Fall edition of "Contact" is published

We are excited to announce the publication of the 25th anniversary issue of our news magazine, Contact. The theme of this edition is "Carolina social workers: touching a world in need" and it features the international work our faculty, students and alumni are doing. The magazine has been redesigned with a fresh, new look. Look for your copy coming later this month. Can't wait? Visit our Web site to download it.



Going to the NASW-NC annual fall conference in Asheville?

If so, please join us for a dutch treat luncheon on Friday, November 16 from 12:30-2:00 at Cafe on the Square, One Biltmore Ave., Asheville. Meet in the conference lobby at 12:30 and we will walk over to the restaurant together. No RSVP is required, but if you are planning to join us please let Kristen Huffman know so she can provide the restaurant with an estimated head count.


Recruitment events

Do you know someone who may be interested in our masters or doctoral programs? Our recruitment team will be at the following events. Alumni, please stop by and say hi if you're in the area. For more information, contact Sharon Holmes Thomas at (919) 962-4367 or by e-mail.

Nov.16-18: NASW-NC Fall Conference in Asheville
Dec. 7: Information Session at SSW
Jan. 17-20: Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) 12th Annual Conference, Washington, DC

Students trick-or-treat for canned food donations

On Halloween night, the Black Student Caucus decided to put a twist on the traditional ritual of trick-or-treating. Instead of candy, the students were asking for canned goods! The members showed Halloween spirit, got into character and were successful in getting a nice donation from the community surrounding the School of Social Work. In addition to goods collected on Halloween night, the Caucus collected food from fellow social work students who were unable to join them on Halloween. All donations were given to the Interfaith Council Food Shelter in Chapel Hill. This is just one of many community service projects the Black Student Caucus plans to partake in throughout the school year. The Black Student Caucus is chaired by Chanitta DeLoatch, Shayna Hood and Fatina Lorick. The meetings are held at noon on the last Tuesday of each month in room 102. All are invited and welcome to attend.

Pictured: Chanitta DeLoatch, Gordon Miller, Mitch Mitchell-Carroway and Shayna Hood



NASW-NC accepting award nominations

The National Association of Social Workers, North Carolina chapter, is accepting nominations for "Social Worker of the Year" and for the "Presidents' Award for MSW Students." The deadline for nominations is December 15. More information



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.



Graduation set for December 15

The School of Social Work starts a new tradition on Saturday, December 15 when students of our Winston-Salem distance education MSW program will have their own graduation ceremony. It takes place in the Tate-Turner-Kuralt building auditorium at 3:00 p.m.



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. This program is designed to match students with alumni who are practicing in an area of the students' interest. Please consider giving a little bit of your time to help a student. If you are interested, please contact Kristen Huffman.


Please be our friend

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. Join us today - it's a fun way to connect!






Deborah Barrett is quoted in the cover story of the November/December issue of Social Work Today magazine. The article is entitled "Invisible illness -- what you can't see does hurt her." Read the article




In October, Michal Grinstein-Weiss and Susan Parish were featured speakers at the North Carolina Financial Education and Asset Building Conference: Pathways to Wealth in Chapel Hill. Grinstein-Weiss spoke on "IDAs in the United States: Evidence from the American dream demonstration." Parish spoke on "Material hardship in families raising children with disabilities: Evidence beyond the federal poverty level."


Dean Jack Richman traveled to China in October to attend and present the keynote lecture at a social work conference in Shanghai, entitled “Knowledge, Policy and Service: A Dialogue Between East and West on Social Work.” His presentation was “Social Work Practice with At-risk Youth: Theory, Research and Strategies of Intervention.” Richman also delivered a presentation called “Community Social Work Development in the United States” at the opening of a government community development center in Shanghai.


Gary Shaffer was interviewed on-camera by reporter Bill O'Neil for a TV news segment about corporal punishment in North Carolina schools. It aired on November 1 on WXII-Channel 12 in Winston-Salem. Watch the video





Paul Smokowski presented a seminar in Chapel Hill on Oct. 26 entitled "Acculturation, youth violence, and suicidal behavior in minority adolescents: A review of the empirical literature." He found that about 80% of studies found assimilation to be a risk factor connected with higher youth violence. Evidence is also mounting that culture of origin involvement or ethnic identity is an asset that buffers acculturation stress and is related to lower youth violence, especially in Asian/Pacific Islander studies. Family dynamics appear to mediate the link between acculturation and youth violence. His findings show that we know little about suicide in minority youth and need more studies. Smokowski also gave this presentation at the CDC's National Center for Injury Prevention and Control on Oct. 24.


Mimi Chapman and Paul Smokowski were each selected as a Faculty Engaged Scholar. The new Faculty Engaged Scholars Program is an initiative of the Carolina Center for Public Service and the Office of Vice Chancellor for Public Service and Engagement, to strengthen faculty involvement in scholarship that meets the highest of academic standards and at the same time builds university-community relationships and contributes to the common good. The faculty selection committee was especially impressed by Chapman's "Latino Adolescent Migration, Health Adaptation Project" and Smokowski's plan to expand his work to American Indian communities. The Faculty Engaged Scholar program is a two-year commitment that includes an annual stipend of up to $7,500 to support the faculty member's involvement.



Distance Education MSW Program directors Tina Souders of Winston-Salem and Kelly Reath of Asheville are shown with the poster they presented recently at the CSWE conference in San Francisco. Their project was "Marketing Distance Education: Hybrid Strategies for Today's Applicant." Read the poster

Angela Bivins, MSW ‘04, and her husband welcomed baby Elizabeth Caroline Bivins on July 31. She joins her older brother Jackson, 3. Angela and her family live in Oklahoma City, where she works as a social worker for Mercy Hospice.

Melissa Johnson, MSW '02 and a member of the alumni council, has accepted a new position as field director for the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. Since 1976, NCRP has advocated for the philanthropic community to provide nonprofit organizations with essential resources and opportunities to work toward social and economic justice for disadvantaged and disenfranchised populations and communities. Melissa also continues her consulting practice with a national project, Just Philanthropy. This project presents six pathways to focus philanthropy on racial equity and social justice, along with promising practices, examples from the field, and many additional resources.

Sally Logan Walker, MSW '98, has accepted a new position as director of development for Planned Parenthood Health Systems, Inc. based in Raleigh, N.C. Her home office will be in Roanoke, Va.



In Memoriam


Larry Anderson, MSW ‘62, age 69, of Hillsborough, died on November 9 after suffering a stroke the prior week. Larry worked for the state of North Carolina as a clinical social worker immediately after graduation. Many people remember Larry for his second career as an artist. Along with his wife Sue, he created many beautiful pieces of ceramic art for more than 20 years with Anders Hill Pottery and later Heart Nouveau. Later in life, he returned to helping people as a clinical social worker in Orange County. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, two sons and five grandchildren. There will be a memorial service on Saturday, November 17 at 2:00 p.m. at Hillsborough United Church of Christ. Obituary


Richard Godfrey, MSW '66, passed away at his home on November 7 after an extended illness. He was a social worker in Winston-Salem for over 25 years. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Ernestine; two daughters and three grandchildren.




James Earl Lasater, MSW '69, passed away from lung cancer in San Antonio on November 7. He is the uncle of School of Social Work staff member Drew Lasater. Visit this Web site created by his family. Memorial contributions may be made in Earl's honor to the UNC School of Social Work in care of Kristen Huffman, CB# 3550, 325 Pittsboro St., Chapel Hill, NC 27599.



Do you have news to share?

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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