The March issue of Penn Matters announced a contest for an alumna to win a trip to 
Question: I heard that the School is undergoing renovations this summer. What is going to be done?
Alumni Weekend & Reunion 2009
Register today for the 2009 Alumni Weekend and Reunion activities! All of this year's SP2 events are free to alumni. Friday includes a full day of social and educational programming that includes 2 free social work CEUs. View the full schedule of events >
Register online today >
SP2 Hosts GADE CONFERENCE
From April 2 - 4, the annual Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE) conference was held at the Sheraton University City hotel. Sixty attendees from universities all over the country and from Canada came together to talk about the current state of doctoral education ... Read more >
New Website for Evelyn Jacobs Ortner Center on Family Violence
The Evelyn Jacobs Ortner Center on Family Violence has a new website. Through the new site, visitors can learn more about the Center and its work, download fact sheets, read Penn students' personal accounts about domestic violence, and more. Visit the website >
"Universities and Disasters: A Katrina Case Study"
The University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy & Practice will host "Universities and Disasters: Katrina Case Study," a discussion group, from April 29 to May 1. The group will create a "how to" guide to direct institutions of higher education on how they can be of most help to a community in need when a monumental ... Read more >
Center for high impact philanthropy Releases Global Public Health Investment Guide
Bill Gates' recent unleashing of a swarm of mosquitoes during the TED conference is just the latest in a number of high profile calls to stop malaria, a treatable and preventable disease and global health priority. Given the contributions ... Read more >
FACULTY ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Joan Davitt, Ph.D., was invited to speak at the Long Term Care Financing Solutions conference sponsored by the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging in March. Dr. Davitt spoke on the current fragmented and underfunded system for financing long term care and offered recommendations for enhancing our ability in the US to provide adequate ... Read more >
Ezekiel Dixon-Román, Ph.D., has been appointed for a three year term to the American Educational Research Association’s Research Advisory Committee. The Research Advisory Committee was adopted by the AERA Executive Board in 1998. The charge of this committee is to focus on three major issues: (1) Fostering high-quality research and discussions thereof; and ... Read more >
Andrea Doyle, Ph.D., will present dissertation research, “Rhythms of Clinical Process: Nonlinear Dynamic Approaches to Capturing Patterns of Change,” at the Society for Behavioral Medicine 30th Annual Meeting in Montreal on April 22-25.
Phyllis Solomon, Ph.D. has been selected to receive the Provost's Award for Distinguished Ph.D. Teaching and Mentoring 2008-2009. She and other award-winning teachers will be honored at a reception on April 27th in Houston Hall.
Susan B. Sorenson, Ph.D. presented her work with doctoral student Kristie A. Thomas, MSW at the March 2009 conference of the Society for the Advancement of Violence and Injury Research in Atlanta, Georgia. Their paper, one of the 20 of the 258 submitted abstracts that were chosen for oral presentation, was nominated for Best Abstract. The presentation was ... Read more >
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS
Kristie Thomas, Ph.D. student, gave a speech at Penn’s “Take Back the Night” program on April 2, a rally and march meant to raise awareness about sexual assault, especially on college campuses. The event was organized by undergraduate students and the Penn Women's Center, including second year-MSW student Lauren Willner, whose field placement is at the Women's Center. Kristie spoke about her experiences working as a counselor for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, and she urged listeners to take action against the physical and sexual violence that permeates society.
Manisha Joshi, Ph.D. student, has been elected the graduate chair of the International Student Advisory Board (ISAB) at the University of Pennsylvania. Manisha will head ISAB for 2009-2010 in collaboration with the recently elected undergraduate chair.
RECENT STUDENT AWARDS
Samira Ali, Ph.D. student, has been awarded a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship for the 2009 - 2010 academic year by the South Asia Center at the University of Pennsylvania.
Brian Coleman, Ph.D. student, and Heather Klusaritz, Ph.D. student, have been selected by a committee of their peers to receive the President and Provost's 2009 Citation for Exceptional Commitment to Graduate & Professional Student Life. They will be honored at a ceremony at the Graduate Student Center on Wednesday, May 6.
Three students -- Manisha Joshi, Ph.D student; Kelly Kroehle, MSW student; and Huiquan Zhou, Ph.D. student -- each received a GAPSA-Provost Award for Interdisciplinary Innovation. Their projects, respectively, are Attitudes towards wife beating among women in Tajikistan: An empirical investigation using Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2005, Irreconcilable Differences? An examination of the Presence of Queer Theory in Social Work Practice, and Exploring the Experiences of Volunteer Teachers in Rural China.
Karen Zurlow, Ph.D. student, has been selected to participate in the Sixth Annual Institute on Aging and Social Work, which provides advanced training in aging research to Social Work Faculty. The Institute receives support from the National Institute on Aging, the Hartford Foundation, and the Office of Behavioral and Social Sciences, OD, NIH
UPCOMING EVENTS
Albert M. Greenfield Memorial Lecture
EDUCATIONAL WELL-BEING OF AFRICAN AMERICAN BOYS
Thursday, April 30, 3:00 – 5:00pm
The Inn at Penn, 3600 Sansom Street
Speaker: John W. Fantuzzo, Albert M. Greenfield Professor of Human Relations; Discussants: Dr. Arlene Ackerman, Superintendent, School District of Philadelphia, and Dr. Donald Schwarz, Deputy Mayor of Health and Opportunity.
Registration and Additional Information >
"OPENS MIND FOR AFRICA" FUNDRAISER
May 9, 2009
An event of the University of Pennsylvania Christian Association featuring acclaimed poet Nikki Giovanni and Carlos Gomez, in a benefit performance for the Open Mind for Africa program in honor of Dr. Louise Shoemaker, Dean Emerita of the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work. Registration and more information >
33rd ANNUAL PHILADELPHIA REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
Friday, May 8, 2009
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia – 3535 Market Street, 16th Floor
A forum to discuss areas of mutual concern, foster partnerships and keep abreast of the latest developments. Read conference brochure >
Alumni WEEKEND & Reunion 2009
Friday, May 15 - Sunday, May 17
All SP2 Alumni Weekend and Reunion events are FREE this year. Registration and the full schedule of events are now available. Details >
"EVOLVING ISSUES IN KIDNEY TRANSPLANT"
A Nursing and Social Work CEU symposium hosted by Lankenau Hospital
Wednesday, May 13, 9:00 – 4:00 pm
The Symposium will provide participants with a comprehensive overview of issues related to kidney transplant, including financial considerations, psychosocial issues, transplant surgery, postoperative care and factors surrounding living donors. Read the conference brochure >
Registration and more information >
"One Child, Many Hands" Child Welfare Conference
June 3 - June 5, 2009
The Field Center for Children’s Policy, Practice & Research is hosting its third biennial interdisciplinary child welfare conference. Registration is now open, and early registration rates are available until May 1. The complete schedule of events can be found on the conference website >