February 2016
Paint the State for Social Work Month!
 
Join fellow School of Social Work alumni and attend a private painting party in your area of the state! Focus on self-care as you relax with drinks and snacks and follow along as an instructor shows you how to paint your very own canvas.
 
Share your pics with us on social media! Tag with: #ILLINOISsocialwork #paintthestate
 
March 3, 2016- Champaign
Lola's Brush @ The School of Social Work
1010 W. Nevada St., Urbana 61801
6-9pm
$30 ($10 will go towards student scholarships)
 
March 9, 2016- Evanston
Bottle & Bottega
1016 Davis St., Evanston, 60201
7-9pm
$35 ($5 will go towards student scholarships)
 
March 16, 2016- Peoria
Kickapoo Winery
6605 N. Smith Rd., Edwards, 61528
6-8:30pm
$40 per person ($5 will go towards student scholarships)
 
March 24, 2016- Rockford
317 Studio & Gallery
317 Market St., Rockford, 61107
6-9pm
$35 per person
 
Register for the painting event in your area.
Upcoming CEU at Carle Pollard Auditorium
   
On February 24, 2016 from 12:00-1:00pm, Dr. Julie Darnell, Associate Professor in the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University Chicago will present to physicians, nurses and other healthcare providers at the 
Carle Pollard Auditorium. Dr. Darnell's research focuses on access to, and the delivery and financing of, health care for poor and vulnerable populations and the safety net organizations that serve them. With the support of AmeriCares, she is currently leading an evaluation of two evidence-based chronic disease interventions in free clinics. She is also conducting a national survey of all known free and charitable clinics across the country. Her presentation, "What is the Role of Free Clinics in Safety Net Care Post the Affordable Care Act?" will address the knowledge gap by physicians about the role of free clinics in safety net care, what resources exist locally for uninsured patients, and present data from her latest research. The presentation will be worth 1.0 continuing education credit hour and is free to the public.
Study Abroad Blended Course

A 14- year old unaccompanied minor enters Champaign county needing dental services, but does not have a sponsor to sign off on the consent form. A family of four from Syria seeks refuge in Greece, and faces discrimination from the local citizens. These two scenarios are a sampling of what students will encounter while exploring and understanding the bigger picture of the socio-economic hardships and injustices, along with human rights violations that refugees and unaccompanied minors face, here in the U.S. and abroad, in Greece.

SOCW 330/561, is a blended course, providing domestic and international service learning experiences to any UIUC undergrad and graduate-level student. The course starts March 28
th, 2016 and culminates with two weeks in Athens, Greece from May 20th-June 6, 2016.

Students are linked to select sites in Champaign county, as coordinated by the Community Learning Lab, where they spend 14 hrs minimum interacting with agency staff and clients. They participate in on-ground pre-departure classes where they learn about the Greek political climate, history, culture, and the impact of the economic crisis on the refugee crisis. In Athens, they spend 32 hours over two weeks at select NGO's while attending and participating in round-table discussions between the NGOs, Greek social work students, and faculty.

If you have students who are interested in signing up for this class, please defer them to the study abroad website to apply online or contact Stacy Billman at [email protected]. Deadline: Feb. 3, 2016
Academic Questions: Hellen McDonald, Clinical faculty, Field Education Office, School of Social Work [email protected]; Michelle Asbill, PhD Social Work candidate, [email protected]; or Tara Powell, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, [email protected]
Students in Action

Get to know MSW student, Megan Blunk: She is currently in the mental health concentration and is also a member of the Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team. We've asked her to share a little about herself, her background and what led her to pursue a career in social work. 
 
"I was in a motorcycle accident when I was 18 where I broke my back and became paralyzed from the waste down. I moved here from Washington State after I received a scholarship to play wheelchair basketball at the University of Illinois. I graduated undergrad in the spring of 2014 with my bachelors in Psychology and I am now studying to receive my Master's degree in Social Work with my concentration is in Mental Health. I chose mental health because I am passionate about helping others that are fighting with mental illness to gain control over their lives and find happiness. I feel extra passionate about doing this because I know how hard it can be. My long term goal is to be both a counselor for anyone that would like my help and a motivational speaker at grade schools and high schools.I am currently finishing my last season playing on the U of I women's wheelchair basketball team and I recently made the 2016 USA Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team and am currently training to compete at the Paralympics in Rio De Janeiro this coming September where we are, of course, hoping to bring home the gold!"
 
Be sure to catch Megan and the Women's Wheelchair Basketball Team at the College Tournament, this weekend February 12-13, 2016 at the ARC gym. View their full schedule here.
4th Annual LGBT Research Symposium
 
The 4th Annual LGBT Research Symposium will be held on May 19-20, 2016. This year's theme is Recentering LGBT Studies: Emerging Conversations in the Field, with Juan Battle, professor of Sociology, Public Health and Urban Education at CUNY as the keynote. Dr. Battle's research focuses on race, sexuality and social justice. Currently, Dr. Battle is leading the Social Justice Sexuality initiative, which aims to capture the experiences of LGBT people of color in America through exploration of sociopolitical themes.
 
Proposals for paper and poster presentations are being accepted until February 15, 2016. To submit a proposal, click here. For more information about the Symposium, please visit their website.
 
Questions about the Symposium can be emailed to [email protected].
CLL Current Projects 
19,312 service hours, and counting
 

Check out some of the projects that students are working on this semester:
  • DREAAM House: Students are fundraising for a new organization that focuses on increasing educational outcomes for at-risk boys with a special emphasis on the African American population. Their fundraising goal is $2,000!
     
  • Education Justice Project: Students are developing a resources section of the re-entry guide for individuals who have been previously incarcerated. These resources would include help with finding a job, transportation, self-help groups, etc.
     
  • Rantoul City Schools: Students are integrating social skills into a Literacy Project. Students have been charged with researching and developing a list of books with a social skills theme that will enable teachers and social workers to strengthen and encourage the children they are working with.
     
  • Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System: Students are gathering information for the hospital social worker on resources for individuals who have a felony. Students will use this information to design a brochure that will be shared with patients and their families.  Information on rehab services, nursing home facilities or homeless shelters will be included.
     
  • The Autism Society of Illinois: Students are planning, publicizing, and putting on the annual Walk for Autism to create awareness at the University of Illinois and in the community.
Stay tuned for future results this semester as we are beginning a stronger connection with the community and classrooms. We encourage you to check out our website for more information on how to submit a project and/or get involved.


        
  FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA  
IN THIS ISSUE
Paint the State for Social Work Month
Upcoming CEU
IRGI Seeks Social Work Alums
Students in Action
4th Annual LGBT Research Symposium
CLL Current Projects

University of Illinois, School of Social Work | 1010 W. Nevada Street | Urbana | IL | 61801