East Los Angeles' Pan American Bank enlisted the help of two USC School of Social Work students-turned-alumni, who are well-versed in community outreach and education, to develop and lead its financial literacy program. Here, a second grader at KIPP Raices Academy instructs her peers on the importance of financial literacy as part of the bank's after-school program. Mirna Beltran's and Norma Bravo's positions at Pan American are part of an initiative to develop non-traditional social work field internships that lead to more permanent positions. Read more
Three new professors will strengthen the school's focus on substance abuse and HIV prevention, serious mental illness and homelessness research. Hortensia Amaro will serve as Dean's Professor of Social Work and Preventive Medicine and as associate provost for community research initiatives with the USC Office of the Provost. Jeremy Goldbach and Ben Henwood join the school as assistant professors. Read more
The Building Capacity in Military-Connected Schools project, a partnership led by professor Ron Avi Astor between the USC School of Social Work and eight public school districts working to create sustainable models of supportive schools, will release four guidebooks Oct. 1 with the goal of bridging the military and civilian divide in K-12 public schools. Read more
The school established the first military social work program at a civilian research university and can now claim another first--three of its students will receive the first full-tuition scholarships from the U.S. Air Force to study social work. Paul Richardson, Morgan McNabb and Stephen Velasquez were awarded the Air Force Health Professions Scholarship in exchange for service as commissioned officers. Read more
