April 2023

From the Director: Happy April!  It’s that time of year when the seasons are shifting. In the Mid-Atlantic region, the sun is beginning to beam down a little longer in the day and flowers are starting to peek out from the earth’s surface. The weather is wavering between mild temperatures and torrential downpours, and MFP fellows are sensing the beginning of the end of another academic year.   From within the halls of CSWE’s office, we are also feeling the shifts in the seasons; MFP seasons, that is. We are concluding the current 5-year Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA)-supported grant cycle and applying for the grant’s reinstatement for another 5 years. We have closed our doctoral application submission portal for the 2023–2024 year and have opened our MSW application portal. We have continued some long-standing programs like our presence at CSWE’s Annual Program Meeting (APM) and have initiated new programs, including the inaugural Research, Policy, and Practice Student Summit, which will take place in June. We have continued our plans to celebrate the MFP’s 50-year history at the upcoming APM and have introduced new ways to honor our legacy, including a new Call for Abstracts for a special issue of the Journal of Social Work Education. The special issue is titled “Reflecting on the Presence and Impact of CSWE’s Minority Fellowship Program: Celebrating 50 years of DEIA.” Yes, the seasons are shifting, and I am so glad that you are here to witness and experience these seasonal transitions.  Within this newsletter, you will learn more about some of the exciting events, emerging collaborations, and sensational shifts that are occurring in this new season. However, even as the seasons change, there are some aspects of our wonderful program that will remain the same. You will find references to those initiatives as well along with the ongoing invitation for you to participate as mentors, advisory board members, application reviewers, 50th anniversary planning committee members, and guest speakers. It is all in this month’s edition of MFP Connect, and I hope that you will enjoy learning about this season of MFP by reading about some of our current and future initiatives. Enjoy this edition!    In Fellowship, Kesslyn Brade Stennis, PhD   Director, Minority Fellowship Program

 

Master’s Application Open!  

• April 26, 7:00 PM (EDT) 

Two application support question and answer sessions will take place in the coming weeks. These differ from the information sessions in that MFP staff will not be presenting or setting an agenda; rather, Q&A sessions will serve as spaces for applicants to bring their questions and receive responses directly from MFP staff.

• April 19, 5:00 PM (EDT)

• May 11, 12:00 PM (EDT)

Unable to join? Please email your questions to [email protected] and expect a response from a member of the MFP staff team in 2–4 business days.
 

2023 MSWs in the Making 

CSWE’s MFP is proud to share “MSWs in the Making,” a booklet that highlights the experience, interests, and career ambitions of our current cohort of master’s fellows. These 34 fellows are poised to make lasting impacts on individuals, groups, and communities through their post-MSW practice. As you explore their background information, please take a moment to consider ways in which fellows’ experiences and goals align with professional opportunities in your sphere.

 

 

Minority Fellowship Program 50th Anniversary Celebration 

Please join the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for Overcoming, Achieving and Soaring: Celebrating 50 Years of the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP). This hybrid event will be held June 8, 2023! 

The event will feature emerging and promising practices, innovations, and lessons learned within and across grantees and fellows; grantee and fellow successes and innovative contributions to the field; and the recognition of the 50th Anniversary of the MFP.  

Additional information regarding the agenda, registration, and more will be provided during the coming weeks. Get ready for a great experience to learn, share, network, and celebrate 50 years of the MFP. Please direct questions to the MFP Coordinating Center. 
 

Resources 

Professional Development 

LSWO Latinx Social Work Conference

The Latino Social Workers Organization (LSWO), a network of social work faculty and professional social workers who believe in the recruitment and retention of Latinx students in higher education, invites all social work professionals, allied health professionals, and social work faculty to register for the LSWO Latinx Social Work Conference at Portland State University School of Social Work on May 18–20, 2023.

 

Virtual IPEC Faculty Development Institute

Interprofessional faculty teams and their collaborative academic and/or practice partners committed to promoting interprofessional education for collaborative practice (IPECP), as well as individual educators and practitioners looking for tools and strategies to lead, develop, and implement IPECP are invited to register for the Interprofessional Education Collaborative’s Faculty Development Institute. Find detailed information and register here.


University of Michigan Mixed Methods Program

Are you a student proposing, conducting, or writing a mixed methods dissertation or thesis? Join the University of Michigan Mixed Methods Program for a summer workshop focused on the mixed methods dissertation/thesis process. The workshop will take place virtually June 14–16, 2023. Participants at all stages of the dissertation/thesis process are encouraged learn more and register to attend! 
 

2023 NASW Leadership Summit

Develop your ever-evolving social work leadership skills by participating in the 2023 Virtual National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Leadership Summit on Thursday, June 22.  

Whether you’re a new professional or an experienced social worker, this exciting opportunity will host leaders from the social work community to share their expertise. The summit will cover topics such as leadership development; diversity, equity, and inclusion; social media tips and tricks; mentorship; and more to help you hone your skills as a leader in the field. More information is available     here.
 

Call for Abstracts

JSWE Special Issue Call for Abstracts: MFP Celebrates 50 Years of DEIA

The Journal of Social Work Education (JSWE) invites submission of abstracts for a special issue, "Reflecting on the Presence and Impact of CSWE’s Minority Fellowship Program: Celebrating 50 Years of DEIA." Authors must be current or previous fellows of CSWE’s Minority Fellowship Program. Abstract submissions must go through Submittable and must be submitted by May 1, 2023. Read the full Call for Abstracts for this special issue.



 

SWWR Welcomes Submissions for Presentations for 2024 Conference



The Conference Planning Committee of the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) welcomes submissions for presentations within all content areas of social work, social welfare services, and social policy The theme for the 2024 conference is “Recentering & Democratizing Knowledge: The Next 30 Years of Social Work Science.”  Please review the call for papers and additional resources online and be sure to submit by Saturday, April 15, 2023, 11:59 PM (PT).