Articles

On the early evening of May 28, just days after George Floyd’s killing left the Twin Cities reeling, the graduating master of social work (MSW) class of 2020 gathered virtually to acknowledge their accomplishments amidst the backdrop of COVID-19, distance learning, and swelling protest. This recognition ceremony is a highlight of the School of Social […]

The Equity and Diversity Committee of the School of Social Work urges everyone to act for justice after the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. Here are some actions you can take immediately: American Civil Liberties Call for Justice for George Floyd Justice Caravan for George Floyd, Saturday, May 30, […]

Dear Members of the SSW Community, The core values of those of us in the social work profession, values that are taught in all of the programs within our school, center on social justice and the dignity and worth of human beings. How do we live those values in a world designed to limit them? […]

Lynette M. Renner, associate professor in the School of Social Work, received the 2020 University of Minnesota President’s Award for Outstanding Service this month. Renner was honored for the depth and quality of service she provides to the School of Social Work, the College of Education and Human Development, the University, and the State of […]

Social Work doctoral candidate Molly C. Driessen was awarded the prestigious Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship for 2020-2021 by the University of Minnesota Graduate School. The fellowship allows the University’s most accomplished PhD candidates to devote full-time effort to finalizing and writing their dissertations during the fellowship year. The title of Molly’s study is “Student Stories of […]

The School of Social Work is mourning the loss of Professor Rosalie Kane, who died on May 5, 2020. Kane was a world-renowned researcher in long-term care as well as in many other concerns facing older adults. Her work had influence throughout the world in developing, designing, and evaluating changes in policies and services that […]

Katie Johnston-Goodstar, associate professor in the School of Social Work, was one of the researchers in a new study that found an estimated 5,000 high-school-age youth in Minnesota have traded sex for something else of value. Johnston-Goodstar joined the team, led by Lauren Martin, associate professor in the University Minnesota’s School of Nursing after the […]

Iris HeavyRunner-PrettyPaint, MSW in social work, 1997, and PhD in social work, 2009, was named a 2019 Distinguished Alumni by the University of Minnesota College of Education and Human Development. HeavyRunner-PrettyPaint, a member of the Blackfeet/Crow tribe, is an internationally recognized expert in Native cultural resiliency and Indigenous evaluation methods. She has more than 35 […]

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota has promoted Sarah Ferguson, alumna of the University of Minnesota School of Social Work, to vice provost for Faculties and Academic Affairs. At the University of Minnesota, Ferguson earned her PhD in social work in 2006, and her joint master’s degree in social work and public affairs in 1996. She […]

Nine PhD students from five CEHD departments have been awarded Doctoral Dissertation Fellowships from the University of Minnesota Graduate School. The fellowships give the U’s most accomplished PhD candidates an opportunity to devote full-time effort to an outstanding research project by providing time to finalize and write a dissertation during the fellowship year. Honored students […]