Wurzweiler School of Social Work

10/28/2026

10/21/2026

It all starts tomorrow! 🎉 Members of the WSSW community will be attending hashtag , and we’re excited to spotlight our presenters and the work they’ll be sharing. Wishing everyone a great conference!

View information about their presentations here https://bit.ly/488UseY

10/16/2026

📣 The 3rd Edition of the WSSW Alumni Newsletter Is Here!

Stay connected to the Wurzweiler community with the latest edition of the WSSW Alumni Newsletter, compiled by Dr. Jay Sweifach, Director of Alumni Relations.

This edition celebrates the people, achievements, and experiences that make our community so special. Inside, you’ll find faculty spotlights, introductions to new faculty, reunion highlights, recent and upcoming publications, reflections from recent graduates, engaging faculty and alumni profiles, and class notes.

Whether you’re reconnecting with classmates, catching up on faculty news, or celebrating the accomplishments of fellow alumni, there’s something for everyone!

📖 Read the 3rd Edition https://online.flippingbook.com/view/810636820/

10/15/2026

As we close out Hispanic Heritage Month, we honor the histories, voices, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities and reaffirm our commitment to celebrating the diversity that strengthens our Wurzweiler community throughout the year.

We also recognize the pioneers whose work helped shape the social work profession. Antonia Pantoja, MSW, LCSW, a Puerto Rican social worker, educator, and founder of ASPIRA, championed educational opportunity, cultural pride, and leadership development for Latino youth. Her dedication earned her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Alicia Nájera, MSW, LCSW, a bilingual and bicultural clinical social worker, dedicated her career to supporting underserved children, families, and communities. At Salud Para La Gente, a farmworker clinic in Watsonville, California, she helped bring mental health care to communities facing barriers to support. https://bit.ly/3Wc52z8

At Wurzweiler, this celebration also highlights our Hispanic faculty and staff and how their heritage informs their work, relationships, and service to our school community. We invited them to share what this month means to them personally and professionally.

Reflecting on the connection between cultural heritage and social work, one staff member shared: “As a social worker, my heritage has instilled in me the importance of family, community, resilience, and compassion. These values guide the way I support students, build meaningful relationships, and approach service with empathy and respect for the unique experiences and strengths of others.”

Another staff member highlighted the connection between celebrating heritage and creating a sense of belonging: “As a Dominican and someone who works in the School of Social Work, Hispanic Heritage Month is a meaningful celebration of where we come from, the stories that have shaped us, and the values we carry forward. It reminds me of the importance of honoring each person’s culture, identity, and lived experience while creating spaces where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.”

These reflections remind us that cultural heritage is part of our everyday work as we support students, build relationships, and serve communities with empathy and respect.

10/09/2026

New research by Dr. Saumya Tripathi, examines how gender equality and women’s empowerment have been represented in global discourse over three decades of United Nations General Assembly speeches.

Dr Tripathi’s findings highlight the continued challenges of bringing gender equality to the forefront of global priorities, an issue closely connected to social work ‘s commitment to social justice, equity and addressing structural inequality.

Congratulations to Dr. Tripathi on the publication of “Mainstreaming or marginalizing? Gender in the United Nations General Assembly discourse, 1993–2023,” in Discourse & Society.

🔗 Read the article: https://bit.ly/4ybSh4S

10/07/2026

Wurzweiler School of Social Work is proud to recognize MSW candidate Yvonne Turner, whose article, “Beyond the Traditional Path: One Soldier’s Road to Social Work,” was featured in the Summer/Fall 2026 edition of The Maryland Social Worker.

Drawing on her 25 years of military service, Yvonne shares her journey from a career in the military to pursuing social work, reflecting on how her lived experiences, resilience, and commitment to service have shaped the practitioner she is becoming.

Her story is a powerful reminder that “Growth has no expiration date. Neither does purpose.”

Congratulations, Yvonne, on this well-deserved recognition and for sharing a story that reminds us there is no single path to a career in social work! 💙

10/02/2026

The WSSW Lunch & Learn Series, a casual professional development series where students can learn from faculty, alumni, and experts on timely topics in social work practice, began its Fall semester series on 9/17/2026 with a presentation on Su***de Prevention led by Dr. Chaim Nissel, MS, PsyD, Vice President & Graduate Dean of Students at Yeshiva University.

Dr. Nissel emphasized the important role we can all play in recognizing and responding to someone who may be struggling, reminding participants that “Su***de prevention is everyone’s responsibility” and “Asking about su***de saves lives.”

Students reflected on the value of the conversation and had this to say:

“This session was super informative and is very relevant to practice and even everyday life.” - Rivka Sloshay, MSW

“As a future mental health practitioner, sessions like this give me confidence that I'll be able to handle situations like suicidality with competence and sensitivity.” - Miriam Orr, WSSW MSW Intern

Thank you to Dr. Nissel for leading this important conversation and to our students for engaging in a discussion that strengthens awareness, preparedness, and compassionate practice.

A special thank you to Mindy Finkelstein for her dedication and help in organizing these events.

***dePrevention

09/30/2026

09/18/2026

Congratulations to Herschel Knapp, PhD, MSSW, on the publication of Full-Time Practicum Placements Outperform Part-Time, co-authored with Siyon Rhee, PhD, MSW; Hermila Melero, LCSW; and Colleen Friend, PhD, LCSW.

Published in the Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, the study explores how the structure of practicum education can influence student learning and professional development. Comparing an intensive 10-week, full-time summer practicum with a traditional two-semester, part-time placement, the research found that students in the intensive program significantly outperformed their peers across all nine professional competencies.

The findings offer important insights into how alternative practicum models may support student success, timely graduation, and preparation for the social work workforce.

Read the full article: https://bit.ly/4hxHvkq