Despite the pandemic year of 2020, the vast majority of social work field placements proceeded, often with creative and innovative adaptations to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. In the case of the Foundation of HOPE field placement at the Allegheny County Jail, School of Social Work students fearlessly seized the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of traumatized people. Read more.

Clinical Assistant Professor Beth Mulvaney, and recent MSW graduates Sara Planthaber and Marla Holland spoke to Social Work Today about the importance of self-care, and how the transition to online work "required new approaches and ways of thinking." Read more.

Welcome to new Recruitment & Admissions Coordinator Leah Mafrica! Previously, Leah worked as an admissions counselor at a college preparatory high school in North Philadelphia, and has worked in various nonprofit settings in the Philadelphia area. In her new role she will be helping us to expand the admissions procedures, bringing her expertise in equity-driven online and in-person recruitment management to the student services team.  Read more about her on the Social Work website.

Professor Valire Copeland was appointed to be a Committee Member on the NASW Health Specialty Practice Section. NASW Specialty Practice Sections (SPS) help members stay in-the-know in their specific area of practice and offers individual online communities of committed, like-minded peers. Along with the trusted communities, SPS offers more than 45 additional CE opportunities through live practice-specific webinars, newsletters, continuing education and other professional development activities. Read more.

The Latinx Connect conference (October 14-16) aims to move us beyond “celebrating” Latinxs, instead calling for empowerment and justice for the Latinx community, which faces numerous disparities in U.S. society, particularly those at the intersections of Latinx identity (e.g., Afro-Latinxs, Indigenous Latinxs, queer and Trans* Latinxs, undocumented Latinxs).