Past CSWE Scholars

Past CSWE Scholars 

Helen Petracchi
Joint Research Task Force on EPAS Scholar

The Joint Research Task Force is comprised of members of the Commission on Research, Commission on Educational Policy, and Commission on Accreditation. The Task Force goal is to advance the science of social work accreditation by working to increase the evidence base and better articulate the theoretical base of educational policies and accreditation standards for baccalaureate and master’s social work programs. Dr. Petracchi will be working with the Task Force to focus on best practices or models in field education/internship experience across disciplines and their connection to social work standards, the history and development of field education standards, and how programs have changed (or not changed) field in response to the EPAS. The 2019 Joint Research Taskforce Report can be found here. 
 

Lori Messinger
Assessing students’ ability to provide culturally competent practice with LGBT populations

Lori Messinger, Associate Professor at University of Kansas, studied specific indicators of cultural competent practice with LGBT populations. She used these indicators to develop an assessment instrument to measure how well social work students are prepared to work with LGBT adults and youth.

Jeane Anastas
Doctoral Social Work Education

Jeane Anastas is professor at New York University. Dr. Anastas worked with CSWE on several projects related to the Task Force on Doctoral Social Work Education, which convened in March 2006. One of the projects included a survey of social work doctoral students on workforce issues related to the pipeline in doctoral education, models of doctoral education, characteristics of doctoral applicants, and employment opportunities for graduates.

Jennifer Bellamy and Sarah E. Bledsoe
University–Agency Partnerships for Evidence-Based Practice

Jennifer Bellamy (University of Chicago) and Sarah E. Bledsoe (University of South Carolina) are working on a project that addresses relationships that form between social work programs and field placement sites to implement evidence-based practices. The project will include a survey of all accredited graduate social work programs and focus groups with program representatives and practitioners.

Suzanne Cross
American Indians and Alaskan Natives in Social Work Education

Suzanne L. Cross is an associate professor at Michigan State University and a former member of the CSWE Board of Directors. Dr. Cross conducted a study of American Indian and Alaskan Natives in social work education, identifying trends, barriers, and major issues. Her study also informed her work as chair of the CSWE Task Force on Native Americans in Social Work Education. The Task Force final report (PDF) includes the findings from her study.

Kristin Day
Leadership Content in Self-Study Documents

Kristin Day, doctoral student at Catholic University of America, examined leadership content in self-study documents of participating social work programs. Her study built on the work done in the area of leadership by former Scholars Bradford Sheafor and Marceline Lazzari.

Gary Holden
Accreditation-Related Outcome Assessment

Gary Holden, professor at New York University, studied accreditation-related outcome assessment during his term as a CSWE Senior Scholar. Dr. Holden specifically tested a new outcome assessment instrument, the Evaluation Self-Efficacy Scale, and also examined the outcome assessment approaches currently being used by schools of social work for accreditation purposes.

  • Holden, G., Barker, K., Rosenberg, G., & Onghena, P. (2007). Assessing progress toward accreditation related objectives: Evidence regarding the use of self-efficacy as an outcome in the advanced concentration research curriculum. Research on Social Work Practice, 17(4), 456–465.

Marceline Lazzari
Leadership in Social Work Curriculum

Marceline Lazzari served as chair of the CSWE Commission for Diversity and Social and Economic Justice and on faculty at the University of Washington, Tacoma. Dr. Lazzari focused her study on the style of leadership being taught to students in social work programs. In 2007 Dr. Lazzari analyzed the leadership content in the syllabi of 35 social work programs. Specifically, Dr. Lazzari examined course type, purpose, program level, theoretical models, assignments, and inclusion of diversity.

Jack Lewis
Teaching Cultural Competency

Jack Lewis (University of Pennsylvania) launched a project that will help to examine the presence of cultural competency in social work curriculum and assessment measures. He will apply a model of cultural competency to the 2008 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards to develop a new resource for programs.

Tina Maschi, Melissa Wells, and Greta Yoder Slater
Pilot Project on Best Practices in Social Work Research Education

Tina Maschi (Fordham University), Melissa Wells (University of New Hampshire), and Greta Yoder Slater (Ball State University) are examining the research curriculum and pedagogy through a survey of program representatives. Findings from their project were presented at the 2009 Annual Program Meeting.
 
Miriam S. Raskin
Field Instruction in Accreditation Standards

Miriam S. Raskin, professor at George Mason University, was named the first Senior Scholar in CSWE’s Scholars program. Dr. Raskin researched the CSWE archives to examine accreditation standards on field instruction, how the standards developed, and whether the development and evolution of the standards was evidence-based. 
 
John Rife
Infusion of Gerontological Content
John C. Rife, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, conducted a content analysis of social work program self-study documents to determine the depth and breadth of gerontological content included. This Scholar project was funded by the CSWE Gero-Ed Center.

Cathryne Schmitz
CSWE Leadership in Rethinking Diversity in Social Work Education

Cathryne Schmitz, professsor at University of North Carolina–Greensboro, assisted the CSWE Commission for Diversity and Social and Economic Justice and affiliated groups with a project that led to the development of a publication (PDF) on the complexity of diversity. 
 
Bradford W. Sheafor
Leadership Development

Bradford W. Sheafor (Colorado State University) studied leadership development in social work during his term as a CSWE Senior Scholar in fall 2005. Dr. Sheafor examined what leadership development is currently available to social work faculty and the feasibility and needs for a leadership institute. Dr. Sheafor also worked with the Commission on Professional Development to survey the CSWE membership on which social workers were currently serving in leadership positions in academia or had completed leadership training.

Carol Williams
E-Learning for Social Work Educators

Carol Williams, professor at Kean University, studied professional development e-learning opportunities for social work education. The study analyzed the current environment and included a survey of CSWE membership on their interest in e-learning professional development and topics of interest for such opportunities.