Social Work Society
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The Social Work Society has played an integral role in the CSUN Social Work department. They provide new graduate students with mentorship and promote students to partake in action programs that encourage change.
They put together extracurricular functions that further develop an understanding and passion for social work.
We encourage you to become a member of the Social Work Society.
For information, contact SWS at [email protected].
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The Importance of Self-Care
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Social Work is a profession that is notorious for burnout. Thus, it is important to practice self-care strategies in an effort to reduce stress, anxiety and other factors that can lead to burnout.
We encourage you to take a look and develop your own self-care plan.
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Greetings from the Department
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 | | Dr. Amy Levin |
Our program started the 2013-14 school year with our largest student body yet, comprised of 433 students in seven cohorts throughout Los Angeles and Ventura Counties and online.
We are so proud of our diverse and well-rounded student body. Brooke Hall, graduating in spring 2014, has earned the prestigious California State University Trustees' award and the Trustee Emeritus Murray L. Galinson Scholar award for extraordinary public service. Many of our other students have been successful in obtaining prominent fellowships and scholarships. We have also had students and alumni helping to write senate bills for their advocacy projects to support teen parents as well as limit the solitary confinement of juvenile offenders.
We are excited to welcome Dr. Sarah Mountz to our faculty. Sarah received her MSW from Columbia University and her PhD from the University of Washington. CSUN faculty have been busy publishing articles, securing grants and awards, hosting social workers and researchers from other countries and presenting at various conferences around the globe.
I am honored to serve as the Vice President of the National Association of Deans and Directors of Schools of Social Work (NADD) and am looking forward to working with other leaders of social work education as our program increases its regional and national visibility.
All the best for a new school year,
Amy Levin
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Brooke Hall Earns the 2013 California State University Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement
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Brooke Hall,
Class of 2014
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When Brooke Celia Hall was 17, she lost her father. Seven years later, her older brother died. While others might have given up and retreated from the world, Hall persevered through both losses.
The 26-year-old California State University, Northridge social work graduate student has developed a resolve that has spurred her success and inspired others. She was one of 23 students honored by the CSU Board of Trustees with the 2013 CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement at the trustees meeting in Long Beach on Sept. 24.
"I've had a lot of challenging experiences at a young age that have made me a more resilient person," Hall said. "It is great to be recognized for my achievements."
The students selected for the awards have demonstrated superior academic performance, personal accomplishments, community service and financial need. The scholarship awards range from $3,000 to $10,000. In addition, Hall has received the Trustee Emeritus Murray L. Galinson Scholar award for extraordinary public service. CSU trustee scholars are nominated by their campus president with each campus selecting one scholar.
"I am extremely proud that Brooke has not only received the CSU Trustees' Award but she has received an additional recognition as the Dr. Murray L. Galinson Scholar," said President Dianne F. Harrison. "Brooke's confidence and continuous commitment to social justice make her an excellent representative of California State University, Northridge and the CSU system."
Hall graduated with a bachelor's in psychology from UC Berkeley in 2009. After working at a drug treatment facility for three years, she decided to pursue a master's degree in social work at CSUN.
"I chose CSUN because it was conveniently located and it has an amazing program," said Hall, a resident of Moorpark. "They (CSUN) teach a wide-array of topics preparing you to work in a diverse community."
Hall has interned at the Jewish Family Services in Ventura County, where she worked with diverse populations, including the homeless and children diagnosed with autism. She volunteers with Sober College, mentoring young adults struggling with drug addiction. She is a lifetime member of Psi Chi National Honors Society and has been accepted into Phi Alpha Honor Society for Social Work.
Hall said her goal is to become a licensed clinical social worker and to continue to provide a "sense of hope" to individuals who have experienced challenges in their lives.
"I want to be that person who can look beyond a person's mistakes and instill hope," Hall said.
For more information about the CSU Trustees' Award for Outstanding Achievement, please visit calstate.edu/foundation/trusteesawards.
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Student Research, Awards & Advocacy
| Christina Marin, a student in the on-campus 2014 cohort, was awarded a distinguished Graduate Fellowship for Research and Creative Activity from the Office of Research and Graduate Studies.She was selected as one of 20 graduate students set to receive a $5,000 fellowship. The primary objective of the Graduate Equity Fellowship Program is to prepare, encourage and support those graduate students who aspire to obtain a doctorate and pursue an academic career in teaching and research.
Zuly Quezada, a student in the College of the Canyons 2014 cohort, was interviewed by Ashley Walton, host of "The Silhouette" on KPC Radio, in a piece on the El Nido Family Centers and its programs. The centers have worked for the last 88 years to support teenage parents and help break stereotypes around teen parenting. In the interview Zuly, who is a graduate of the El Nido Family Centers' program and now serves as the alumni co-chair, shares her personal experiences as a teen parent.
Michelle Welsh, a student in the Ventura 2015 cohort, has been working on a new program at Camarillo's youth detention facility that is aimed at reducing recidivism by offering a comprehensive approach to treating youth offenders. An article in the Ventura County Star offers more information on the program. Jessica Chandler, a student in the on-campus 2014 cohort, was a former foster child and teen parent, and knows first hand the difficulties faced by teens who become parents while also being wards of the state. Her personal experiences served as her motivation for writing an Op-Ed for the Los Angeles Times and testifying in front of the California legislature in support of SB 568, a bill that in her words would "require that kids in foster care be taught about pregnancy prevention, and it would establish guaranteed resources for foster kids who get pregnant." The bill was signed by Governor Brown on September 23, 2013.
Megan Pagan and Caitlin Chapman, both of whom are students in our on-campus 2014 cohort, won fellowships with the Motion Picture Television Fund. |
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Michelle Lewis, Class of 2013
Ms. Lewis received the California Association of Deans and Directors and the CalSWEC Research & Development Committee's Student Research Award.She was the top candidate out of 10 finalists for the state-wide competition that focuses on:
- Fostering interest in applied, practice-oriented research for MSW students;
- Promoting student research that is relevant to agency practice;
- Creating a forum for students to share their research results with agencies that will benefit from it.
She will receive an award of $500.
Ana Urena, Class of 2013
Ms. Urena was a a top 10 finalists for the state-wide
California Association of Deans and Directors and the CalSWEC Research & Development Committee's Student Research Award. She will receive an award of $250.
Los Angeles Department of Children & Families Services
Nelli Oganesyan, MSW '13 and Sandra Sharma, MSW '13 are featured in the Department of Children and Family Services Spring/Summer newsletter. Oganesyan shares her thoughts on the important of the role of a social worker in the lives of those they come in contact with while in the field (pg. 4), while Sandra Sharma was honored at a luncheon held in observance of National Social Work Month by DCFS Director, Philip Browning.
Shannon O'Brien, a current student from the College of the Canyons 2014 cohort, was also honored at the luncheon.
Alumni Supporting SB 61
A class advocacy project has taken Katie Cianci, MSW '13, Sandra Sharma, MSW '13 and Kevin Trout, MSW '13 from presenting in front of their peers to meeting with state senators and testifying in front of state committees all in hopes of passing Senate Bill 61. The bill would prevent minors who are detained in any juvenile facility from being subjected to solitary confinement, except for extreme cases.
While some last minute changes to the bill prevented it's passage this past legislative session, Senator Yee and our alumni are working tirelessly to get it reintroduced next year.
An article about their work is featured on the National Association of Social Workers website.
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Faculty Awards, Accomplishments & Activities
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New Faculty Member
We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Sarah Mountz to Department. Dr. Mountz received her PhD in Philosophy (Social Welfare) from the University of Washington and her MSW from Columbia University. Dr. Mountz's research focuses on the experiences of LGBTQ youth in juvenile justice and child welfare systems with a particular emphasis on the experiences of girls. She worked in various aspects of the child welfare system in New York City for six years before getting her PhD. She teaches from a critical social justice framework and is especially interested in qualitative methods.
Pedagogy of Privilege Conference
 | | Dr. Wendy Ahsley, Dr. Eli Bartle and Jos� Paez, MSW |
Three of our faculty members
presented at the Pedagogy of Privilege Conference held by the University of Denver in Colorado this past August.
The conference brought scholars, students, faculty, staff, community members, social justice workers, and activists together to engage in dialogues about the various aspects of privilege and the ways in which privilege impacts education, social justice work, helping professions, and research. Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr. and Dean Spade were keynotes.
Dr. Eli Bartle presented a workshop titled "Institutionalizing Campus Climate Improvements", while Dr. Wendy Ashley and Jos� Paez
presented a workshop titled "Racial Justice In Social Work Education: Using Critical Race Theory to Address Privilege and Power in the Classroom".
Visiting Social Workers from Korea
Dr. Hyun-Sun Park hosted a group of social work scholars and practitioners from Korea as part of information exchange program on October 14, 2013. They spent a day on the CSUN campus learning about some of the ways social service systems differ between the US and Korea. Dr. Park and Professor Jos� Paez gave the group a talk on diversity in social work education. The group also visited LBGTQ Pride Center on campus.
Faculty Updates
Dr. Wendy Ashley will be the keynote at the November general meeting of End Abuse Long Beach. End Abuse Long Beach (previously The Long Beach Area Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Prevention Council) is a voluntary group of professionals and concerned community members who work in some way with abused or neglected children, domestic violence victims or perpetrators, and their families. Her presentation is titled "Power and Privilege in Trauma Work".
Dr. Ashley also received a Faculty Loan Repayment Program (FLRP) award offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for 2013. As part of the program, the Government pays up to a maximum of $40,000 of the participant's student loans and provides funds to offset the tax burden in exchange for educating tomorrow's clinicians. This year the program received over 300 applications for 20 awards.
Dr. James Decker will be traveling to Haikou, China in November to present a paper titled "Psychosocial Needs of Men with Breast Cancer" at the 3rd Annual World Congress of MolMed (Molecular Medicine and Oncology). He also had papers accepted at the 18th Biennial International Consortium for Social Development held in Kampala, Uganda in July and the ExCEL in Social Work: Excellence in Cancer Education & Leadership conference held in Coronado, CA in June. Dr. Decker and Dr. Jodi Brown won the "Best Paper Award" at the International Organization of Social Sciences and Behavioral Research held in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 8, 2013 for their paper titled "Psychosocial Needs of Men with Breast Cancer: A Case Study". Dr. Amy Levin, Dr. Susan Love and Dr. Hyun-Sun Park had two papers accepted for 59th Annual Program Meeting of Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) held in Dallas, TX on October 31-November 3, 2013. The first paper is titled "Evaluating Student Achievement of Practice Competencies in a MSW Program: Outcomes-based Assessment" and the second is titled "Psychosocial correlates of recovery among post 9/11 veteran and military college students". |
Fall Event Calendar
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Lunch and Learn
 These events allow students the opportunity to learn about various topics of interest in the Social Work field:
- Affordable Care Act Information & Enrollment
November 19, 2013 in Sierra Hall 272 from 12:15-1:15pm
Docs and Talks
Docs & Talks was designed to be a fun, interactive way to bring awareness to important social issues affecting social workers today. Meeting one night a month, Docs & Talks includes a screening of a documentary chosen by students and faculty, followed by discussion and debate. As a way to make a difference for those we work with, Docs and Talks will also offer opportunities to take part in a small advocacy piece related to the issue featured. Not only will Docs & Talks be a valuable learning experience, but it is also a great way to strengthen the bond between students. All MSW students and faculty are welcome.
- Bomb It
November 4, 2013 in Sierra Hall 272 from 7-9pm
Information Sessions for Prospective Students
These sessions provide an overview of our various MSW programs and the admissions process. We also leave plenty of time for any questions that prospective applicants may have. All informational sessions will be held in Sierra Hall 451 (Whitsett). To view a map, please click here.
- Monday, September 30, 2013 from 7:00-8:00pm
- Click here to view the video.
- Friday, October 25, 2013 from 5:00-6:00pm
- Wednesday, November 6, 2013 2:00-3:00pm
- Wednesday, November 20, 2013 2:00-3:00pm
- Thursday, December 12, 2013 6:00-7:00pm
Join the Social Work Society at the 7th Annual HomeWalk
Sing-up to walk with the
CSUN Social Work Society Team in partnership with the Children's Bureau, and Kobe Bryant on Saturday, November 23rd, in United Way of Greater Los Angeles' 7th Annual HomeWalk. It's a fun-filled 5K Run/Walk to end homelessness in LA County.
Registering is easy! Just go to HomeWalkLA.org and click on REGISTER. Check JOIN A TEAM and select CSUN Social Work Society from the drop down menu.
We are participating in HomeWalk because 100% of funds raised go to support a proven model for ending homelessness. LA County has the largest homeless population in the country at 58,000 people. 32% of them are women and children, 15,000 are chronically homeless individuals, and 7,000 are military veterans.
If you are unable to join us for HomeWalk on November 23rd, please consider making a donation to our team CSUN Social Work Society at HomeWalkLA.org. Search for our team and then make your donation safely and securely online.
Thank you and we hope to see you there!
Winter Clothing Drive
Need to free up some space in your closet? Want to donate your gently used items? The Social Work Society will be collecting clothing items fro December 1st through December 13th so start. More details to come.
Diversity Day
The event will be held on campus from 8:00am - 4:00pm on Saturday, March 1, 2014. The topic for this year's event will be mental health.
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Please look for future Department of Social Work Newsletters for more information about what is happening in the program. We appreciate your support and please feel free to forward this on to anyone who might be interested. Hope you have a great semester!
Sincerely,
The Faculty and Staff of the Department of Social Work at California State University, Northridge
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