University of Montana School of Social Work

09/03/2026

Proud of our MSW Director, Clinical Associate Professor Amanda Cahill, for her work and advocacy on this important issue. Her expertise is helping inform critical conversations and policy decisions affecting communities across Montana.

Read more from Yellowstone Public Radio: https://www.ypradio.org/government-politics/2026-08-28/montana-lawmakers-advance-bill-to-ban-psychoactive-plant

09/02/2026

Join us in Missoula for The Welcome Table Film Screening!

📅 Wednesday, September 23
⏰ 5:30–8:30 PM
📍 UC Theater, University of Montana

Come together for a screening of The Welcome Table, a documentary exploring the connections between migrant justice and climate justice. After the film, connect with local organizations doing this work and take part in a communal storytelling experience centered on welcoming, belonging, and connection.

This is an in-person event, so we especially invite UM students and members of the Missoula community to join us.

Bring a friend, come curious, and pull up a seat at the table. 🌎🤝

09/01/2026

More than books. More ways to support our community.

This September, Billings Public Library is launching a new social work program in partnership with the University of Montana. A social work practicum student will be available at the Library to help connect community members with local resources while also supporting staff with trauma-informed care and de-escalation skills.

This partnership is an exciting step toward making the Library an even stronger access point for information, resources, and support in our community. 💙

Thank you to the Billings Library Foundation for funding the student stipend and helping make this program possible.

Read more from Q2 News:
https://www.ktvq.com/news/billings-public-library-launching-social-work-program-for-community-members

08/27/2026

We’re proud to celebrate Professor Emerita Janet L. Finn and the release of her first work of fiction, Pie in the Sky.

Drawing on decades of storytelling and social justice scholarship, Finn brings readers a sweeping novel of struggle, solidarity, and unexpected connection. Set against the political upheaval of 1970s Chile, Pie in the Sky follows two young women—one from Butte, Montana, and the other from Santiago—whose lives intersect amid labor movements, mining communities, and the rising hope of social change.

Grounded in rich historical detail and emotional depth, the novel explores courage, loss, transformation, and the power of human connection to cross borders and generations.

📖 Pre-order Pie in the Sky
https://www.open-bks.com/library/moderns/pie-in-the-sky/order.html

📅 Join us for a special event on November 18:
https://www.buttearchives.org/pie-in-the-sky

Congratulations, Professor Finn!

06/15/2026

06/08/2026

Congratulations to our 2026 Outstanding Agency Field Instructor Honorees!

The University of Montana School of Social Work is proud to recognize the exceptional agency field instructors who play a critical role in preparing the next generation of social workers. Through mentorship, supervision, and hands-on learning opportunities, these professionals help students develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to enter the field.

Each year, students nominate field instructors who demonstrate outstanding mentorship, professional excellence, commitment to teaching, and dedication to the social work profession. From these nominations, a faculty committee selects honorees representing both our BSW and MSW programs.

Please join us in celebrating our 2026 honorees:

⭐ Lizzie Carlson-Thompson: 2+2 Distance (BSW) Program
Family Advocate, Rocky Head Start, Rocky Mountain Development Council, Inc.

⭐ Autumn Holm: BSW Campus Program
Care Management Program Manager, Missoula Aging Services

⭐ Nathan Stahley: Online MSW Program
Executive Director, Montana and Idaho Chapters, National Association of Social Workers

Thank you for your leadership, mentorship, and commitment to advancing the profession of social work. Your impact on our students and communities is immeasurable!

06/05/2026

Congratulations to Clinical Professor Dr. Phyllis Ngai on her continued leadership in advancing Indigenous Peoples’ rights through scholarship, education, and advocacy.

Dr. Ngai has been actively educating professionals at national and international conferences and has contributed a series of three publications in widely read social work journals focused on Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

The first article in the series, “Social Work Practice Experiences Informed by Global Agreements on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights: Closing Gaps and Moving Forward,” was published in the Journal of Ethnic & Cultural Diversity in Social Work in February 2026.

The article explores how global agreements on Indigenous Peoples’ rights can inform social work practice and help close longstanding gaps while advancing more equitable and culturally responsive approaches.

The full article is available through the link in bio or the Mansfield Library.

06/04/2026

The University of Montana School of Social Work is proud to announce that we have been selected as the recipient of the 2026 CSWE Field Education/Practicum Excellence in Innovation Award.

Presented by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), this national award recognizes excellence and innovation in field education and honors programs that make exemplary contributions to student learning through practicum education.
This recognition reflects the dedication, creativity, and commitment of our entire Field Education team, led by Director Kat Werner, as well as the many students, field liaisons, Agency Field Instructors, outside supervisors, community partners, and organizations who make this work possible.

Together, we have built a relationship-centered, place-based, and justice-oriented field education model that expands access to social work education across Montana, the Rocky Mountain West, and geographically isolated communities. By creating flexible, community-responsive practicum opportunities, we are helping students remain connected to their communities while developing the skills and experience needed to serve them.

We are deeply grateful to our partners across the state and region whose collaboration, mentorship, and shared commitment to social work education have made this achievement possible. This award is a testament to what can be accomplished when communities, agencies, educators, and students work together to strengthen local systems of care and create pathways for future social workers.
Congratulations to our Field Education Program and everyone who contributed to this remarkable achievement. We look forward to celebrating this recognition at CSWE's 72nd Annual Conference this October.

https://www.cswe.org/about-cswe/awards/2026-awardees/

05/19/2026

What does social work look like outside of traditional agency settings?

At the Missoula Public Library, UM MSW alum Virginia Harris and MSW practicum student Liam Keshishian are helping demonstrate the growing role of social workers in public spaces, offering support, connection, and dignity to community members navigating housing instability, mental health challenges, isolation, and economic hardship.

Virginia, a 2025 graduate of the University of Montana MSW program, describes the library as “a humanizing institution,” one of the few public spaces where everyone can feel welcome. On any given day, she and her team may help patrons apply for housing, access healthcare, find transportation, or simply provide compassionate conversation and active listening.

“I feel so honored to get to do this work every day,” Virginia shared.

For Liam, one of the most impactful parts of his practicum has been seeing the library serve as a hub for community care through Resource Access Day events that connect patrons directly with local service providers.

“Unhoused individuals are often used to being ignored,” Liam explained. “To sit and listen with empathy is a small thing that can go a long way.”

Their reflections also highlight the complex barriers many Missoulians face, from securing stable housing and employment to navigating systems without consistent support or resources.

Libraries across the country are increasingly integrating social work into their services, helping create more responsive, inclusive, and compassionate spaces for everyone.

We’re proud to see UM social work students and alumni leading this important work in our communities.

Photo 1: MSW Student: Liam Keshishian on the left and BSW Student Addison Brown on the right

Photo 2: Left to Right: YSEALI Fellow Anis, Virginia Harris, Slaven,
and YSEALI Fellow Elsa, and Library Director Slaven Lee

03/21/2026

Only 2 weeks left ⏳
Earn your online MSW from the University of Montana - affordable, flexible, and built for your schedule. Applications due by April 5th.

Apply now or drop us a message here:
https://info.umt.edu/online-master-social-work