Meet Caren L. Putzu, Ph.D. candidate
Putzu, a Ph.D. candidate in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work, holds an M.S.W. from the University of South Carolina and an M.P.A. from the College of Charleston. Her interests lie in contributing to a deeper understanding of effective prevention and intervention approaches to school dropout. Her dissertation, “Helping Students Graduate: An Examination of the Services Provided by a Dropout Prevention Program,” builds upon more than a decade of experience working for Communities In Schools, a national dropout prevention program that serves nearly 1.3 million children each year. Her dissertation research explores how the range and intensity of service patterns offered by Communities In Schools affects student outcomes.
Education has often been described as the “great equalizer” in our country. While significant gains have been made for some in our country, there are troubling disparities for minority and low-income students. Putzu’s future research aims to build upon the vast knowledge of the risk factors for school dropout by exploring the dynamic process of resilience and the contexts in which it occurs. Of particular interest is the role of nonparental adults in promoting resilience.
Putzu currently works as an adjunct professor in the VCU School of Social Work and previously served as an adjunct professor in USC’s College of Social Work. She has taught classes in community, organization and policy practice, human behavior in the social environment, and research methodologies. In her teachings, Putzu integrates a pedagogical approach that bridges the gap between complex social problems and practical approaches to action.
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