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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 Breon G. Allen Jane Hall Armfield William Johnston Armfield, IV James Greer Babb, Jr. l Mary Lou Babb Gordon J. H. Berg ( Estate Of ) w Holly Bowles Blanton George W. Bostian Meghan Walsh Cioffi l Rob Cioffi Katherine Margaret Dunlap l Maeda J. Galinsky l G. Roland Gammon, III l Jill Silverstein Gammon l Kathryn Heath l Joe Anderson Hewitt l Miriam Ferebee McFadden l Peter J. Meehan Prudence F. Meehan Susan K. Nutter Margaret P. Parker l L. Richardson Preyer, Jr. l Marilyn Jacobs Preyer l Betsy Reeves w Samuel Thomas Reeves w Gary Ten Harmsel l Mary Ten Harmsel Frank E. Walsh, Jr. Mimi Walsh H. Thomas Webb, III l Annie E. Casey Foundation w Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Foundation for the Carolinas Preyer- Jacobs Foundation Prospect Hill Foundation, Inc. w Sandy Hill Foundation Triangle Community Foundation Howard Odum Founders Club $ 1,000-$ 1,999 Elva Rose Auman Frank Arthur Daniels, Jr. l B. Glenwood Dorman, Jr. Dwan Browning Dorman l Michael Ferone Susan Wood Ferone l Laura C. Hanson w Carroll Butts Heins l Mary Laraine Young Hines l Thomas Blair Hines Frank Rich Lindh l Marilyn Pace Maxwell Gretchen Stancell McCoy Melinda Johnston McMeekin Fred Goode Mills Linda Faircloth Perry Roger Lee Perry, Sr. Jane Forbes Pope l Nancy Howard Sitterson l John Austin Tate, III Merlene King Wall l Alice Jane Washington Deans Club $ 500-$ 999 Barbara K. Allen Judy Atchley- Benson Jackie Langley Barnes McCray V. Benson Patricia Burns Cole l Dana Newman Courtney Ruby Butler Demesme l David Armstrong Edelman H. Glenn Gray w Stuart Henderson w Richard Jacobsen Mary Ann Barnes Kimball l R. David Kimball w Thomas Willis Lambeth l Patricia Donovan Larson l Donald Thomas Lauria Marie M. Lauria A. Helen Martikainen w Robert B. McKeagney, Jr. Pansy McGee Morton Margaret Barranger Reid l Barbara Rodbell Jeffrey Scott Smith Jacqueline R. Soltys w Rankin Allen Whittington Community Foundation of Henderson County w Edelman Foundation Cornerstone Club $ 250-$ 499 Sarah Young Austin l Paul Edgar Castelloe, Jr. Jane Wilson Curran Mathieu Ronald Despard Maralyn Farber w Julia Helmes Gaskell l Robert Brian Glennon Bernard J. Hyman Edward Anthony Lake l Marydine Lentz Lamb Janice Sweetser Linaugh l Mark Linaugh Easter Ann Maynard Jane McCaleb w Janice Dunn McNeely Patrick Michael McNeely F. Wayne Morris l Sarah Taylor Morrow Alice Crosswell Myers Susan Lynn Parish Kerri Lyn Patrick Mark Edward Peel Andrew Richard Pflaum Carolyn Carruth Rizza Pearl F. Seymour Robert E. Seymour, Jr. Denise Shaffer Gary Lee Shaffer l John A. Tate, Jr. l Marjorie Warlick Tate Sarah Lindsay Tate l Miriam Willis Whisnant l George Carroll Wilkinson, Jr. l Bright Kinnett Wright Anonymous ( 3) w Century Club $ 100-$ 249 Doris Jean Alexander l Julia Banner Allen l Donna Burke Allred l Nancy Johnson Anderson l Stephen Henry Andrews l Stephen Marc Appell w Franklin Murphy Averitt, III Nancy W. Aycock William Brantley Aycock Kathleen G. Barrett w Patricia A. Bartell Joseph Baird Bass, Jr. Andrea Triplette Benfield Tammy Blackard Cook James A. Blakley l Lynn Monroe Bolick l L. Worth Bolton Thelma Rochelle Bostic w Mary Ellen Bowles w Bobby Kenneth Boyd Charles Gary Boyd Betsy Bryan w James Alexander Bryan, II Roy T. Campbell w Almon Franklin Carr Deborah Black Carroll Portia Haimbach Christensen Rosemary H. Claudy l Louise Weeks Coggins l Stephen Dalton Coggins l Trevor Colvin w Gloria Pope Cook l Laurel Archer Copp w Harry Michael Core l Jean Grolimund Costa Santo J. Costa w Yang- Cha Pak Crabb l Heather Barkley Craige Sue Averitt Creighton Deborah Bishop Crist l Richard Verne Crume w Yoko Sakuma Crume w Sara Smith Curtis Tricia Daisley l Marie L. Torrey Danforth Margery Daniel l Allison Louise Darwin w Martha Louise Davis Rebecca Thompson Davis l Wayne Ray Davis l James R. Degener Jeanne Ford Denny Betty Dixon w Nancy Lee Dorrier Dana Leette Duncan l Jeanne Gabrielle Dunphey w Gladys Sapp Dunston Jennifer Holland Eller Thomas Daniel Eller w Carmen Schindel Fix Anne Rieley Flash w Harry Black Foard l Louise Ficklen Folger l Tara Anne Forcier Ida Howell Friday William Clyde Friday Rachel G. Fuller Harriet Hubbard Gaillard Annette Morgan Galbreith Manuel E. Garcia Sarah Novotny Gedney l Marshall Guilbert Gravely Jane Marie Gress Bertram Howard Grossman w Rita Meyer Gulden l Bruce Fraser Gurganus Mary Silverstein Hamilton John E. Hammond w Mary G. Hammond w Herbert S. Harned, Jr. Jean Goldfuss Harned l Albert Lee Harriett Phyllis Sherman Harriett Barbara Clark Harter l Bryan Edward Harter w Beth Leatherman Harwell Holly H. Heath- Shepard l H. Carlisle Henley, Jr. l Mary Elizabeth Harding Hernandez l Mary Lamberton Hill w Robin Zacharias Hill Henry Hoyt Hobbs Vanessa Hodges John Toby Hoffler Marguerite McCollum Howe l Karen Kirchman Humphrey l Verla Clemens Insko Eugenia Lanier Ivy l Debra Barbour Jenkins Marjorie Mae Johnson Jamon Kenneth Junius Bettye Smith Kelly l Margaret Gilbert Kirk w Raymond Sidney Kirk l Blondine Ingrid Knelsen Carolyn Johnson Koch Gary Grove Koch Twala Jo Kruger Carl Edward Lancaster l Daniel Lanier, Jr. Stephen Lay w J. Mark Leggett l James Raymond Wesley Leonard Mardi Dover Letson Charles Freeman Longino, Jr. w Loyce White Longino w Barbara Von Oesen Lupton Martha Shackford Malling Reba Samantha Mangham w James O. May, Jr. l Hortense K. McClinton Anne- Marie E. Larkin McJilton l Roy A. 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McNeill Smith, Jr. Canessa Lockhart Stafford Mary Lowrance Stagg l Linda Virginia Stewart Penelope Smith Stiffler Kimberly Jean Strom- Gottfried l Eugene Murphy Sumner Deborah Swaim Patricia Ann Tiedemann Mary Beth Tobin Carol Patricia Tresolini w Rebecca Reardon Tyrrell l Linda Pilcher Wassenich l David Maryland Webb w Mark Douglas Weber Jennifer Weiss w Martha Lorene Wertz m Willis Padgett Whichard l James Benjamin Whitaker l Marcia Lynn White l Linda Ruth Williams l Dawn Whitehead Wilson Joel Benjamin Wilson Nancy Borstelmann Winer Janet Alexander Wood l Elizabeth Wood Wright Robin Zalkin- Brown l Lisa Shuman Zweifel Community Foundation of Western North Carolina w Health Education Foundation of Eastern North Carolina w Friends Melissa Diane Abell Mary Alice Powell Adams Stephanie M. Alexander James Henry Alix l Elaine Evans Allen Patricia Bransford Allen B. Alison Allsbrook l Toni Ogren Altman George William Alwon l Louie McDonald Amos, Jr. l Helen Jean Anderson w James Troy Anderson, Jr. Angela Hobbs Annas Sue Smith Applewhite Caroline White Armstrong Jeanne Geise Arnts Geri McKinney Arrindell w Katherine Abbott Artin Christa A. Atkinson w Melissa Igdaloff Attar Joseph Baker w Melvin Bernard Baker John Richard Ball Ann McLeod Barkley Faith Barnes l William Lesko Barney Nancy Spencer Bartlett Creighton Cuthrell Becker Margaret Wilde Beddard Thomas Joseph Begines w Leslie Stone Bellard l Sally Hargrave Benfield Stephanie Eddy Berry l Sonia P. Bettez Adam Bianchi Louanne Mills Bisel Joseph Bond Bixler w Janice Black Darren Scott Boice Connie Cope Bonebrake Kris Northrup Booker Alice Louise Bordsen w Deborah Wilson Bowling David Lee Bradshaw Letitia Blount Bratton Darla Stanice Braziel w Emily Karyn Bredthauer Ann B. 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Rosenfeld w Susan Roszel Angela Marie Rotchstein w Richard Rotchstein w Judith Sue Rothenberg l Jeffrey Joseph Rous Sarah Gralen Rous Raymond Talmadge Rouse Elizabeth Smith Rupp l Gail Tyndall Russell Eleanor Kambour Sableski William Sanford Salin Mary Anne Pierce Salmon Cynthia Lindsey Sauber l Rose Field Schenker l Anne Achurch Schnatter Peter Allen Scholle, Jr. Ivan Charles Schonfeld l Pamela Suzanne Scott Susan Scully l Margaret Burden Seagroves Alfred Robert Searle Charlon Ione Seegar James Edward Seney Zell Morgan Setzer Elizabeth Hoover Sexton Ursula Rose Sherrill l Mary Winne Sherwood Susan Shields l David Lee Shore w Eleanor Self Shuping l Joanne Sieving Sigmon Patricia Susan Sikes w Emily Barbour Simmons l Larry Wayne Simmons l Julia Bone Sinclair Brooke Alison Skinner w Amy Nicole Smith Barbara Beene Smith Helen Feagans Smith Linda Annette Smith l Margaret Bowron Smith Ronnie J. Smith Amy Gwen Smoker w Denise Feinberg Sprung Sheila Lee Stansberry Vicki Lynn Copeland Steed l Stacy Hovis Steele l Barbara Jean Massey Stelly w James Robert Stevens l Elizabeth Robertson Stoker Georgie McCullough Stone l Michael L. Stowe l Jennifer Leigh Straw Robert Ray Stump Kerry Elizabeth Sugrue w David Bruce Sykes l Sarah Sizemore Talley l Isabel Fleming Talton Diane Evans Tannehill William Henry Tarkington Cora Hodge Taylor Edward Franklin Taylor Suzan Monroe Teague Mary A. Terzian w Paul Leo Tessier l Mary Fendt Thompson Wimberly Beth Thompson Debra Dietrich Todd Richard Earl Travis l June Palmour Trevor Jeanne M. Trexler Christine Danielle Tronnier Susan Beth Trout w Thomas Christopher Tuck Walter R. Turner l Kim Smykil Uhrich Sally Fuquay Umbdenstock l Charles L. Usher l Mary Capehart Valand Teresa Ellen Valliere Suzanne Columbus Van Pelt l Anna Hofer Vanhoy Joseph Franklin Vannoy Bonnie Rannbury Vargo E. Gail Varley Beth Vazquez w Ann Pitt Waldon l Roger Stephen Waldon Roberta Miller Wallace l Penni Ackerman Wallas Brenda Sue Robinson Ward l Peter Hilton Ward Charles Bruce Warren, Jr. Anna Carlton Watkins w Patricia Ballard Webb William Edward Weddington Carolyn Gaither Weeks w Thomas Venard Weinkam Barbara Simmons Wells Laura Magistro Wells l Lynne Hill Wenz Judith Coffey Wesson Sandra June West l Helen Jane Wettach w Tara Michelle Weymouth Ann Archer White Sterling Hegnauer Whitener John Crane Whitfield l Nell Goforth Wiggins Judith Bres Wildfire Barbara Ann Wilfong Ronald George Wilkinson, Jr. Guy Willetts Margaret Larsh Williams Megan Scull Williams Emagene Emanuel Willingham Elizabeth Taylor Wilson Emily Green Wilson Jeanette Assousa Wilson Ginger Wilson Wilson- Gines James William Wise l Virginia Eyler Wittekind Danielle Belcher Woodall w J. Edward Woodall w Gwendolyn Davis Woodmansee Louise Speight Woods l Holly Arden Yaeger Homer Frazier Yearick C. Allen York w Heather Poole York Douglas Morton Young w Roy Allison Young l Sarah Varner Young John Christopher Yount 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 U. S. Postage PAID Permit No. 177 Chapel Hill, NC http:// ssw. unc. edu MSW student Emily Sanford in Capetown, South Africa Story on p. 11
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Title | Contact : a newsletter for the School of Social Work and its alumni |
Date | 2007 |
Description | fall 2007 |
Digital Characteristics-A | 3942 KB; 19 p. |
Digital Format |
application/pdf |
Full Text | 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 Breon G. Allen Jane Hall Armfield William Johnston Armfield, IV James Greer Babb, Jr. l Mary Lou Babb Gordon J. H. Berg ( Estate Of ) w Holly Bowles Blanton George W. Bostian Meghan Walsh Cioffi l Rob Cioffi Katherine Margaret Dunlap l Maeda J. Galinsky l G. Roland Gammon, III l Jill Silverstein Gammon l Kathryn Heath l Joe Anderson Hewitt l Miriam Ferebee McFadden l Peter J. Meehan Prudence F. Meehan Susan K. Nutter Margaret P. Parker l L. Richardson Preyer, Jr. l Marilyn Jacobs Preyer l Betsy Reeves w Samuel Thomas Reeves w Gary Ten Harmsel l Mary Ten Harmsel Frank E. Walsh, Jr. Mimi Walsh H. Thomas Webb, III l Annie E. Casey Foundation w Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Foundation for the Carolinas Preyer- Jacobs Foundation Prospect Hill Foundation, Inc. w Sandy Hill Foundation Triangle Community Foundation Howard Odum Founders Club $ 1,000-$ 1,999 Elva Rose Auman Frank Arthur Daniels, Jr. l B. Glenwood Dorman, Jr. Dwan Browning Dorman l Michael Ferone Susan Wood Ferone l Laura C. Hanson w Carroll Butts Heins l Mary Laraine Young Hines l Thomas Blair Hines Frank Rich Lindh l Marilyn Pace Maxwell Gretchen Stancell McCoy Melinda Johnston McMeekin Fred Goode Mills Linda Faircloth Perry Roger Lee Perry, Sr. Jane Forbes Pope l Nancy Howard Sitterson l John Austin Tate, III Merlene King Wall l Alice Jane Washington Deans Club $ 500-$ 999 Barbara K. Allen Judy Atchley- Benson Jackie Langley Barnes McCray V. Benson Patricia Burns Cole l Dana Newman Courtney Ruby Butler Demesme l David Armstrong Edelman H. Glenn Gray w Stuart Henderson w Richard Jacobsen Mary Ann Barnes Kimball l R. David Kimball w Thomas Willis Lambeth l Patricia Donovan Larson l Donald Thomas Lauria Marie M. Lauria A. Helen Martikainen w Robert B. McKeagney, Jr. Pansy McGee Morton Margaret Barranger Reid l Barbara Rodbell Jeffrey Scott Smith Jacqueline R. Soltys w Rankin Allen Whittington Community Foundation of Henderson County w Edelman Foundation Cornerstone Club $ 250-$ 499 Sarah Young Austin l Paul Edgar Castelloe, Jr. Jane Wilson Curran Mathieu Ronald Despard Maralyn Farber w Julia Helmes Gaskell l Robert Brian Glennon Bernard J. Hyman Edward Anthony Lake l Marydine Lentz Lamb Janice Sweetser Linaugh l Mark Linaugh Easter Ann Maynard Jane McCaleb w Janice Dunn McNeely Patrick Michael McNeely F. Wayne Morris l Sarah Taylor Morrow Alice Crosswell Myers Susan Lynn Parish Kerri Lyn Patrick Mark Edward Peel Andrew Richard Pflaum Carolyn Carruth Rizza Pearl F. Seymour Robert E. Seymour, Jr. Denise Shaffer Gary Lee Shaffer l John A. Tate, Jr. l Marjorie Warlick Tate Sarah Lindsay Tate l Miriam Willis Whisnant l George Carroll Wilkinson, Jr. l Bright Kinnett Wright Anonymous ( 3) w Century Club $ 100-$ 249 Doris Jean Alexander l Julia Banner Allen l Donna Burke Allred l Nancy Johnson Anderson l Stephen Henry Andrews l Stephen Marc Appell w Franklin Murphy Averitt, III Nancy W. Aycock William Brantley Aycock Kathleen G. Barrett w Patricia A. Bartell Joseph Baird Bass, Jr. Andrea Triplette Benfield Tammy Blackard Cook James A. Blakley l Lynn Monroe Bolick l L. Worth Bolton Thelma Rochelle Bostic w Mary Ellen Bowles w Bobby Kenneth Boyd Charles Gary Boyd Betsy Bryan w James Alexander Bryan, II Roy T. Campbell w Almon Franklin Carr Deborah Black Carroll Portia Haimbach Christensen Rosemary H. Claudy l Louise Weeks Coggins l Stephen Dalton Coggins l Trevor Colvin w Gloria Pope Cook l Laurel Archer Copp w Harry Michael Core l Jean Grolimund Costa Santo J. 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McNeill Smith, Jr. Canessa Lockhart Stafford Mary Lowrance Stagg l Linda Virginia Stewart Penelope Smith Stiffler Kimberly Jean Strom- Gottfried l Eugene Murphy Sumner Deborah Swaim Patricia Ann Tiedemann Mary Beth Tobin Carol Patricia Tresolini w Rebecca Reardon Tyrrell l Linda Pilcher Wassenich l David Maryland Webb w Mark Douglas Weber Jennifer Weiss w Martha Lorene Wertz m Willis Padgett Whichard l James Benjamin Whitaker l Marcia Lynn White l Linda Ruth Williams l Dawn Whitehead Wilson Joel Benjamin Wilson Nancy Borstelmann Winer Janet Alexander Wood l Elizabeth Wood Wright Robin Zalkin- Brown l Lisa Shuman Zweifel Community Foundation of Western North Carolina w Health Education Foundation of Eastern North Carolina w Friends Melissa Diane Abell Mary Alice Powell Adams Stephanie M. Alexander James Henry Alix l Elaine Evans Allen Patricia Bransford Allen B. 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Smith Amy Gwen Smoker w Denise Feinberg Sprung Sheila Lee Stansberry Vicki Lynn Copeland Steed l Stacy Hovis Steele l Barbara Jean Massey Stelly w James Robert Stevens l Elizabeth Robertson Stoker Georgie McCullough Stone l Michael L. Stowe l Jennifer Leigh Straw Robert Ray Stump Kerry Elizabeth Sugrue w David Bruce Sykes l Sarah Sizemore Talley l Isabel Fleming Talton Diane Evans Tannehill William Henry Tarkington Cora Hodge Taylor Edward Franklin Taylor Suzan Monroe Teague Mary A. Terzian w Paul Leo Tessier l Mary Fendt Thompson Wimberly Beth Thompson Debra Dietrich Todd Richard Earl Travis l June Palmour Trevor Jeanne M. Trexler Christine Danielle Tronnier Susan Beth Trout w Thomas Christopher Tuck Walter R. Turner l Kim Smykil Uhrich Sally Fuquay Umbdenstock l Charles L. Usher l Mary Capehart Valand Teresa Ellen Valliere Suzanne Columbus Van Pelt l Anna Hofer Vanhoy Joseph Franklin Vannoy Bonnie Rannbury Vargo E. Gail Varley Beth Vazquez w Ann Pitt Waldon l Roger Stephen Waldon Roberta Miller Wallace l Penni Ackerman Wallas Brenda Sue Robinson Ward l Peter Hilton Ward Charles Bruce Warren, Jr. Anna Carlton Watkins w Patricia Ballard Webb William Edward Weddington Carolyn Gaither Weeks w Thomas Venard Weinkam Barbara Simmons Wells Laura Magistro Wells l Lynne Hill Wenz Judith Coffey Wesson Sandra June West l Helen Jane Wettach w Tara Michelle Weymouth Ann Archer White Sterling Hegnauer Whitener John Crane Whitfield l Nell Goforth Wiggins Judith Bres Wildfire Barbara Ann Wilfong Ronald George Wilkinson, Jr. Guy Willetts Margaret Larsh Williams Megan Scull Williams Emagene Emanuel Willingham Elizabeth Taylor Wilson Emily Green Wilson Jeanette Assousa Wilson Ginger Wilson Wilson- Gines James William Wise l Virginia Eyler Wittekind Danielle Belcher Woodall w J. Edward Woodall w Gwendolyn Davis Woodmansee Louise Speight Woods l Holly Arden Yaeger Homer Frazier Yearick C. Allen York w Heather Poole York Douglas Morton Young w Roy Allison Young l Sarah Varner Young John Christopher Yount 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 U. S. Postage PAID Permit No. 177 Chapel Hill, NC http:// ssw. unc. edu MSW student Emily Sanford in Capetown, South Africa Story on p. 11 |
OCLC number | 35759851 |