Welcome Back!

Welcome back to campus for the 2022-2023 Academic Year! For new members, please be sure to check your inbox every Monday morning for this weekly e-blast. We will share news about Pitt School of Social Work faculty, staff, students, and alumni. We will also have a weekly listings of all school and relevant community events.

Check out our website for more information about course schedules, field placements, more upcoming events, and other relevant information for incoming students.

First School of Social Work speaker coming September 1st

Dr. Amy Watson , a nationally-recognized expert on mental health crisis response, will provide history and context on different models of community response to mental health crises, reflect on gaps and opportunities for transformative interventions, and weigh in on the implications of of the new 988 (suicide prevention/crisis response) hotline. The intended audience for the colloquium includes researchers, policy makers and administrators, clinicians, service users, family and community advocates, and students. The lecture will be held Thursday, September 1st at noon in 2017 Cathedral of Learning or virtually (link below). Lunch will be provided.

Rauktis returns from India

Research Associate Professor  Mary Beth Rauktis just returned from her Fulbright Specialist Program in Assam, India. Rauktis worked with the faculty and students at Don Bosco University. Her seminars touched on subjects including Global Perspectives of Social Work, Locating the self in the journey of social work, Child and Family Centred Social Work Practice: Principles & Approaches, and Diversity and Social Work, and Human Rights and Children and Young Persons, among other topics. 

Read more about her work and travel in her blog.

Dr. Edward W. Sites Papers are now open for research

New collection alert! The Dr. Edward W. Sites Papers are now open for research. The Sites Papers are a great resource for anyone interested in the history of Pitt School of Social Work or social work activities in Western Pennsylvania. Sites joined faculty in 1966 and was named professor emeritus in 2006; along the way becoming the School's resident historian. Documenting the last 60 years of the School of Social Work, this collection includes reports, faculty meeting minutes, & other records. View the collection here.

Smith wins Eaton Scholarship 

Doctoral student Emil Smith’s paper “Survival, Dissociation, and Suicide: Transgender and Gender Diverse Older Adults” has been selected to receive the Joseph and Helen Eaton Scholarship for the best single-authored work written by a first or second year doctoral student. This scholarship comes with an award of $500 which may be used for educational expenses including research costs, travel, books and software. 

TT School of Social Work Community Projects RFP for Fall 2022: DUE SEPETMBER 7, 2022

Students in the COSA (Community, Organization, and Social Action) Specialization in the MSW Program develop and implement projects as part of their central grades in two of our core courses. Since the Fall of 2017, we have engaged community organizations and students in completing over 50 community projects. Thank you to everyone who has participated so far! 

Here is the link to RFP for the FALL 2022 Community Projects RFP, which is due by September 7, 2022. You can also access the RFP using the attached QR Code. Please share this with organizations that may be interested. 

Alumna profiled in VISTA Today

MSW alumna Beth Duffy, President and Chief Operating Officer of Einstein Medical Center Montgomery, spoke with VISTA Today about growing up in Southampton, Bucks County, her early jobs, and why she believes everybody should work in a fast food restaurant at some point in their lives. Read more.

MSW student profiled for her work

MSW student and Hartford Fellow Adriana Jurado was profiled in the Generations United e-newsletter for her work with the organization. Read more.