August 2007
Remembering Phil Cooke
Philip W. Cooke, professor emeritus of the School of Social Work, died suddenly on July 30 at his home. A longtime faculty member, Phil came to Carolina in 1967 and taught graduate students in the areas of public social services administration and organizational development until he retired in 2003. In 2002, School of Social Work students honored him as teacher of the year. For 10 years, he directed the Institute for Social Services Planning, where he taught many students who became North Carolina social services administrators.
An avid Tar Heel fan, Phil was born in Surry County and grew up in Pilot Mountain and Norfolk, VA. He earned undergraduate degrees from Mars Hill Junior College and Furman University and received a MSW from Carolina in 1956. Before he received his doctorate in social work from the University of Pennsylvania, he directed a family and children's services agency in Baltimore.
Phil is survived by his wife of 26 years, School of Social Work faculty member Lane Gillespie Cooke; his daughter, Sharon Cooke Padgett, and numerous other family members.
The School of Social Work held a celebration of Phil's life on August 2, where family, friends, colleagues and students spoke lovingly of Phil and shared poignant memories.
Memorial contributions in Phil's honor may be sent to the UNC School of Social Work, Campus Box 3550, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3550.
Fall lecture dates announced Mark your calendar for the upcoming Clinical Lecture Series events: September 17, 2007 - Motivational Interviewing: From Resistance to Self-efficacy. Speaker: Worth Bolton, MSW. October 15, 2007 - The Role of Spirituality in SA and Other Counseling. Speaker: Stan Yancey, MSW, LCSW, MDiv. November 12, 2007 - Children and Bereavement. Speaker: Tonya D. Armstrong, PhD, MTS. All lectures take place on Mondays in the auditorium from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m.; two contact hours. Click here for more info and to register.
September 29, 2007 - Health Care for Everyone: How Do We Get There? Public forum, free of charge. Three contact hours. 9 a.m. to 12:00 noon in the auditorium. Pre-registration is required. The contact person for this lecture is Evelin Brinich.
We have 23 friends and counting! Kristen Huffman created a MySpace page for the School of Social Work, and invites all alumni with a MySpace account to join our page as a friend. Kristen's online daily, and is in the process of posting info and photos. Join us today - it's a fun way to connect!
Alumni: a student needs you as a mentor
The School of Social Work Alumni Council is calling for alumni volunteers who would be interested in mentoring an enrolled student during the 2007-08 academic year. This program is designed to match students with alumni who are practicing in an area of the students' interest. It is an informal way for students to network and receive real world knowledge without being graded.
We've had a few responses from alumni, but need more if we are to really get this program off the ground. Please consider giving a little bit of your time to help a student. If you are interested, e-mail your job title and agency, the best way to contact you, and a short paragraph about what you do to Kristen Huffman.
Job opportunity at Virginia TechVirginia Tech is seeking qualified professionals to serve as a liaison or counselor for the families of those killed and wounded by the events that occurred on campus April 16. If you are interested in living in Blacksburg, VA and working for a year or so in these roles, please contact Roxanne Barksdale, MSW, LCSW.
Michal Grinstein-Weiss was nominated by the UNC Center for Community Capitalism to serve as a faculty fellow. Michal will lead the data analysis and publication of findings from an eight-year evaluation of the $4 billion Community Advantage Program, which is a collaborative effort of the Self-Help Credit Union, Fannie Mae, and the Ford Foundation that helps low- and moderate- income families become homebuyers. Clinical Assistant Professor Mat Despard, doctoral students Johanna Greeson and Yeong Yeo, and second year MSW student Susanna Birdsong will team with Michal on this effort.
Anna Scheyett and Jennie Vaughn were panelists on a statewide cable TV program called OPEN/net that aired July 31. The show focused on questions concerning care for persons with mental illness in North Carolina. Anna and Jennie discussed their recent study on mental illness among inmates in North Carolina jails, which was funded by the Governor's Advocacy Council for Persons with Disabilities.
Sharon Holmes Thomas is our new Director of Admissions, Recruitment and Financial Aid. She is an alumna of the UNC School of Social Work, a Clinical Instructor, and most recently served as the Director of our Triangle Distance Education MSW Program. Sharon had a big week because, in addition to her promotion, she just got married. Congratulations and best wishes all around, Sharon!
Welcome new faculty
- Martica Bacallao, Clinical Instructor
- Denisé Dews, Clinical Instructor
- Matthew Howard, Frank Daniels Distinguished Professor for Human Services Policy Information
- Kerri Patrick, Clinical Instructor
- Joelle Powers, Clinical Assistant Professor
Thank you from Professor Gary Shaffer
I would like to thank all who have helped me during the past year and a half. Your best wishes, prayers, cards, meals and e-mails did much to help me through my colon and liver operations and 18 chemo treatments.
I have been fortunate in that I have been able to work through all of this. My family has been most supportive, and my students and colleagues gave me energy when my reserves were limited. My daughter Lisa, a certified oncology nurse, has "managed" my recovery, first from Scripps Memorial Hospital in San Diego and now from Carolina where she has returned to complete a nurse practitioner degree. My oncologist and surgeon have been most tolerant of her "directives."
At this point, I am in remission, a state I hope to remain in for a long time.
Editor: Michelle Rogers (919)962-1532
michrog@email.unc.edu
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Triangle Community Foundation president Andrea Bazan-Mason, MSW-MPH '95, was elected to the board of trustees for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. Andrea will serve on the governance and nominating committee and the health care and market initiatives committee.
In Memoriam
Gregory Keith Thomas, MSW '88, age 53, of Kennersville died August 1, 2007 at his home. A memorial service was held on August 11. Gregory was born in Johnson City, TN and was an Army veteran. He received his BS degree in Philosophy and Sociology from East Tennessee State University, a BS in Social Work from UNC-Greensboro, and an MSW from UNC-Chapel Hill. He devoted his life to service as a clinical worker and psychotherapist in both Forsyth and Guilford Counties. In addition, he was an adjunct instructor of Sociology at Salem College for 12 years. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Susan Dance Thomas.
If you have received an award, promotion, taken a new job, gotten married, or added a new member to the family, let us know. We would love to share your news with other alumni and the School of Social Work community. Please e-mail your alumni news to sswalumni@unc.edu.
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This page updated
August 20, 2007