SSW Celebrates the Careers and Contributions of Retiring Faculty: Dr. Liz Lightfoot
As the 2020-21 academic year draws to a close, end-of-semester celebrations and springtime picnics on the Peter’s Hall patio remain elusive as we await our return to campus. This continued social distance, for inherently social people, make transitions and retirements at the School of Social Work all the more bittersweet. As we look forward to hugs and toasts in the near future, we are celebrating the career contributions of cherished faculty members this spring, with reflections from those who have witnessed their impact on the field firsthand.
Dr. Elizabeth Lightfoot, Distinguished Global Professor, School of Social Work
Dr. Lightfoot has served on the School of Social Work faculty since 1998. Her research focuses on access, inclusion, and services for people with disabilities, as well as health disparities, international social work, and doctoral education. Dr. Lightfoot is recognized nationally for her leadership in doctoral education, and she has served as the School’s Director of the PhD Program for 15 years. While at SSW, she was the academic advisor for 27 doctoral students! In addition to her research and teaching at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Lightfoot completed two, yearlong Fulbright scholarships in Namibia and Romania. She is also credited with developing a successful international internship program for our MSW students who wish to obtain practice experience in Namibia. Dr. Lightfoot is Past President of the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education and she was recently inducted into the American Academy for Social Work and Social Welfare. Beginning July 1, 2021, Dr. Lightfoot will be the new Director of the School of Social Work at Arizona State University
Reflections on Dr. Lightfoot from SSW Professor and former CEHD Dean, Jean Quam:
“I first met Liz Lightfoot when we hired her as an Assistant Professor. Over the years, I have seen her accomplish remarkable things during her time at Minnesota. Liz is the kind of faculty member I wish I could clone. She does it all.
She is a great teacher and has creatively developed many different courses including some of the first ones that were fully online. She is a thoughtful and caring mentor who works with and writes with her students. She is an international scholar who has been selected for two Fulbright opportunities (a very rare occurrence). Most importantly, she turned those international experiences into opportunities for our students (many of our MSW students have done field work in Namibia) and opportunities for the faculty at the host institutions (she continues to collaborate and has encouraged several faculty to pursue advanced degrees in Minnesota).
Her research is solid and meaningful. When she identifies an issue that needs to be understood, she pursues it with passion. Her work about exploitation of elders grew out of her own experience with her family as did the needs of caregivers and elders during COVID. Her leadership and development of the doctoral program in social work has created an outstanding program with awards for students, help with finding academic positions for graduates, and practice for presentations for conferences and for job interviews. She has assumed increased responsibilities in the SSW and is ready to shape another program as its leader. She will be greatly missed as a colleague and as a friend, but Arizona State University will find an exceptional leader in Liz Lightfoot.”
Your SSW family congratulates and thanks you, Liz!