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PSU School of Social Work

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Portland, OR
PSU School of Social Work

Oregon's only public institution awarding undergraduate & graduate degrees in Social Work & CYFS.

Portland State University’s School of Social Work is the only public institution in Oregon awarding undergraduate or graduate degrees in Social Work and Child, Youth, and Family Studies. Every year, we prepare over 1,000 students to meet the state’s workforce needs. More than half of Oregon’s licensed social workers are PSU alumni. Additionally, our nationally recognized research and workforce dev

elopment centers help shape the future of social work and human services practice and annually generate $10M in research funding. Through both research and education we strive to live by our motto, “Changing lives, changing communities.”

05/28/2026

We are deeply saddened to share that MSW alum (c/o 2019) and social work Practicum Instructor, Cayle Tern, passed away on May 7th.

Cayle supported our social work students placed at APANO, where he served as the Civic Engagement Manager. He was also a Reynolds School District board member, president of the Iu Mien Association of Oregon, and was on Pacific Islander and Asian Family Center (PIAFC) Advisory Board.

We are grateful for his mentorship to our students and the dedication to the profession. Please share APANO's message below to those who knew him. We are sending our deepest sympathy and love to his wife and family.

You can help support Cayle's family by providing donations. Contributions may be sent to Cayle’s sister‑in‑law, Cheng Champ, who will use the funds for funeral and memorial arrangements. Any remaining support will be given to Cayle’s children.

Please indicate: “For Cayle Tern”
Zelle: [email protected]
Venmo & PayPal: (Cheng Champ)

05/27/2026

With deep heartbrokenness and shock, we are sad to share that Dr. Melanie Sage, a PhD alum (c/o 2010), passed away on Friday, May 15th.

Dr. Sage recently hosted a workshop, "The Balancing Act: Teaching and Learning with AI from a Place of Integrity," earlier in the month. Dr. Alma Trinidad, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, encouraged her to take pictures, as it's been a long while since she visited PSU SSW. We are thankful that she was able to share her wisdom with us! We will miss a strong social work leader, educator, scholar, and researcher.

Please share the following stories with those who knew her:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/in-loving-memory-of-dr-melanie-sage
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/national-association-of-social-workers_the-national-association-of-social-workers-activity-7462507200004001792-Xni6
https://socialwork.utexas.edu/remembering-dr-melanie-sage-lcsw/

We are sending our deepest sympathy and love to her husband, Todd, and family.

05/18/2026

Are you interested in working for public or tribal child welfare?

If so, you may be interested in learning more about the Culturally Responsive Child Welfare Education Program. We invite you to attend one of our information sessions. Please click on the following link to RSVP for one of our CRCWEP Information and Q & A Sessions: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSclV4q6Bj19bak3cT2sfWGgqwoMhgCs4P9YImHOD3EoF1cYJg/viewform

MSW students are eligible for the CRCWEP in any year of their MSW program. CRCWEP Applications will be online by mid-October, and are generally due mid-February for the 2027-28 academic year.

05/15/2026

Congratulations to MSW Online student, Johnny Lynch, who was awarded the Robert Vogelsang Scholarship by the Retirement Association of Portland State (RAPS)!

Johnny wrote an amazing piece detailing his journey toward pursuing an MSW degree, as well as the life experiences that inspired his interest in gerontology.

"I was inspired to pursue a career related to gerontology because I see how foundational elements of society (like our labor system, benefits systems, housing, healthcare, nutrition, and transportation) are stacked against aging populations. The societal treatment toward many of our elders as disposable once they have seemingly been exhausted of labor potential is an injustice that impacts everyone, and connects to disability justice." — Johnny Lynch

Read the full story at: https://www.pdx.edu/social-work/news/johnny-lynch-raps-robert-vogelsang-scholarship-recipient

05/12/2026

Bethany Wallace, Assistant Professor of Practice, Practicum Specialist, and Doctor of Social Work (DSW) student, recently published “From Student to Educator: A Social Worker’s Journey with Self-Disclosure” in Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping.

The abstract is provided below, and the full article can be accessed here: https://reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/Reflections/article/view/2167/1839

Abstract: The use of self-disclosure in social work remains controversial despite the growing theoretical and empirical evidence that engaging individuals with lived experience is fundamental to providing equitable and inclusive services. Within mental health services, social workers (and other helping professionals) appear particularly reluctant to engage in the practice due to stigma and fear of professional ramifications. This is further compounded by limited research and guidance on the risks and benefits of self-disclosure. Using a personal narrative covering my journey with self-disclosure as a social worker, this paper explores gaps in social work education and supervision related to lived experience and the resulting implications for social workers and service users. Recommendations for creating a culture of self-disclosure—including the role of social work education, practicum, and supervision—are discussed.

05/08/2026

Dr. Shannon Blajeski was recently interviewed by Oregon Live -The Oregonian for an article titled, “Serious mental illness is often connected to homelessness. It doesn’t have to be, Portland professor says.”

Dr. Blajeski explains that homelessness among people with serious mental illness is preventable, not inevitable. She describes how many people experiencing psychosis or schizophrenia become homeless because mental health systems often fail to provide consistent care and support before a crisis occurs.

“When you see people on the street … and also clearly experiencing some sort of schizophrenia or psychosis symptoms, I think there is a responsibility to provide care just like there’s a responsibility to provide care for somebody with a severe heart disease.” — Dr. Shannon Blajeski

Read the full article at: https://www.oregonlive.com/politics/2026/04/serious-mental-illness-is-often-connected-to-homelessness-it-doesnt-have-to-be-portland-professor-says.html

05/07/2026

Join us in celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! This is an opportunity to recognize the rich cultures, histories, and contributions of AANHPI communities while reflecting on the importance of advocacy, representation, and inclusion.

The PSU School of Social Work is committed to listening, learning, advocating, and supporting spaces where all individuals are seen, valued, and empowered!

Please see our most recent post to learn more about tomorrow's (May 8th) event, "What We're Made of: Understanding and Honoring Layers of Culture, Language & Self," hosted by OHSU’s Asian Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group. Dr. Alma M.O. Trinidad, Professor & Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the PSU SSW, will be participating as a panelist!

05/05/2026

Join OHSU’s Asian Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group (API ERG) in celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!

The API ERG presents a Lunch & Learn panel on the concept of the palimpsest and how you can apply it in health care, education and research contexts. We’ll discuss how we can use palimpsests to better understand and honor our multilayered backgrounds and identities.

Panelists Include:
- Alma M.O. Trinidad, Professor & Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, PSU School of Social Work
- Bishupal Limbu, Professor of English, PSU College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
- Nhu To-Haynes, Senior Fellow & Adjunct Instructor, OHSU-PSU School of Public Health

Event Details:
When | Friday, May 8th, 12 PM - 1 PM
Where | Hosted Virtually via Microsoft Teams
URL | https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/join-a-meeting
Meeting ID: 212 483 852 050 133
Passcode: j2Qg77eD

04/30/2026

Get ahead on your degree, catch up on your degree requirements, or explore something totally new. Summer Term at PSU is your opportunity to make the most of the season—on campus or online.

Choose from hundreds of classes, including many that meet core or prerequisite requirements. You’ll find options to fast-track your graduation or explore a personal passion while still enjoying all that Portland summers have to offer.

Explore the Summer Term at PSU class schedule and start building the perfect summer. Registration opens May 4.

https://app.banner.pdx.edu/StudentRegistrationSsb/ssb/registration

04/24/2026

Are you a student at an Oregon college, university, or training program? Oregon’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission welcomes your voice and input as we work together to support access to and success in college and training for all Oregonians. We want to hear from you about what helps create a sense of belonging at college and training programs! Head over to Oregon’s Kitchen Table https://tinyurl.com/hecc-belonging to find out how you can share your input.

Address

1800 Southwest 6th Avenue
Portland, OR
97201

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 6pm
Tuesday	9am - 6pm
Wednesday	9am - 6pm
Thursday	9am - 6pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+15037254712

Website

http://pdx.edu/social-work

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