From understanding policy process to building community-organizing skills, social work students take the macro plunge
VCU students interested in learning about macro social work practice are getting deep-dive opportunities throughout the 2026-27 academic year. Kimberly Compton, Ph.D., associate professor and director of Macro Initiatives at the VCU School of Social Work, is leading programming, along with M. Alex Wagaman, Ph.D., professor. One series, The Policy Experience: An Immersive Journey from […]
‘Overwhelming gratitude’: VCU honors Marc Cheatham as one of 15 Alumni Stars
Marc Cheatham (B.S.W.’05) puts his social work background to use every day as director of constituent services and casework for Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine. It’s service in the background, working with “people facing the most critical and challenging problems. Their level of frustration has long surpassed normal capacity,” he says. So it is no wonder […]
Alum’s book spotlights workplace attunement; new textbooks focus on anti-racist research, school social work practice
VCU School of Social Work alum Nidhi Tewari learned a deeply personal – and disappointing – lesson about workplace culture, used it to develop a philosophy of care and fine-tuned her message speaking in front of Fortune 500 companies. This month, the culmination of her knowledge is being published in the book “Working Well: How […]
Social Work, Policy and Politics: Practicing in polarized times
The VCU School of Social Work’s annual macro-focused event, Social Work, Policy and Politics returns March 19, 2026, with an alumni panel focused on the “Big P” of policy – federal, state, and local – and how it intersects with clinical practice, advocacy and the values that unite us. Watch an archived video of our […]
Social work faculty and students presenting at SSWR 2026
Seventeen faculty and 11 doctoral students or candidates from the VCU School of Social Work are presenting or having their work presented at the annual Society for Social Work and Research conference in Washington, D.C., Jan. 14-18, 2026. Jamie Cage, Ph.D., associate professor, is the organizer for a symposium on child welfare Friday, Jan. 16, […]
Office of Field Education names 2025 community award winners
The VCU School of Social Work is pleased to announce the six recipients of its 2025 Office of Field Education Community Partner Awards. The keynote speaker was Lenise Mazyck, M.S.W., LCSW, whose topic was “Grow Your Own Way: My Journey Through Burnout and Transformative Growth.” Outstanding New Field Instructor Award Alum Kim Close-Jensen (M.S.W.’97), social […]
Social Work, Policy and Politics: Transformative policymaking
The VCU School of Social Work held its annual event, Social Work, Policy and Politics, on March 27, 2025, featuring an all-alumni panel and moderator to break down how macro, mezzo and micro social work can intertwine to promote imagination that shapes local policies and promotes community healing. This year’s subject was Futuring for Transformative […]
‘Massey saved my life’: Meet alum – and cancer survivor – Melissa Weaver
VCU School of Social Work alum Melissa Weaver (B.S.W.’99; M.S.W.’06) is supporting the institution that helped save her life. The Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center provided treatment when Weaver was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013. She tells Richmond TV station WTVR that she underwent a double mastectomy, 16 chemotherapy treatments and 35 radiation sessions. “The […]
Focusing on public mental health, Rosemary and David Farmer fund a new M.S.W. scholarship
With a career devoted to clinical social work and social work education, it’s no surprise Rosemary Farmer’s philanthropy would focus on helping students follow in her footsteps and pursue internships and employment in the public sector. Along with her husband, they have established the Drs. Rosemary L. and David J. Farmer Public Mental Health Scholarship […]
Social work faculty, students, alumni presenting at SSWR 2025
More than 50 VCU School of Social Work faculty, students and alumni have had presentations accepted or are serving in other roles with sessions such as special interest groups, roundtables or symposia at the Society for Social Work and Research 2025 conference in Seattle, Jan. 15-19, 2025. In total there are 69 presentations or sessions involving […]