LCSW, LCAS
Two contact hours available for each lecture.
All take place at the School of Social Work
from 12: 00- 2: 00 p. m. Online pre- registration
is required. For more information, visit:
http:// ssw. unc. edu/ jif/ cls/
Alumni update
Ruth Cook
34 Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work 35
From the Alumni President
Dear fellow alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends of the School of Social Work,
It is with great pride that I greet you in this, our 25th anniversary publication of
Contact.
With so much to be excited about at the School of Social Work, I struggle for a
place to begin as I update you about some of our most significant events since the
spring edition. Of course, we are all deeply saddened by the deaths of faculty members
Florence Soltys ’ 84 and Dr. Phil Cooke. I had the opportunity to speak with Florence
earlier this year, and it was unforgettable to see her passion as she talked about her
work with the aging population. We will greatly miss her and Dr. Cooke.
Vanessa Hodges has graciously surrendered the north wing of the School to return to
full- time research and teaching. Join with me in thanking her for the tremendous job she has
done as the associate dean for Academic Affairs. I’m pleased to welcome Dr. Anna Scheyett
’ 89 as our new associate dean for Academic Affairs and Sharon Holmes Thomas ’ 98 as the
new director of Recruitment, Admissions, and Financial Aid. Their experience and leadership
will be wonderful assets as we continue to the work of preparing current and future students
for the social work profession.
As president of the Alumni Council, I have enjoyed traveling across North Carolina, the
United States and China to talk about how our School is conducting cutting- edge research
and preparing future scholars and practitioners to advocate and intervene in the lives of in-
Students photographed on March 27, 2007
Contact | UNC- Chapel Hill School of Social Work dividuals and communities. The research of Oscar Barbarin, Gary Bowen
and Lynn Usher; the publications of Iris Carlton- LaNey, Mark Frazier
and Kim Strom- Gottfried; and the interventions designed by Amelia
Roberts all have made invaluable contributions to the body of knowl-edge
within the social work profession.
We are very grateful to have the Sandra Reeves Spears and John B.
Turner Distinguished Professorship at the School of Social Work and
the Armfield- Reeves Innovations Fund, which will provide research
grants to faculty and students, as well as the splendid gift from Mel
Adair. These gifts are the fruits of the relentless labor of Louise
Coggins, chair of the School of Social Work Board of Advisors and
Mary Beth Hernandez, associate dean for Advancement. And as
always, a special thanks to all of our hard- working staff, especially
Kristen Huffman, director of the Annual Fund and Alumni Rela-tions,
and Michelle Rogers, director of Communications.
Your generous support and contributions do not go un-noticed.
Thank you for caring and helping the School of Social
Work here at Carolina to be the most community- engaged
entity on campus. “ Hark the sound of Tar Heel Voices, Ring-ing
clear and true, singing Carolina praises shouting N- C- U”.
Sincerely,
Greg Perkins ‘ 03
34
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Campus Box 3550 • 325 Pittsboro Street
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599- 3550
Nonprofit Organization
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Chapel Hill, NC
http:// ssw. unc. edu
MSW student Emily Sanford
in Capetown, South Africa
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