Faculty Focus Friday is a Q&A series that highlights individual faculty members in various academic programs around Spalding University. In recognition of March as Social Work Month, this week’s featured faculty member is Glynita Bell, Assistant Professor in Spalding’s School of Social Work. Professor Bell has been on the fulltime faculty at Spalding for three years and teaches in the Bachelor of Science in Social Work and Master of Social Work programs. Professor Bell is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who earned a master’s from the University of Louisville and a bachelor’s from Ball State University and who is currently pursuing a doctorate from Ashford University. Professor Bell is co-chair for Louisville’s Office of Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods. Outside of Spalding, she is the founder/owner of Heart 2 Heart Wellness Center in New Albany, which provides quality mental health therapy in a holistic approach with the center offering yoga and massage amongst other services.

What do you like about working and teaching at Spalding?

The best part of working and teaching at Spalding is being able to collaborate with my colleagues in the School of Social Work. The commonality of being committed to being, teaching and creating – all geared towards radical changes to improve the world around us – is inspiring. The enthusiasm of our students is motivating to keep working toward our connected goals as social workers.

What is your academic specialty, areas of expertise or research?

My academic specialty is mental health and clinical social work. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Indiana and Kentucky. My research interest currently surrounds educators’ own mental health and how that impacts classrooms.

SPALDING SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
*Program Overviews | BSSW | MSW | DSW
*Faculty Bios | Info on all our professors
*Chair Q&A | Faculty Focus Friday with Dr. Shannon Cambron

Why is social work a good option for students to consider?

For any student that is dissatisfied with the current state of the world, social work as a discipline equips students with a skill set to create change at the micro, mezzo and macro levels. Understanding how each of those elements impact one another, allows students to genuinely target where changes are needed strategically. Even students wht are interested in other careers would benefit from at least a social work minor to be able to better understand the world around them and be a change agent within their profession.

What is an example of a discussion topic, lecture, assignment, project, etc. in your class that you enjoy presenting or working with students on and that they have found engaging?

My favorite course to teach is SW 630, Integrative Practice, which is a course that is all about mental health. In this course, my students have the opportunity to do a practice clinical intake evaluation with their mock client being a licensed therapist from our community, so the students get invaluable feedback into their clinical assessment skills.

What is an interesting thing you have in your office?

I have a full-size red, old-school popcorn machine with glass doors on wheels in my office that I used during the first week of classes for students.

Tell us more about your work outside of Spalding and the Heart 2 Heart Wellness Center

At Heart 2 Heart Wellness Center, we believe that a holistic approach to self-care is the key to living your best life. Self-care comes in many forms, and we specialize in mental health therapy, therapeutic yoga, healing touch massage and holistic healthcare services.  Heart 2 Heart was cultivated to exude a warm energy that is inviting and refined. Our wellness center has a comfortable, spa-like atmosphere rather than a sterile office setting that is uplifting for working professionals and community members alike.

Spalding’s mission is to meet the needs of the times, to emphasize service and to promote peace and justice. What is an example of how your teaching style, your research, your class or your curriculum is supporting the mission of Spalding?

Because I’m an active practicing clinician, I directly infuse the trends of practice into my course. For example, telehealth very quickly became the infrastructure of mental health, and that was quickly incorporated into my courses ranging from ethics of telehealth to best practices to engage with clients virtually.

FACULTY FOCUS FRIDAY ARCHIVE | Read all our previous professor Q&As

 

Consistent with its mission of promoting peace and justice through education, Spalding University announced on Martin Luther King Jr. Day that it is launching an online training and professional development program in antiracism.

Available nationally to individuals and groups from public-sector, corporate and nonprofit organizations, the range of half- and full-day online courses – collectively titled Restorative Practices for the Antiracist Journey – will teach concepts of cultural humility and restorative practices as a means to bring about positive social change.

Enrollment is open now for Restorative Practices for the Antiracist Journey with live virtual sessions set to start in late January. It is the first featured offering of a reorganized interdisciplinary institute of social justice-themed training at Spalding – called The Well – that will be housed in the School of Social Work. Visit spalding.edu/thewell to register.

Spalding’s Restorative Practices for the Antiracist Journey is designed and facilitated by faculty and staff leaders of the university’s Center for Peace and Spiritual Renewal, School of Social Work, School of Professional Psychology and Collective Care Center, which is one of the nation’s only behavioral health clinics to specialize in treating race-based trauma and stress.

REGISTER | Restorative Practices for the Antiracist Journey courses now available on The Well

The faculty and staff serving as facilitators for the program are among Louisville’s leading scholars on matters of restorative practices and dialogue, conflict resolution, polarity management, cultural humility, institutional oppression and racial trauma.

“This program is designed for individuals and groups who are interested in meaningfully and constructively addressing and healing race relations in their professional and personal lives through self-exploration, truth-telling, difficult dialogue and action,” said Spalding Executive Director for Peace and Spiritual Renewal Chandra Irvin, who helped lead the Charleston (South Carolina) Illumination Project of community conversations and healing following the tragic shooting of nine Black parishioners at Emanuel AME Church in 2015. “The Spalding faculty and staff who have collaborated to create this program have a great deal of experience in these spaces and bring a diverse set of perspectives. Organizations that participate in this training at Spalding will be making a valuable investment that demonstrates a strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Certified in 2011 as the World’s First Compassionate University, Spalding is a historic, private institution that has been located for 100 years in downtown Louisville – which, as the hometown of Breonna Taylor, saw months of demonstrations last year in the name of racial justice, including several that took place on or near Spalding’s campus.

“Spalding’s mission states that we are a diverse community of learners dedicated to meeting the needs of the times by promoting peace and justice through education and service,” Spalding President Tori Murden McClure said. “As the past year has shown, pain and suffering from racial injustice and inequity remain prevalent in our society. Offering the Restorative Practices for the Antiracist Journey training program is an example of Spalding meeting the needs of the times by using the experience, wisdom and teaching skills of our faculty and staff to help promote a more equitable world.”

Upon completion, participants in Restorative Practices for the Antiracist Journey will be awarded three tiers of certification badges by Spalding – Bronze, Silver and Ebony (highest level) – based on the number of sessions completed, and these credentials will be appropriate to share on resumes and online professional profiles. Completed hours in the program can be applied to continuing education requirements for social workers, and Spalding plans to seek approval for continuing education credits from other professions’ governance boards in the future.

“Spalding’s School of Social Work has a rich tradition of providing quality continuing education for practitioners and community members throughout Kentucky,” School of Social Work Chair Dr. Shannon Cambron said. “The Well is the next chapter for us. It’s a reflection of our commitment to meet the needs of the times by co-creating an interdisciplinary space of training and engagement with a justice and equity lens – a space that equips people with the skills to begin the work of dismantling white supremacy and injustice. Restorative Practices for the Antiracist Journey is evidence of that commitment, and we are excited about this new chapter.”

For more information on participating in Restorative Practices for the Antiracist Journey, visit spalding.edu/thewell.

Faculty Focus Friday is a Q&A series that highlights individual faculty members in various academic programs around Spalding University. This week’s featured faculty member is Dr. V. Nikki Jones, Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work. A new member of the Spalding faculty this academic year, Dr. Jones will teach in all of Spalding’s degree programs – the Bachelor of Science of Social Work, the Master of Social Work and the Doctor of Social Work. Dr. Jones holds a DSW from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, master’s degrees from the University Louisville (MS in Social Work with a specialization in couple and family therapy) and the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga (Public Administration), and a bachelor’s degree from UT-Chattanooga (political science major).

What do you like about working and teaching at Spalding? 

I like that Spalding University includes an inclusive community of people who value compassion and justice. For example, I wanted to work at Spalding because of the emphasis on restorative justice and the Collective Care Center. This work perfectly parallels my own interests.

However, my colleagues and our students in the School of Social Work (SoSW) are what I like most about working and teaching at Spalding. I like that I am a part of a team seriously committed to actualizing while simultaneously challenging our profession’s code of ethics. I enjoy and appreciate the vision and identity, as well as the culture of collaboration, within the SoSW. I recently taught my first cohort of SoSW students this past August/September. Their eagerness and passion was very refreshing.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

What is your academic specialty, areas of expertise or research? 

My main research interests are health and culturally aware practices. I have published articles on social determinants of sleep disparity among non-majority groups, historical trauma and reparations for African American descendants of U.S. chattel slavery, and various issues impacting the LGBTQ community.

• I currently have two works in progress on a study that measured the relationship between sleep and discrimination among college students.

• I have two articles in review on reparations and one article in progress. One of the manuscripts explores using the restorative justice framework to evaluate the feasibility of reparations claims for African American descendants of U.S. chattel slavery. Restorative justice is a collectivist process to address and reconcile community or political wrongdoings. The second manuscript promotes social work advocacy for H.R. 40, which is a bill to establish the Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans to examine remedies for slavery and discrimination. Social workers can play a pivotal role in advancing reparations as a social justice issue and a policy priority. Along with two colleagues, I am wrapping up a manuscript on a study conducted this past year that was designed to examine social workers’ attitudes toward reparations for African American descendants of chattel slavery. As a profession, social work is dedicated to empowerment of marginalized communities and upholds a mandate to advocate for social justice. As such, it is imperative to know how professional social workers perceive reparations.

• I have published a couple of articles on issues impacting the LGBT community. For example, I have examined whether age, net worth, education and employment offer protective buffers from psychosocial stress among African American gay women. I have evaluated the utility of existing scales to measure multiple minority stress, which involves the interconnectedness of gendered racism, microaggressions and LGBT minority stress, among African American gay women. Along with colleagues, I recently published an article that provides child welfare practitioners a framework to assist in the service of LGBT foster youth and considers implications for rural placements.

• My current and future research continues to center on decolonizing social work education and challenging anti-Blackness.

Why is the program you teach in a good option for students to consider? 

The School of Social Work is a great option for students to consider because our mission is to inspire and prepare social work practitioners to meet the needs of the times by promoting peace and justice, ethical practice, and service to the most vulnerable members of society.

We believe education is a transformative and communal process. Thus, we challenge the traditional banking model of education where students are passive recipients of knowledge and instead embrace our students as adult learners with life experiences that enrich the learning milieu. We are invested in student-centered learning, as well as challenging systemic issues that include – but are not limited to – anti-Black racism, heterosexism and ableism, etc. So, our social work program is a great option for those students who desire an academic space that recognizes intersecting systems of oppression and that social reform is not enough to create a more perfect union. As our chair, Dr. Cambron, often says, “We are here to dismantle systems.”

What is an example of a discussion topic, lecture, assignment, project, etc. in your class that you enjoy presenting or working with students on and that they have found engaging? 

I enjoy working with students on role-play assignments. As an active learning tool, role play permits increased meta-cognition, self-reflection, and empathetic understanding. I have found that once learners move past their initial nervousness, they really enjoy showcasing their skills through role play and receiving constructive feedback. I enjoy the process of role play: assigning a topic, observing learners creatively to demonstrate their skills, observing learners’ self-appraisals of their skills and hearing peer evaluations.

What is an interesting thing you have in your office?

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, I actually have not ever entered my office at Spalding. Still, the most interesting thing I would ever have in my office is a book, LOL.

Spalding’s mission is to meet the needs of the times, to emphasize service and to promote peace and justice. What is an example of how your teaching style, your research, your class or your curriculum is supporting the mission of Spalding? 

As an educator, I support Spalding’s mission because I value a collaborative community where students are co-creators in the learning process. I strive for an academic environment where students make connections across experiences, perspectives and disciplines. Further, a classroom environment infused with cultural awareness and social justice are two additional aspects of my teaching and learning. I explain to students that cultural awareness is not merely connecting with others based on similarities, but the ability to engage, value and connect around differences. I want my students to recognize that difference adds dimension (breadth and depth) to relationships. Also, social justice is a core value of the social work profession. Thus, I emphasize that micro, mezzo and macro practice are inherently intertwined. It is important that students recognize the unitary nature of social work in order to simultaneously address micro and macro issues. In short, social workers have a professional responsibility to consider social, economic and environmental forces that influence individuals, communities, organizations and groups. My primary teaching goal is to advance an active and inclusive educational experience that facilitates engagement in the learning process. Therefore, my teaching approach encourages students to assume ownership of their education, broaden their knowledge base to increase awareness and understanding, and develop self-awareness and reflection skills. I frequently combine brief lectures with interactive/active teaching strategies (e.g., brainstorming, think-pair-share, role plays, and problem-solving case discussions) and incorporate audio/video media to facilitate student engagement, analysis, and skill practice. I strive for a classroom environment where differences of opinion are not only freely exchanged but also supported by evidence and guided by social work ethics.

FACULTY FOCUS FRIDAY ARCHIVE | Read all our professor Q&A’s

 

The Spalding University School of Social Work has been awarded a federal grant totaling more than $1.28 million over five years to provide scholarships to disadvantaged students in its Master of Social Work (MSW) program, with a focus on students who aspire to provide behavioral health care in primary care settings or in medically underserved communities. A clinical priority of the grant will be combating the opioid crisis.

The new grant continues funding that Spalding has received since 2012 from the Health Resources and Services Administration’s Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program.

Beginning with the 2020-21 academic year, the HRSA grant will fund scholarships that cover approximately half-tuition for a projected 117 Spalding MSW students over five years, supporting the University’s efforts to recruit and retain an increasing number of future health professionals who come from disadvantaged backgrounds or who identify as underrepresented minorities.

In particular, the scholarships will help support master’s students seeking careers that address Kentucky’s shortage of mental health and opioid use disorder service providers. The School of Social Work plans to increase academic content in its master’s program related to opioid use and expand practicum placements that focus on substance use treatment.

OVERVIEW | All Spalding School of Social Work programs
MORE | Learn about Spalding’s Master of Social Work program
FACULTY | Read bios of all Spalding social work instructors

HRSA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has awarded Spalding $229,950 for the 2020-21 academic year, while recommending that the funding increases in future years to $251,850 in 2021-22, $262,800 in both ’22-23 and ’23-24, and $273,750 in ’24-25.

“The award of over a million dollars through the HRSA grant allows us to offer significant support to our MSW students and reflects both the caliber of the program and our ongoing commitment to prepare our graduates to practice in underserved communities,” School of Social Work Chair Dr. Shannon Cambron said. “We are dedicated to ensuring access to an exemplary educational experience that ultimately leads to exemplary social workers. This award and the scholarships it funds help us open the door wide to individuals committed to changing the world.”

Cambron said Associate Professor Dr. Kevin Borders, a former School of Social Work Chair, will direct Spalding’s handling of the grant funds, and she thanked him for his leadership.

OTHER SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK NEWS
Spalding to launch Louisville’s first DSW program 
DSW program gains regional accreditation
Adjunct faculty Miranda-Straub appointed to lead state services department
Faculty Q&A with social work Chair Dr. Cambron

The program outcomes and student diversity of the Spalding School of Social Work align with HRSA’s Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Program.

From 2016-19, 67.3 percent of full-time students enrolled in Spalding’s MSW program were from disadvantaged backgrounds, and 45.6 percent of full-time students identified as underrepresented minorities. Additionally, 25.3 percent of graduates from those years are now practicing in primary care, and 34.6 percent are now practicing in medically underserved communities.

Visit spalding.edu/social-work/ and spalding.edu/msw/ for more information.

Informational Notice: This project is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of an award totaling $1,281,150 with 13 percentage financed with nongovernmental sources. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA, HHS or the U.S. Government.

Spalding University’s two newest graduate degree programs – the Doctor of Social Work and the Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling – have been officially approved by Spalding’s regional accrediting body to enroll students and begin classes this fall.

The Executive Council of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) recently informed Spalding that both new programs have met the requirements to join the scope of Spalding’s accreditation and get started in August.

The decision means that Spalding now officially has launched the first DSW program in Louisville and one of the first in Kentucky, providing advanced training for master’s-level social workers who seek to teach at the university level, lead organizations or participate in advanced practice. Further, its curriculum will focus on social justice while providing opportunities for students of color and from other minority groups.

MASTER OF ARTS IN CLINICAL MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING
Overview | Everything you need to know about the master’s program
News release | University introduces the new master’s program
Interested in this program? | Request Info or Apply Now  

Faculty Q&A | Program Director Teah Moore, with advice on maintaining good mental health

Meanwhile, the new master’s in clinical mental health counseling will provide a graduate-level option for students who seek to become professional counselors, with a curriculum focused on compassion. Applications are still being accepted for the inaugural fall cohort, with Spalding alumni eligible for a 10 percent discount in tuition.

The master’s program, which is part of Spalding’s College of Education, is launching at a time when the job demand for mental health counselors is projected to grow 22 percent from 2018 to 2028, according to the U.S. Bureau for Labor Statistics. Additionally, the coronavirus pandemic has raised stress and anxiety for people around the country, amplifying the need for competent, compassionate mental health professionals.

“Anytime a program receives approval or accreditation it validates the hard work of the contributors,” Program Director Dr. Teah Moore said. “It tells prospective students we have met certain standards to be here. I’m now looking forward to launching this program and welcoming the new cohort for Fall 2020.”

DOCTOR OF SOCIAL WORK (DSW)
Overview | Everything you need to know about the new program
News release | University introduces Louisville’s first DSW
Faculty Q&A | School of Social Work Chair Dr. Shannon Cambron

As for the DSW, Spalding School of Social Work Chair Dr. Shannon Cambron said that new program is “ground-breaking” and that earning accreditation from SACSCOC “reflects the relentless commitment to excellence by both the University and the School of Social Work.”

“This program is another example of living out the University’s mission to meet the needs of the times,” Cambron said, “and as we welcome our inaugural cohort of doctoral students/change agents, we do so with a keen awareness of this moment in history and an excitement for the radical justice work these future Doctors of Social Work are destined to do.

Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) Secretary Eric Friedlander announced Wednesday, June 17 that Gov. Andy Beshear has appointed Marta Miranda-Straub – an adjunct faculty member in the Spalding School of Social Work – to be the new Commissioner of the Cabinet’s Department for Community Based Services (DCBS).

DCBS is the state’s human services agency with more than 4,400 employees throughout the state. DCBS administers the state’s food benefits, child care and welfare assistance, child and adult protection programs, foster and adoption program and Medicaid eligibility determinations.

Miranda-Straub, formerly the leader of The Center of Women and Families in Louisville, will begin her DCBS appointment on July 1.

At Spalding, she has taught practice, policy and addiction courses in the School of Social Work at both the graduate and undergraduate levels as well as leadership continuing education courses. In 2019, she helped lead the School of Social Work’s first social justice conference. She was set to be a panelist for this year’s conference before it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

LEARN MORE | Spalding School of Social Work

“Working with the committed students and the outstanding faculty at the School of Social Work has been the perfect opportunity to be reminded that I am a teacher of social justice at heart always,” Miranda-Straub said. “I am humbled and energized by this new opportunity to ensure the most vulnerable among us are lifted and served in ways that lead to healing and inclusion.”

Spalding School of Social Work Chair Dr. Shannon Cambron congratulated Miranda-Straub on her appointment and praised Beshear for selecting her to lead DCBS.

“The appointment of Marta Miranda-Straub reflects the Governor’s continued commitment to changing the status quo by choosing a proven leader who daily lives out her commitment to equity and social justice,” Cambron said. “Her track record speaks for itself, and I am excited to have an exemplary social worker leading this critical work for our state.

“Having Marta as a part of the social work faculty has been such an incredible asset to our students and our team. We look forward to supporting Marta and all the amazing social workers throughout the state as we write this new chapter of change.”

From 2011 to 2018, she served as President/CEO of The Center for Women and Families, a $6 million dollar nonprofit that served more than 8,000 clients each year with rape crisis and domestic violence services for survivors and their children.

Miranda-Straub is the founder of Catapult Now LLC consulting firm, providing organizational and leadership development, board development, strategic planning, executive coaching, retreats, facilitation and training services to non-profit and for profit organization with a focus on equity and inclusion.

“Marta has served families and children through trauma, substance abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault intervention, and gender equity and anti-racism activism. Her professional goal for 40 years has been to make people’s lives better,” Beshear said. “She understands the importance of human service professionals and what a difference their support can make for the welfare of Kentucky children, adults and families. She is a valuable addition to Team Kentucky.”

 

Faculty Focus Friday is a Q&A series that highlights individual faculty members in various academic programs around Spalding University. In celebration of Social Work Month in March, today’s featured faculty member is Dr. Shannon Cambron, Professor and Faculty Chair for the Spalding School of Social Work. Dr. Cambron, a longtime Spalding faculty member who became social work chair in 2018, holds three degrees from the university – a bachelor’s, a Master of Social Work and a Doctorate of Education (EdD): Leadership. Dr. Cambron, who was a 2018 Bingham Fellow, is leading Spalding’s launch of the first Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program in Louisville and one of the first in Kentucky this fall (pending SACSCOC approval), and she is an organizer of the School of Social Work’s upcoming annual public conference, on March 27, focused on understanding and combating institutional racism. (Register here.)

What do you like about working and teaching at Spalding?
I am a triple alumna of Spalding, and I am actually the second of three generations of women who graduated from Spalding. Obviously I have an investment to Spalding and have decided that this is a good place to be. What appealed to me as a student and educator was the emphasis on building relationships with students as the best vehicle for learning and teaching, and that it is a collaborative process. I learn just as much from my students as they ever do from me. Spalding creates a safe space for all students that really allows them to come with a passion to know and understand something. Spalding allows us to explore the whys and hows of things in our lives and our community, but we can do it in an environment where I have 20 students that I get to know and build relationships with. I have the opportunity to let them learn to trust me, and out of that trust come incredible learning experiences for all of us. Additionally, I appreciate that Spalding is a social justice institution, and we can have difficult conversations that other institutions would not even try to tackle. We can boldly have these conversations about institutional racism, redlining and bias, and that is something we do on a daily basis. We create a space for our students to have these conversations. I am considered by many to be a radical social justice individual, but the cool thing is you can have a radical social justice change agent find a comfortable home at Spalding.


School of Social Work Overview | Details on all of Spalding’s programs
New DSW Information | Press release announcement, Program overview, Program of Study
Social Work Faculty Bios | Info on all of Spalding’s highly accomplished professors


What is your academic specialty, areas of expertise or research?
I am a social worker by trade, and my doctorate is in educational leadership. That has afforded me this really cool space to be able to function within higher education and bring those social justice causes into this arena. My primary focus of research is racial equity and addressing the implications of institutional racism as it shows up in and throughout our community. Also, (that includes) focusing on how that plays out with young adults in our community and how that is expressed oftentimes through what the community perceives to be acts of violence and aggression. My research indicates that it is simply the same kind of push-back responses we might have had when I was young, but when I was young I didn’t have cellphones that gave me immediate access to potentially escalate something to the point of no return. I firmly believe institutional and systemic racism plays a huge part in the escalation of these behaviors for our young adults.


Related | Dr. Cambron discusses becoming Social Work Chair, reflects on Bingham Fellows


 

Why is social work a good option for students to consider?
The world needs to change. There is no way, no matter your age that you can get up and not be impacted by something that is happening, unfortunately in a negative capacity – whether it is the long-term impact of the federal budget deficit, or scaled-back protections of the environment, or that racism is alive and well. It is there, and it is bold and aggressively stealing life out of communities. So if you wake up and you see that, your response is going to be one of two things: Either this does not impact me, or, this is not the world I want to be in. If your response is the last one, then social work is the place for you, because it is the profession that says your job is to make the world a better place.

What is an interesting thing that you keep in your office?
My Ruth Bader Ginsburg action figure, because that was a gift from my daughter. The idea that I am making the connection and she is seeing the connection then it shows I am helping the next generation recognize that it is not just Ruth Bader Ginsburg herself but what she represents. The second thing in my office I love is this coffee cup that talks about the 100 years of women’s suffrage, and 2020 marks the 100-year anniversary of women earning the right to vote. This cup was a gift from my aunt this year. Both of these were gifts from women in my life who are really important.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?
Seeing students come to life. There is a quote that has become a part of my core these past few years by Howard Thurman. The quote says, “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, because what the world really needs is people who have come alive.” So watching students come alive, having them start their journey and preparing to be a social worker and being a part of their journey and reaching the point of graduation, you know they are launching into the thing that they envisioned a couple years ago. Since we are a small institution and we get to know our students, I sit up on that platform at graduation and I watch students walk in front of me and I know where they are going and what they are going to do. You had the honor of stepping into the journey with that student and that they are going to leave that platform and change the world.

At Spalding, we like to say, “Today is a great day to change the world.” How do you think your role at Spalding is helping you change the world or the world of your students?
I think the position I am in right now is one I am very humbled by and one that gives me the chance to model some things that I have grown up believing and that I have developed a professional focus on. And a lot of that has to do with servant leadership and transformational leadership. For me, changing the world every day is pulling into this campus in my car and recommitting myself to this job. If I am doing the work that I am called to do to the best of my ability and finding new ways every day to try to be better, that impacts the faculty I am privileged to work with, and they go out and impact students, and those students impact the community. It is an overwhelming feeling pulling into the parking lot knowing that I get to go in and do this job, and if I am granted the opportunity to do it well, then maybe I have a chance of making a difference in a student’s life and the community is all the better for it because that student becomes the change agent.


Faculty Focus Friday Archive | Read all our professor Q&A’s

The Spalding University School of Social Work is taking the next step in its social justice mission by launching the first Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program in Louisville and one of the first in Kentucky. The move addresses a societal need to prepare a greater number of social workers – especially those of color and from other minority groups – to lead nonprofit organizations, teach on college social work faculties and serve in advanced clinical practice.

Spalding’s DSW program will launch its first cohort in August 2020, providing master’s-level social workers with advanced professional development for trauma-informed practice and leadership.

In a society grappling with trauma related to violence, addiction and economic disparity, the number of social work jobs at all levels is expected to grow by 16 percent in the period from 2016 to 2026, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Spalding DSW program will help meet that demand by producing more doctorate-level social workers who are qualified to teach the next generation of college social work students or to lead the organizations that will ultimately employ them.

There are no Doctor or Social Work programs in Kentucky for the current 2019-20 academic year and fewer than 20 nationally, meaning that “Spalding’s DSW program will fill an important space in social work education in our region,” Spalding School of Social Work Chair Dr. Shannon Cambron said.

“There is no doubt that the world needs more social workers, and for that to happen, social workers need people to train and lead them,” Cambron said. “Spalding’s DSW program will prepare practicing social workers to become those faculty instructors and nonprofit leaders that our industry critically needs. In particular, we encourage students of diverse backgrounds – in terms of race, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity – to pursue their doctorate with us and help infuse agencies and schools with social work leaders who look, think, worship and love like the clients they serve and the students they teach.”

OVERVIEW | Find the details on Spalding’s new DSW program
PROGRAM OF STUDY | Info on DSW format and curriculum 
APPLY NOW | Submit a DSW application before April 30; no application fee for first cohort
REQUEST INFO | Learn more about the DSW 

SOCIAL WORK FACULTY | Bios on Spalding’s highly accomplished professors

Designed with working professionals in mind, Spalding’s 48-credit-hour program is meant to be completed over four years (eight semesters), with the final year dedicated to the completion of a capstone project. The program will be presented in a hybrid, low-residency format of online lessons and a total of 12 one-day, on-campus sessions per year of workshops, lectures and group discussions. For those who seek a faster pace, accelerated options will be available.

The Spalding DSW offers a choice of two academic tracks: an Advanced Clinical Practice Track and a Leadership and Administration Track.

Compared with Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social Work programs, which focus primarily on the collection and publication of research, Spalding’s DSW program focuses on advancing the clinical and leadership skills of practicing social workers.

“We’ll prepare DSW students in a way that unpacks what trauma looks like not just from a clinical perspective and how we work with clients and families but how trauma affects all of those who work on the front lines of a nonprofit agency,” Cambron said. She said that curriculum will also emphasize how social workers can understand and recognize explicit and implicit biases.

The DSW Leadership and Administration Track is designed to help social workers, in particular those of minority backgrounds, attain management and administrative skills necessary to rise the ranks and lead successful organizations. Year 3 courses in the Leadership and Administration Track include Grants and Financial Management; Leadership, Administration and Supervision; and Strategic Planning for Social Change.

“It will transform agencies both locally and regionally to be led by advanced-level social workers who understand, first and foremost, vulnerable populations and the clients they’re serving while also having significant leadership skills,” Cambron said.

Applications for Spalding’s first DSW cohort can be submitted at spalding.edu/dsw with a deadline of April 30, 2020; there is no application fee.

Spalding Social Work faculty
Members of the faculty and staff of Spalding’s School of Social Work

For the program’s first year, Cambron will share DSW program director duties with School of Social Work’ Director of Graduate Education, Dr. Cynthia Conley, who is a leading researcher and practitioner on LGBTQ+ issues locally and nationally. Cambron, meanwhile, is a scholar and community advocate on issues of racial equity, institutional oppression and gun violence.

The creation of the DSW expands the Spalding School of Social Work in a way that aligns with the university’s mission and its roots in social justice.

The private university, located in downtown Louisville for 100 years, was founded in 1814 by Catholic leader Mother Catherine Spalding and the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. Dedicated to serving the poor and the sick while also advancing education in the state, Catherine Spalding has been called an early leader of social work in Kentucky. The Spalding University mission statement reads that the institution is “dedicated to meeting the needs of the times in the tradition of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth … with emphasis on service and the promotion of peace and justice.”

“Spalding University provides high-touch doctoral education in healthcare-related and leadership-focused programs,” Dean of Graduate Education Dr. Kurt Jefferson said. “The new Doctor of Social Work degree program will help train leaders to solve problems and think deeply about an array of societal issues that need immediate attention.”

For more information, visit spalding.edu/dsw or contact Dr. Conley at [email protected].

A week before Thanksgiving Day, the Spalding University School of Social Work on Thursday earned its own exciting, memorable spot on the 2019 calendar.

Mayor Greg Fischer recognized the School of Social Work’s contributions to the community by proclaiming Nov. 21, 2019 as Spalding University School of Social Day in Louisville.

Joshua Watkins, Executive Administrator for the city’s Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods, announced the proclamation and presented a certificate (see bottom of story) to School of Social Work Chair Dr. Shannon Cambron during a reception to honor Master of Social Work alumni.

The city-wide proclamation came on the day that the School of Social Work was celebrating the 20th anniversary of its first MSW graduating class, of which Cambron was also a member.

“It’s a little overwhelming, and looking at the proclamation, it’s kind of a weighty feeling to have a whole day that’s devoted to what we are doing here,” said Cambron, who oversees a Spalding social work school that began in the 1960s. “We are so grateful for the Office for Safe and Health Neighborhoods and to be able to support the incredible work that they do and that all of our partners do. To be recognized for the work that we support, it makes the 20th anniversary of the MSW even more special. People are acknowledging that for many years we have been out there working hard and doing good things, and now we have our own day.”


Learn More |  Master of Social Work Program


Spalding’s MSW has produced 508 graduates since 1999, with alumni moving on to work in a range of social work settings, including schools, nonprofit organizations, hospitals and government offices that impact individuals, communities and policy at large. At least seven Spalding MSW alumni, Cambron, currently serve as either a dean or chair of a university social work program.

The MSW is a growing program. Cambron said Spalding will have had a record 71 students admitted to the master’s program this year, including, for the first time, a January cohort set to start in 2020.

Additionally, from a community service perspective, the Spalding School of Social Work has been a sponsor since 2017 of the Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods’ One Love Louisville Ambassador program, a civic engagement initiative aimed at preventing violence and building community. The Ambassador program’s training sessions are held in the School of Social Work’s building.


Related | Social work course on compassion helps student connect with hospital patients


Members of the social work faculty have also made valuable civic contributions.

* Dr. Cynthia Conley, who serves as the School of Social Work’s Coordinator of Graduate Studies, recently developed a survey for the Louisville Metro Police Department to gather data on how residents who identify as LGBTQ perceive the police.

* Cambron, a 2018 Bingham Fellow, and Assistant Professor Dr. Laneshia Conner are working with Jefferson County Public Schools to develop cultural humility training for teachers.

*Assistant Professor Glynita Bell is crafting new diagnostic codes around racial trauma, Cambron said.

*Associate Professor and former Chair Dr. Kevin Borders is helping perform evaluations for nonprofit organizations, Cambron said.

Spalding Graduate Dean Dr. Kurt Jefferson said the School of Social Work aligns strongly with the mission of the university and the legacy of education, service and social justice left by Mother Catherine Spalding.

“The world needs more social workers,” Jefferson said. “There’s no question about that when you look at where we are as a culture and society. What you’re doing is important not only in academic sense of research and academics – which are hugely important – but there is a moral element to the work you are doing.”

Cambron said she had been feeling pride all day Thursday as she reflected on the accomplishments of the School of Social Work and the MSW program over the past two decades. She said she is thankful for the contributions and foresight of the late former Chair Jillian Johnson, who led the school at the time the MSW was introduced. ‘

“I think that if Jill could see the work that is going on and that this faculty group is doing, I think we would get a big thumbs up,” Cambron said.

“When you think about what would be the thumbprint of the Spalding University School of Social Work not only in this community but regionally with many of our graduates, it’s our brand of teaching social justice. It’s humbling, and it’s awe-inspiring. And I think this is just the start.”

**Two members of the original MSW faculty –  Patricia Cummings and Dr. Helen Deines – were honored Thursday by Cambron and the current faculty with Legacy Awards.

 

The Spalding University School of Social Work believes so strongly that compassion is key to creating social change that it now offers a course – Compassionate Social Justice – on that specific concept.

It’s made an immediate impact on at least one social work student who is preparing for a career working in health care.

During her social work practicum last year at Jewish Hospital, Jonetta Meddis said she was able to directly apply the skills she’d learned from the classroom toward her conversations with patients.

For her practicum, Meddis was an intern whose role was to communicate with and gather information from patients, including many who were in the hospital for complications related to addiction and substance abuse.

As is common with people who are hospitalized while struggling with addiction, many of them didn’t want to be there, felt angry or mistrustful and were adamant about leaving, even if it was against medical advice. Part of Meddis’ job was to help convince them to stay and get the care and services they needed.

Thanks in part to the skills she learned in the School of Social Work’s Compassionate Social Justice course, Meddis was able to make inroads with many patients and helped steer them in the right direction.

She listened. She made them feel heard. She treated them as her equal and respected their perspective.


Learn more | Spalding’s Bachelor of Science in Social Work program


“Mainly I just wanted to be an ear because they may not have people in their life who listen to them, believe in them or understand what their situation is, and not just brush them off,” said Meddis, who earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Work degree from Spalding in June and is now enrolled in the Master of Social Work program.

Now in its second year at Spalding, Compassionate Social Justice is an online undergraduate course taught by adjunct professor Diane Wright, a licensed social worker who serves as the Vice President of Quality Management and Compliance for Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services.

Wright’s class, which is being offered in Session 2 and is open as an elective to any undergraduate in any major, emphasizes the importance of communication, listening and looking past stereotypes in order to show unconditional positive regard to all groups of people.

Students’ assignments include conducting a conscious act of kindness, then writing a reflection paper.

“Instead of walking by a homeless person, talk to them and bring them food,” Wright said. “Or surprise a family member by cooking them a meal or cleaning their house.”

Students have been surprised to find that the people on the receiving end of simple acts of kindness are often extremely moved by the gesture, Wright said.

“The students had a whole new perspective on thinking about others and adding others to the equation as they make their way through their day,” Wright said. “For a lot of traditional college students, they’re in a stage in life when this is a new thing. So for a lot of students, this is a very powerful thing.”

Thanks to skills learned in Wright’s compassion course, Meddis said, she became more self-aware of her own body language and facial expressions as she talked to patients at her practicum. She never wanted to present herself as anything but the patient’s equal, and she said she never used phrases like, “I understand what you’re going through,” because if she’d never actually experienced what the patient is going through, the words would ring hollow.

Wright and Dr. Stacy Deck, Director of Undergraduate Education in the School of Social Work, said the Compassionate Social Justice course would be a valuable one for students in any major at Spalding. Future nurses, teachers and business professionals, for example, all could benefit from skills that help them better understand the personal struggles, frustrations and misgivings experienced by their patients, students and clients.

“It’s an excellent course as a foundation for social workers, but it’s an excellent place for any student to start their academic career at Spalding or to deepen their academic journey,” Deck said. “No matter what your academic concentration, Diane has a way of making that compassion that we aspire to, very concrete and letting us see what it looks like in action.”

Those interested in registering for Compassionate Social Justice for Session 2 may contact School of Social Work Undergraduate Education Director Dr. Stacy Deck at [email protected]. The course is open to any Spalding undergrad, in any major.