Congratulations to the winner of the November Penn Matters Readership Raffle: Leslie Sklar, MSW'84, has won a copy of the 2008 Centennial Edition Alumni Directory. Click here to enter the December Readership Raffle for a chance to win a copy of the SP2 Centennial Edition Alumni Directory.
Alumni Benefit of the Month
Being a Penn alum has many benefits. Each month, we highlight a benefit available to the SP2 alumni community. A full list of alumni benefits can be found on the Penn Alumni site.
Enterprise Car Rental
Penn alumni enjoy preferred status at Enterprise Rent-A-Car entitling you to special rates and benefits. With more than 5,000 locations in the U.S., Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, Enterprise is bound to be there when you travel. You will need to provide the codes NA17112 and UNI when making your reservation.
Recommend an Applicant!
Alumni who know potential applicants who would be good candidates for the Master of Social Work, Master of Science in Social Policy, Master of Science in Non-profit/non-governmental Organization Leadership, or Doctorate in Clinical Social Work degree programs are invited to recommend them to the School, and we will waive the application fee for them. To recommend an applicant, click here.
SP2 Alumni Yellow Pages
Do you have a business or a service that would be of interest to other SP2 alumni? If so, advertise in the SP2 Yellow Pages. Or, if you’re looking for something, browse the yellow pages and support the enterprises of your fellow alumni.
To submit a posting, click here to email Emily Brueckner.
To browse the yellow pages, click here.
Become an Alumni Ambassador!
The Alumni Ambassadors program offers alumni opportunities to volunteer at the School. This flexible program allows you to choose which activities and opportunities best match your interests and your schedule. For more information, or to become an Alumni Ambassador, click here.
Job Announcements
Sign up for the Career Services job listserv (there are separate listservs for clinical and macro job opportunities). If you would like to advertise a job announcement to our alumni through the Career Services listserv please email the information to Alumni Relations. To sign up for the Career Services listserv, click here.
Join QuakerNet – Penn’s Online Community!
A classmate may be trying to get in touch with you! The online community is password protected and available only to registered Penn alumni. By registering, you will be able to update your own profile, as well as search the directory for the contact information of your classmates. If you haven’t yet registered for the online community, click here to do so today. If you have questions about the online community, please contact Emily Brueckner at embrueck@sp2.upenn.edu.
Need to Contact SP2 Alumni Relations?
We have a user-friendly email address: alumnirelations@sp2.upenn.edu. Send alumni questions, comments, and concerns to this address and we'll make sure it gets to the appropriate person.
"100 for 100" Centennial Campaign
Dean's Welcome
As 2008 draws to a close, I reflect on the wonderful year we have had at the School of Social Policy & Practice. The highlights were many, and include the Centennial Celebration kickoff, Ralph Nader’s visit to campus to speak about social justice, and Jonathan Kozol’s address (hosted by SP2) at the annual Council on Social Work Education conference, among others. By now, alumni and friends should have received their copy of the 2008 SP2 Review, which highlights many of these accomplishments.
And as we approach the New Year, I look forward to 2009 being just as impressive. We have a full schedule of continuing education courses lined up for the spring semester, and we are finalizing the details for Alumni Weekend and Reunion 2009 (save the date for May 15 – 16!). Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc. will celebrate their fifth anniversary on Thursday, January 15. We will continue to keep you posted about other special events at the School in the upcoming months.
These successes would not have been possible without the many members of the SP2 community who support the school. Thank you to our faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends for everything you do to make SP2 the leader that it is.
It is impossible, however, to write at this time, and not be concerned about the fallout from the economic downturn of which the country and the world is in the midst. Too many members of the SP2 family have already been hurt by some form of economic reversal. Far too many of the people and organizations we work with have been effected and will face more problems and challenges. I can only say that in challenging times, SP2 and our entire community stand ready to meet the economic, social, and personal challenges that the new year will bring.
Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a healthy New Year!
Sincerely,
Richard J. Gelles, Ph.D.
Dean
Joanne and Raymond Welsh Chair of Child Welfare and Family Violence
Feature Article
International Conference Examines Non-Profit Leadership
As a part of the Centennial Celebration, the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice sponsored the 37th annual Association for Research on Non-profit Organizations and Voluntary Action, or ARNOVA, conference in conjunction with the Benjamin Franklin Leadership Symposium and a reception marking 100 years of social-work education at Penn. With the support of the School, the conference was a tremendous success, and was the best attended conference to date for the organization.
School News
Gerontology Interest Group
SP2 recently formed a Gerontology Interest Group for students, alumni, faculty, and staff interested in issues pertaining to the field of gerontology. As one of its first events, the group sponsored a training by Dr. Zvi Gellis on Evidence-Based Mental Health Practices with Older Adults. The training provided information on the effectiveness of different therapeutic and other interventions for older adults who suffer from various types of mental illness (e.g. depression, anxiety). The group will meet again in January to discuss plans for additional training sessions. Anyone interested in joining the group or hearing about upcoming events, should contact one of the Co-Chairs: Katie Arner (kathe@sp2.upenn.edu) or Gretchen Nordstrom (gretchj@sp2.upenn.edu).
Field Center hosts Community Symposium
The Field Center for Children's Policy, Practice & Research held its fall community symposium, The Nurse-Family Partnership: From Trials to International Replication, on Tuesday December 9. Dr. David Olds, who is Professor of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Nursing, and Preventive Medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and directs the Prevention Research Center for Family and Child Health, was the presenter. He spoke about his evidence-based program of prenatal and infancy home visiting for low-income mothers bearing first children, known as the Nurse-Family Partnership. The date and topic of the next community symposium will be announced after the New Year.
Spring Semester Continuing Education Courses
Pennsylvania Licensed Social Workers are reminded that the renewal deadline for this cycle of continuing education as required by Pennsylvania law ends February 28, 2009. The requirement entails accumulating 30 credits, at least 3 of which need to be on ethics. The SP2 Department of Continuing Education and Professional Development will be offering 13 workshops before the February 28 deadline, and 4 of these workshops meet the ethics requirement. Alumni and field supervisors receive a $10 discount per session. The complete schedule of courses, as well as registration information, can be found on the CE website.
Gift Planning Q & A
Each month, Frank Barr, the SP2 liaison in the Office of Gift Planning answers a question about gift planning.
Question: I was considering a planned gift through my Will, but have also read of some very large gifts Penn has received and think my gift would be so small as to not be meaningful.
Answer: Okay, first I’ll admit that is not really a question, but it is a thought process expressed with some frequency, and one that should be immediately dispelled! A wonderful fact of philanthropy is that every single gift, regardless of size, counts, and counts for a lot, and all are certainly very welcome and appreciated at Penn. Read the full answer.
Faculty News
Joretha Bourjolly, PhD, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at SP2, was invited by the National University of Singapore, Department of Social Work to provide research consultation and a seminar on the topic of "Evaluating Cultural Competency Among Behavioral and Mental Health Service Providers" on November 22 - 25, 2008. The seminar was attended by faculty, students, and behavioral and mental health providers in Singapore.
Ram Cnaan, PhD, was installed as the new president of ARNOVA (Association for Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action) at the organization’s annual conference, held in Philadelphia last month.
Susan B. Sorenson, PhD, and doctoral student Manisha Joshi attended a November 26-27 meeting at the World Health Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, where their background paper, "Health Indicators for Violence Against Children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries" was discussed by two dozen experts from around the globe. The background paper will be revised and form the basis for an upcoming WHO report.Student News
Noel Ramirez, MSW Candidate '09, was named chair of the Programming Committee of The Foyer of Philadelphia, a new organization that caters specifically to LGBT youth. Read the full article.
Alumni News
Dr. Christina Dooyeon Kang, MSW’00, has been given the Gerontological Society of America (GSA)’s Social Research, Policy, and Practice Section Doctoral Research Award. The award, given to a person with outstanding doctoral research, was presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of GSA on November 23, 2008. GSA is the nation’s oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to advancing research, education, and practice in the field of aging. Dr. Kang’s competing paper for the award was on Effects of Resident Ethnic Mix and Medicaid Census on Disparities in Quality of Care and Quality of Life across New York State Nursing Homes.Dr. Kang is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Center for Mental Health Policy and Services Research of University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and is also working with Dr. Zvi D. Gellis. She received a Ph.D. from Columbia University School of Social Work in May 2008.
Keri Hicks, MSW’00 and Rachel Neff, MSW’04, received the 2nd Annual Emerging Social Work Leader Award of the National Association of Social Workers – New York City Chapter. This award is presented in recognition of their visionary and exemplary work.
Upcoming Events
Black Men at Penn School of Social Work, Inc.
5th Year Anniversary Fundraising Gala
"Without Struggle, There is No Progress"
Jon M. Huntsman Hall
8th Floor
3730 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Thursday, January 15, 2009
5:30-9:30pm
RSVP 215-221-2794
Bruised and Broken: Abused Boys and Healing Men
This panel discussion will include a range of professionals discussing the silent epidemic of abused boys, their experiences, their responses, and what tools communities and professionals can develop to serve this population
Wednesday, 21 January 2008; 6-9pm
Claudia Cohen Hall, Terrace Room, 249 South 36th Street
This event is part of the 2009 MLK Symposium on Social Change.
It is co-sponsored by the Penn Chapter of the National Association of Black Social Workers, the Penn Department of English, the Penn Department of Psychology, and the Field Center for Children's Policy, Practice and Research.
Save the Date for Reunion and Alumni Weekend
May 15 – 16, 2009
Announcements and Services
Group Supervision for LSW’s and LAC’s
Gretchen Morgan, MSW’97, LCSW, founding partner of Lighthouse Counseling and Wellness Center, will be offering Group Supervision for LSW’s and LAC’s starting in January 2009. These groups will count towards required hours for Clinical Licensure in the state of New Jersey. Groups will meet once every two weeks for one hour and will be designed to meet the specific needs of attendees. (If there is interest, groups may be provided weekly.) For more information, contact Gretchen Morgan at gmorgan@lcwcnj.com or (732) 380-1575 ext 301 or visit www.lcwcnj.com.
Science Fair Judges Needed
The George Washington Carver Science Fair Committee seeks judges for its 30th Annual Science Fair. A science fair judge need not be employed in a science or education field, but should possess a comfortable background in science, math, technology, engineering, and/or education as well as have an appreciation for science education.
The Carver Science Fair encourages urban youth to pursue academic achievement, careers in science, civic involvement, and character development. Jointly sponsored by The School District and The Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Temple University, and the Academy of Natural Sciences, the Fair is open to all Philadelphia public, charter, parochial, and private school students in grades four through twelve. Since its inception in 1979, over 18,000 students have participated in the Carver Science Fair and have, in many cases, moved on to compete in the Delaware Valley Science Fair.
For more information, or to complete a registration form to be a judge, please visit www.temple.edu/carversciencefair.
Editor's Note
We are always seeking to better serve our alumni and offer a more convenient way to share news with the Social Policy & Practice community. Penn Matters offers a way to highlight happenings and information in a timely manner. It acts as a supplement to the printed SP2 Review, which will still be mailed to alumni and friends every fall. We welcome your feedback and suggestions about Penn Matters and the SP2 Review. Please email Alumni Relations with questions, comments, feedback, and suggestions.
Penn Matters Online is created using Cascading Style Sheets according to W3C web standards for compliance and accessibility. It is accessible for Braille, aural, and handheld readers, and the layout is fully resizable through your Internet browser preferences. For your convenience when printing, all images will be omitted and the text will be set to a 12 point Arial font. Please contact Lizza Robb with any questions or suggestions.
Emily M. Brueckner, MSW’05
Editor, Penn Matters