‘Faculty that looked like me’: Meet the 2024-25 social work Ph.D. cohort
The VCU School of Social Work’s Ph.D. Program welcomed five new students in this academic year’s cohort. They are: Why did you choose to pursue a Ph.D. and why was the VCU School of Social Work your choice? Lisa BorntragerI want the skills to be able to conduct my own research toward suicide prevention and policy work. […]
Undergraduates get national exposure as research presenters
Focused on alcohol and addiction, VCU’s Institute for Research on Behavioral and Emotional Health prepares students for graduate school with opportunities such as conferences and networking. Developing graduate school-ready future researchers is just one of the VCU Institute for Research on Behavioral and Emotional Health’s goals, and there’s no better practice than presenting at a […]
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 […]
Gary Cuddeback named VCU School of Social Work dean
Gary S. Cuddeback, Ph.D., has been named dean of Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Social Work, effective Oct. 28, 2024. Cuddeback, who has served as interim dean since July 2023, was named following a national search. “I’m honored by this appointment as I believe there has never been a better time to be part of VCU’s School […]
2024 Council on Social Work Education conference presentations
As the Council on Social Work Education‘s 70th Annual Program Meeting opens in Kansas City on Oct. 24, 2024, the VCU School of Social Work is proud to recognize our faculty, student scholars and social work alumni who are presenting or participating. CSWE Program Director Academy A special congratulations to two of our program directors who […]
How she found her research: Josselyn Valenzuela
Josselyn Valenzuela began working on a School of Nursing-based project, the Mindful Moms Study, as a B.S.W. student and has continued after graduating in May 2024 and enrolling in the School of Social Work’s M.S.W. Program. Mindful Moms examines mental health – particularly depression – and well-being during pregnancy for both Spanish- and English-speaking participants. The team […]
Meet M.S.W. student Sha’Dyamond Bond
Sha’Dyamond Bond‘s grandparents were foster parents who adopted children, motivating her interest in becoming a social worker. “Now I’m on the outside looking in and helping others, too,” she says. Sha’Dyamond is participating in the Child Welfare Stipend Program at VCU, and her first field placement is at C2Adopt in Henrico. “It’s going very well. […]
Message from Dr. Stevara Haley Clark: Unveiling an unstoppable fall semester ahead
Dear School of Social Work students, Welcome to the first day of classes (FDOC) for the fall semester! We are unbelievably excited to kick off this new academic year with you, whether you’re joining us on campus or virtually. After the summer break, we hope you are feeling undeniably refreshed and ready to dive into […]
Lakeside writing retreat helps build community among social work doctoral students
Third- and fourth-year social work doctoral students have a unique site for a now-annual writing retreat where they can focus on their qualifying papers and dissertations: a vacation home on Lake Anna that alum Keita Franklin (Ph.D.’10) has loaned to the Ph.D. Program for a fall weekend since 2022. Franklin, a specialist executive at Deloitte […]
Ph.D. student Samuel Ochinang’s finds spot at intersection of military service, social work
VCU School of Social Work Ph.D. student Samuel Ochinang grew up in a military family and has found his calling at the intersection of social work and serving as an active-duty Army major with the Medical Service Corps. “My journey in the Ph.D. program, along with my position, will improve my technical and managerial skills […]