Melvarene Adair '76

Florence Gray Soltys, a beloved teacher known across North Carolina and the nation as a fearless and tireless advocate for the aged, died Sept. 27. She was 72. An associate clinical professor in both the School of Medicine and the School of Social Work, Soltys was also an adjunct associate professor in the School of Nursing. She lectured in the areas of occupational and physical therapy in the School of Medicine.

Sharon Holmes Thomas talks with students

Stop by our homecoming hospitality tent

Make plans to join the School of Social Work on Saturday, November 3 for the 2007 homecoming festivities. Join friends, colleagues and fellow alumni at our hospitality tent at the Bell Tower two hours before kickoff for food, friendship and fun before Carolina hits the field against Maryland. Homecoming festivities start at 1:30 p.m.; game starts at 3:45.


Ethics workshop to be held in Fayetteville

Mark your calendar for an ethics workshop on Wednesday, November 28 at the Southern Regional AHEC, 1601 Owen Dr., Fayetteville, NC 28304. Registration is a 9:00 a.m., the program begins at 10:00 a.m., and a light lunch will be served at 12:00. Free of charge; $5.00 if continuing education credits are to be issued. To register, contact Kristen Huffman.


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.

If we get enough mentors, we hope to start this program in the spring. 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.

Natasha Bowen is leading an innovative new project that will benefit local schools. Strowd Roses Inc. and the Triangle Community Foundation have pledged grants totaling $375,000 to the Carolina Center for Public Service at UNC-Chapel Hill for a three-year project that will benefit students in Carrboro, Ephesus Road and Frank Porter Graham elementary schools.

In a unique school-community partnership, Strowd Roses, Triangle Community Foundation and Carolina are coming together to offer a wealth of resources to the schools to address the achievement gap among elementary students. Through its Strowd Roses Faculty Fund, the Carolina Center for Public Service will use the gift to support the school-based research of School of Social Work faculty member Natasha Bowen, Ph.D.

“One of the exciting things about this project is that it is a collaboration among the researchers at the UNC School of Social Work, educators in the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system, and resources in the community coming together to provide positive outcomes to children and families,” said Jack Richman, dean of the School of Social Work.   

Beginning this month, the three-year project conducted by the School of Social Work will follow a group of third graders, identify the individual needs of the students and work with the schools to develop strategies to address those needs. Schools will receive generous funding to purchase materials, training and supplies needed to put strategies into action. Drs. Bowen and Joelle Powers, faculty at the School of Social Work, will work with school staff throughout the project. More info


Matthew Howard was part of a team of researchers from some of the nation's top universities who found that teens who inhale dangerous fumes have a high rate of suicide.The study shows that inhaling, or huffing as it is called, the vapors from many common household solvents can lead to suicidal thoughts as well as behavior in adolescents. The biggest surprise in the study came with the girls. There was a history of attempted suicide in 81.3% of girls who abused or were dependent on the inhalants, while with the boys it was 59.5%. More info


Kim Strom-Gottfried, Smith P. Theimann Jr. Distinguished Professor of Ethics and Professional Practice, was named associate director of the Institute for the Arts and Humanities (IAH) and will direct the Academic Leadership Program.

“Kim is a natural for the leadership program,” said Institute Director John McGowan, Ruel W. Tyson Jr. Distinguished Professor. “She has held key leadership positions at UNC and her scholarly work on moral courage speaks to the biggest challenges faced by individuals at work and outside of it.”

The Academic Leadership Program prepares and supports the development of academic leaders at UNC through a unique fellowship program. The program gives faculty members the opportunity to develop leadership skills, clarify their career commitments, build a leadership network within the campus and extend their contacts to other leaders beyond the University.

Robin Bilazarian, MSW ‘78, LCSW, continues to speak to large audiences. She presented “A New Look at Stress Management using Acupressure: the Emotional Freedom Techniques” at the World Annual Employee Assistance Program Conference in San Diego in October. This year she has also presented this topic in New Jersey to the AAMFT conference called “Cutting Edge Therapies” and to social workers. She also presents this frequently at local wellness centers and to hospital staff. Bilazarian is employed in a private practice and in a regional trauma hospital EAP program.

Maria Possa-Marcandalli, MSW ‘79, is a proud grandmother for the seventh time. Giorgio was born in London on January 9. He was welcomed by his sister Marta, cousins Elodie, Lauryne, Lena (living in France), Matteo and Elena (living in Italy).

Sweetly Togba, MSW ‘04, was promoted to a supervisory position at the Durham Department of Social Services. She was also married recently and her name is now Sweetly Darlingstain Sanders.

Holly Yaeger, MSW ‘04, was recently promoted to a new position at New Hanover County. She has worked at NHC since graduation, and will be part of a new project with the department.


In Memoriam


Edwin Hubbell Chapin II, MSW ‘67, age 72, of Charlotte, died on October 6, 2007. He is survived by his wife Peg, three children and two grandchildren. Ed was the director of the Mecklenberg County DSS for 17 years, served as assistant Mecklenberg County manager, and was also on the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work’s board for several years. In September 2007, by proclamation of the Mecklenberg County Commission, a wing of Mecklenberg’s new social services building will bear the name Chapin Hall in his honor.

Ed won the School of Social Work’s distinguished alumni award in 2005. “He was a social work leader, a respected professional and a very kind and gentle man,” said Dean Jack Richman. “He was a good friend of our school, of social work education, and he will be greatly missed.”

His family and friends have established a scholarship in his honor at UNC-Charlotte. Memorials may be sent to the Edwin Chapin Social Work Scholarship, in care of Susan H. Ingle, College of Health and Human Services, UNC Charlotte, 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223-0001.



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