Changemakers in Conversation with Dr. Gina Ann Garcia

Join us for a transformative Changemakers in Conversation program featuring Dr. Gina Ann Garcia, author of Transforming Hispanic-Serving institutions for Equity & Justice. Dr. Garcia is an award-winning author, public intellectual, and host of the podcast ¿Qué pasa, HSIs? L

The program kicks off with a reception catered by the Colombian Spot. Afterwards, Dr. Garcia will be in conversation with Eboni Zamani-Gallaher, Professor & Associate Dean for Equity, Justice, and Strategic Partnerships in the School of Education, Michele Reid-Vazquez, Director of the Center for Ethnic Studies Research, and Sheila Velez-Martinez, Co-Director, Center for Civil Rights and Racial Justice. They will discuss Dr. Garcia's pivotal work and its guidance for institutions serving Hispanix/Latinx students and communities.

Changemakers in Conversation: Dr. Gina Ann Garcia

Monday, May 1 | 4pm - 6pm

Posvar Hall, Global Hub

Register for program

*The first 50 registrants will receive a complimentary copy of Dr. Garcia's book.*

This program is free and open to all. We encourage to share this invitation with your networks.

This program is co-sponsored by the Center on Race and Social Problems, Center for Civil Rights and Racial Justice, Center for Ethnic Studies Research, the Frederick Honors College, and the School of Education.

Alumna running for Pittsburgh City Controller

MSW alumna Tracy Royston is currently running for Pittsburgh City Controller. Read about her positions and endorsements on the WESA website.

CCRJ awardees winners projects

Doctoral students Sommer Blair, Bianca De Bellis, and Amanda Cruce are the 2023 awardees for the Student Scholar Fund Center for Civil Rights and Racial Justice

Read more about their projects here.

Interview with MSW alumna Tierra Thorne

Committing to entrepreneurship is ‘a leap of faith’: 10 questions with Blanket & Board founder Tierra Thorne

In this RustBuilt Pittsburgh Q&A, the CEO shares lessons from pivoting from social work to running her event planning company full time. Read more.

MSW class visits Highmark Caring Place

Adjunct faculty member Tammy Makoul's Master's Elective Grief & Loss class took a field trip to the Highmark Caring Place for their learning in the module specifically on children and adolescent grief. Denija Ducasse hosted them and gave a lecture as well as a tour of the space while sharing activities and stories of the children, adolescents and families who attend the Caring Place. "One of the most powerful parts of the tour for the students was seeing all the quilts made by families hanging in the rooms and hallways" said Makoul. "As we know, children and adolescents grieve but they grieve differently and it is essential for us as adults and social work professionals and students to be aware of their needs to create the best possible outcome in bereavement."

Alumnus wins Salt and Light Award

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Monsignor Raymond E. Riffle, vicar general of the Diocese of Greensburg and rector of Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Greensburg.

Riffle served as director of Catholic Charities from 1995 until 2020, when he was appointed vicar general by Kulick.

Riffle began serving on the board of Catholic Charities in 1984, and was asked in 1992 to become director. In preparation, he returned to school and earned dual master’s degrees in social work and public administration from the University of Pittsburgh in 1995. Read more.

Publications April 2023

Assistant Professor Rachel Gartner:

• Coulter RWS, Gartner Rachel. LGBTQ+ Youth-Generated Intervention Concepts for Reducing Teen Dating Violence Inequities. Health Promotion Practice. 2023;24(2):252-257.

• Gartner, Rachel., Whitfield, D. L., & Sterzing, P. R. (In Press). Ethnoracial differences in past year victimization rates for a national sample of gender and sexual minority adolescents. Violence and Victims.

• Whitfield, Darren L.; Westgate, Liam; Gartner, Rachel E.; Jacobs, Leah A.; and Atteberry-Ash, Brittanie (2023) "Anti-Transgender Policies and Practices in Social Work Education, Accreditation, and Licensing: A Call for Change," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 50: Iss. 1, Article 11.

Hartford Fellow Adriana Jurado:

• Stepansky, K., Criss, M., Dick, A., Jurado, Adriana., & Dinardo, M. (2023). Older adult quality of life within an assisted living facility amid COVID-19. SSRG International Journal of Nursing and Health Science, 9(1), 17-24.