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School briefs

The School of Social Work’s GiveCampus campaign to benefit UNC’s Refugee Mental Health & Wellness Initiative was a great success with more than $20,251 raised! The School launched the campaign in March as part of National Social Work Month. Donations to the campaign will support the work of assistant professor Josh Hinson and his team, who are working with refugee populations across North Carolina. Hinson focuses on the mental health of refugees who have come to America, many of whom have experienced incredible trauma, including during their journey to a new home and in their adjustment to a different culture and new life. Thanks to all of you, including to members of our School’s Board of Advisors, who contributed to help us exceed our fundraising goal!

Clinical assistant professor Lisa Zerden presented at the Center for Faculty Excellence 6th Annual Faculty Showcase on Teaching on March 28 at the Carolina Club. Zerden’s topic was on “Teaching Interdisciplinary Courses,” which are an important component of the University’s new Quality Enhancement Plan.

Ph.D. student LB Klein received a $1,500 Innovative Research Award from the University of New Hampshire’s Prevention Innovations Research Center for a study on how campus prevention educators are addressing alcohol’s role in sexual assault.

Doctoral candidate Todd M. Jensen was recently inducted into the Order of the Golden Fleece, the oldest and highest honorary society at UNC. The Order selects members based upon service to the university as reflected in scholarship, motivation, creativity, loyalty, and leadership in academic and extracurricular pursuits.

More than 35 students, faculty and others participated in an “Immigration Teach-in” on March 20. Sponsored by the School of Social Work’s Latinx Student Caucus and Diversity Committee, the teach-in explored areas of mental health, community policing, and terminology used to discuss immigration and immigrant groups. Participants divided into groups to discuss these topics with invited speakers: Josh Hinson, a social work clinical assistant professor and the program director for the UNC Refugee Mental Health and Wellness Initiative; Felicia Arriaga, a Ph.D. candidate in sociology at Duke University, whose research interests focus on race and ethnicity, immigration, and criminalization of immigration policy and procedure; Juanita Garcia, National Research Service Award mental health post-doctoral fellow with UNC Shep’s Center; and Laura Villa-Torres, Ph.D. candidate in Health Behaviors at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.

The School of Social Work welcomed U.S. Congressman Mark Walker for a recent visit. Dean Gary Bowen and faculty members shared information about School projects that include our work in Reidsville and the statewide Project NO REST partnership to help prevent human trafficking.

The School of Social Work hosted its annual Career Day/Job Fair on April 3. Career Day provides an opportunity for MSW students, as well as undergraduate students from BSW programs across the state, to discuss current or future employment options and opportunities with representatives from social services agencies throughout North Carolina. Following Career Day activities, recruiters participated in a continuing education workshop, “What Would You Do? Exploring Common Ethical Dilemmas for the Helping Professionals,” which was led by Tanisha R. James, MSW, LCSW, who has a private practice in Fayetteville, N.C.