Messages from the Dean

Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month

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Photo of the outside of the School of Social Work building.

Dear UConn SSW Community,

National Hispanic and Latine Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 through October 15, offers us the opportunity to honor prolific and diverse cultures of Latine communities. At the UConn School of Social Work, we believe in spotlighting this important occasion and the benefits these communities bring to our School, nation, and world. We know our school is stronger for the inclusion of Latine peoples, cultures, and traditions.  Recognizing the history, innovation, and achievements of Latine communities aligns with our social work values and the School’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. This commitment, affirmed in our strategic plan, calls on us to engage in meaningful dialogue and hold ourselves accountable to action toward social justice.

To meet the needs of Latine individuals, families, and communities, we have developed specialized programs that prepare social workers to work with the growing Spanish-speaking population in Connecticut. In 2022, with the support of a state grant, we launched Connecticut ¡Adelante!, a scholarship program for Master of Social Work students passionate about serving the mental health needs of Spanish-speaking youth and families. This groundbreaking program prepares bilingual students for careers addressing both children’s mental health and Spanish-speaking communities in our state, the fastest growing population in Connecticut. For our bachelor's students, we also offer the Child Welfare and Protection Track, which trains Spanish-speaking students to work with Latine families served by the state Department of Children and Families.

To celebrate this year’s National Latine Heritage Month, our school is working with the founder of J. Rene’s Coffee Roasters and Victus Coffee, José René Martínez, to host a special event: “Latino Identity, Coffee, and Conversation” on September 25 from 12:15pm-1:15pm in the School of Social Work Student Lounge. José’s coffee shop, which won the 2019 Small Business Association Connecticut Minority-Owned Business of the Year award, prides itself on fair trade. Martinez grew up in the South Bronx and attended UConn Law School. Still an attorney, today he also operates thriving coffee shop locations in Harford and West Hartford. Come hear his story about coffee’s unique ability to serve as a social bridge.

Please join us as we celebrate the richness of Latine heritage.

In Community,

Laura Curran
Dean and Professor
UConn School of Social Work

Celebrating Juneteenth 2024

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Dear Colleagues,

The Juneteenth holiday, which UConn will observe on Wednesday, June 19, commemorates the day in 1865 when the Union army delivered the news that the last community of enslaved Americans in Galveston, Texas, were free. Long recognized as a day of celebration by the African American community, Juneteenth became a holiday in the state of Connecticut in 2023.

At the UConn School of Social Work, observing Juneteenth is a part of our mission to advance social justice and anti-racism. A core component of our five-year Strategic Plan is a commitment to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism (DEI-AR). Our administration, faculty and staff have been working hard to meet our DEI-AR goals in all areas, including research and scholarship, teaching and learning, practicum education, and emerging areas of social work.  Our commitment to DEI-AR as a school of social work will not waiver, even as these values face backlash.

To hold ourselves accountable to this important work, we conducted listening sessions with students, staff and faculty this year and established a new committee structure to oversee our DEI-AR efforts. We have also provided presentations, workshops and trainings focused on key topics such as anti-racist supervision, Black contributions to social work, and a Diversity Seminar, among other strategic outcomes.

On this Juneteenth, let’s reflect on both the history and the work ahead with our values as social workers as our guide to fostering anti-racism at our school and in the communities we serve.

Laura Curran
Dean and Professor

Graphic with black, red, green and yellow colors and the words "June 19 Juneteenth Freedom Day"

Ph.D. Leadership Transition – Thank You Scott Harding

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Dear Colleagues,

As you may be aware, Scott Harding, Ph.D., is stepping down as co-director of our Ph.D. program in summer 2024. Harding assumed this role in 2016. During his tenure, he led multiple initiatives that strengthened our doctoral program. These include the expansion of guaranteed student funding to four years of Graduate Assistantship (GA), including two years as a research GA and one year of teaching independently. During his tenure, the doctoral committee implemented curriculum reform, including a revised Comprehensive Examination process, expansion of dissertation options, and creation of a new course on pedagogy. The program also transformed its model of student advising and increased professional development opportunities for doctoral students. These changes resulted in increased publication opportunities for our students. Harding also mentored doctoral students and has served as a major and associate dissertation advisor for 12 Ph.D. candidates. He also taught four courses in the doctoral program.

In addition to his leadership in the doctoral program. Harding is an accomplished scholar in the areas of Forced Migration and Refugee Resettlement and War, Militarism, and Peace Activism. Along with multiple peer-reviewed articles, Harding is the co-author of Breaking the War Habit: The Debate over Militarism in American Education (University of Georgia Press, 2022), Counter-Recruitment and the Campaign to Demilitarize Public Schools (Palgrave McMillan, 2017), and Human-Rights Based Approaches to Community Practice in the United States (Springer, 2015).

Harding is a highly experienced academic administrator and leader, having served the School of Social Work not only as Ph.D. Co-Director but also as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Harding will continue his role as Associate Dean of Academic Affairs in the 2024-25 AY.

Please join me in thanking Harding for his outstanding leadership.

Laura Curran, MSW, Ph.D. (she/her)
Dean and Professor

A Message from the Dean about Black History Month 2024

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Dear Colleagues,

At the School of Social Work, we look forward to celebrating Black History Month and promoting the history, culture, and achievements of Black and African Americans communities. For social workers, commemorating Black History Month aligns with our profession’s core values, including the commitment to social justice and the dignity and worth of each person – particularly those who are underserved and historically marginalized.

Highlighting Black History Month is also an expression of our School’s mission, as described in our Strategic Plan, which advances continuing work on diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. Our Black History planning committee engages in this critical work by honoring Black lives, contributions, and culture.

This February, we are promoting the achievements of Black leaders in social work and social change. All month we will have on display in our building at 38 Prospect Street in Hartford posters of four trailblazers who each made a significant and lasting impact on civil rights and social justice. They are Lester Blackwell Granger, Mildred “Mit” Joyner, Dorothy Height, and Whitney M. Young, Jr.  You can read about their work on our website.

Throughout the month, we will also share a slideshow celebrating Black history, culture, and music. Please be sure to visit and enjoy this slideshow display in our School’s rear hallway and lower level. Additionally, I encourage you to participate in events at UConn and in your community that highlight the ways in which Black and African American communities have changed and continue to shape our collective history, society, and futures.

In solidarity,

Laura Curran, Ph.D.
Dean and Professor

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month 2023

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Message from the Dean

Dear Colleagues,

National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from September 15 through October 15, gives us the opportunity to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures of Hispanic and Latina/o/x communities. At the School of Social Work, we are looking forward to highlighting this special occasion and the contributions of these communities to our School, nation, and world.

Recognizing the history and achievements of Latina/o/x communities aligns with our social work values and the School’s commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. This commitment, affirmed in our strategic plan, calls on us to engage in meaningful dialogue and hold ourselves accountable to action toward social justice.

To meet the needs of Latina/o/x individuals, families, and communities, we have developed programs that prepare social workers for that important work. Last year, with the support of a state grant, we launched Connecticut ¡Adelante!, a scholarship program for Master of Social Work students who want to serve the mental health needs of Spanish-speaking youth and families. This innovative program will prepare bilingual students for careers addressing both children’s mental health and the growing Spanish-speaking population in Connecticut. For our bachelor's students, we also offer the Child Welfare and Protection Track, which trains Spanish-speaking students to work with Latina/o/x families served by the state Department of Children and Families.

To celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, our School’s Puerto Rican and Latin@ Studies Project is hosting an opening event: Past, Present, Possible in Puerto Rico through Prosperity, Power, and Progress on September 20 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. in the School of Social Work Community Room. Participants in the Puerto Rico Travel Study program will share their insights from their recent trip and highlight cultural identities, the concept of acompañamiento, and implications for social work practice. I encourage you to register and join us: s.uconn.edu/sswhhm.

In solidarity,

Laura Curran
Dean

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrating Juneteenth 2023

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From the Desk of Dean Heller

Dear Colleagues,Juneteenth graphic with words "Freedom Day" and African colors.

Monday is Juneteenth, the day that commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. As many of you know, it was on June 19, 1865 that Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to announce that the more than 250,000 enslaved Black people in the state were free by executive decree. More than 150 years later, Juneteenth was made a federal holiday by President Biden, and soon after became a state holiday in Connecticut.

Recognizing Juneteenth is critical at a time when the teaching of Black history and systemic racism are under attack in some states. For the School of Social Work, celebrating the holiday is part of our mission and an expression of our continued commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism (DEI/AR). We know that the struggle for freedom for the individuals, families, and communities we serve is ongoing. We join with the University’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Provost’s Office in honoring the history and culture of Black and African American communities.

As part of our Strategic Plan, our faculty and staff have been meeting regularly to discuss how we would implement DEI/AR throughout our school. That means challenging ourselves and reimagining our research, teaching, field education, and vision for the future of social work. We developed a definition of anti-racism which in part states that “anti-racism means redressing historic and current harms perpetrated by systems, policies, practices, and individuals that target racialized Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in our community and connected to our community.” We have also pledged to take concrete steps to hold ourselves accountable to advancing racial justice and to support the empowerment of Black and African American students, staff, faculty, and communities.

To highlight Juneteenth, I encourage everyone to read about the history at the National Museum of African American History & Culture’s website, and to engage in events in your local community.

In solidarity,

Nina Rovinelli Heller, PhD
Dean and Professor
Zachs Chair in Social Work

SSW Marks Black History Month with Call for Racial Justice

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From the Desk of Dean Heller

Dear Colleagues,

While Black History Month presents us with the opportunity to celebrate the contributions of African Americans to our nation’s history, at this moment we are also called to redouble our commitment to the cause of racial justice.Black History Month graphic

As many of you know, in early January, 29-year-old Tyre Nichols of Memphis, Tennessee died after being fatally beaten by police officers during a traffic stop. His death is a painful reminder that just three years after George Floyd’s death, Black people remain disproportionate targets of police violence. At the School of Social Work, we are staunchly opposed to systemic racism and will continue to use the tools of teaching, scholarship, and community and professional action to call attention to and end the structural inequities that harm Black communities.

Fittingly, the theme for this year’s Black History Month is “Black Resistance.” According to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the theme addresses the fact that “African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms, and police killings since our arrival upon these shores.” We are all too aware of how anti-Blackness continues with efforts to erase Black history and excuse violence. As long as such anti-Black oppression exists, the School of Social Work will work to challenge it, locally and globally.

The School’s Black History 365 committee engages in this work by honoring and highlighting Black lives, contributions, and culture throughout the year. On Feb. 1, we’re hosting “Giving Voice to the Black Experience,” an event with local artist Miles Wilson-Toliver who will discuss a form of resistance – the rejection of Euro-classical voice technique which paved the way to a more universal technique: RSVP at http://s.uconn.edu/BH365.

All month long, I strongly encourage you to explore opportunities at UConn and in your community to highlight the accomplishments and impact of Black and African American communities on our history, society, and culture. Visit a museum, attend a lecture, read a book, volunteer. These efforts advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism, as well as our goal to support and value the experiences of our Black students and colleagues.

In solidarity,

 

Nina Rovinelli Heller, Ph.D.
Dean and Professor
Zachs Chair in Social Work

 

 

 

 

 

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day

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From the Office of Dean Heller

Dear Colleagues,

On Monday, January 16, we recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. For four decades, this holiday has provided an opportunity to celebrate the life and contributions of this legendary civil rights leader. At UConn School of Social Work, we also take this moment to reaffirm our commitment to Dr. King’s Dream and the ongoing struggle for racial justice.

The goal of achieving racial, social, and economic justice is central to our School’s mission and a major focus of Social Work for Impact: Our Five-Year Strategic Plan. Our faculty and staff are deeply committed to continuing to engage in meaningful dialogue about diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism in our community and in our work. We also pledge to hold ourselves accountable and to take action to advance racial justice.

As part of this commitment, we recently published our School’s definition of anti-racism in order to clarify our purpose and goals moving forward. It states that anti-racism is “collective and individual actions designed to ensure that all members of our community experience, in equal measure over time and place, belonging, power, esteem, success, and wellness.” As a community of social work students, faculty and staff, we know that our mission can only be realized when justice is achieved for those who have long been excluded, especially racially oppressed people in our community and world.

On MLK Day, I encourage you to participate in events organized at UConn and in our community. These include the MLK Living Legacy Convocation and the MLK Day of Service.  For information about these events and other events across the state, please visit UConn’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice website.

 

In solidarity,

Nina Rovinelli Heller, Ph.D.
Dean and Professor
Zachs Chair in Social Work

 

 

Celebrating Indigenous People’s Day

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From the Office of Dean Heller

Dear Colleagues,

The second Monday in October is Indigenous People’s Day. Also known as Columbus Day, this federal holiday was first established in 1937. Last year, President Biden issued a proclamation to formally recognize IndigenousIndigenous People's Day graphic People’s Day.

Today, many universities and municipalities take this opportunity to celebrate the history and cultures of indigenous people. The very name of the state of Connecticut derives from the Mohegan word Quinnitukqut, meaning “long, tidal river.” Connecticut is home to numerous Indigenous communities, including but not limited to the Mahican tribes, the Minisink, the Mohegan tribes, the Pequot, Nipmuc, the Qquiripi tribes (including the Mattabesic, Paugusett, and Schaghticoke), the Paucatuck Eastern Pequot, and the Eastern Pequot. As a land grant university, UConn recognizes we share this land with those who came before us and continue to contribute to our state.

Highlighting this holiday aligns with the ethics of the social work profession which values the dignity of each person. It also exemplifies our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and anti-racism, a cornerstone of our School’s mission.

Please consider taking part in events related to Indigenous People's Day, which are posted by the UConn Native American Culture Programs. Also learn about Native American and Indigenous studies and programming at UConn.

 

In solidarity,

 

Nina Rovinelli Heller
Dean and Zach’s Chair

 

 

 

 

 

Honoring Hispanic Heritage Month

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From the Desk of Dean Heller

Dear Colleagues,

Thursday, September 15, is the start of Hispanic Heritage Month. This annual event celebrates the many diverse cultures and histories of Hispanic and Latinx/a/o communities. At the School of Social Work, we are pleased to highlight the achievements and contributions of these communities to our country and world.Hispanic Heritage Month graphic

This year’s theme is “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Strong Nation,” a sentiment that we believe and support at our School. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism (DEI/AR) are central to our mission and infused throughout our Strategic Plan for the next five years. Our goals include engaging faculty and staff in meaningful dialogue about DEI/AR in our community and in our work. This dialogue, and a commitment to social justice action and accountability, make our School and community stronger.

We know there is a growing need for Spanish-speaking social workers in our community and state. In response, we launched a Spanish-speaking child welfare track for our bachelor’s students who intern at the Department for Children and Families. We have also revived our Puerto Rico Study Travel Program, which enhances the skills of students to work with Hispanic and Latinx/a/o communities.

Inclusion means more than representation but also fostering a sense of belonging for our students, staff, faculty, and members of our community. To that end, we are co-sponsoring with Hartford Campus and the School of Law a kick-off event on September 15 at the Hartford Public Library. Please join us to partake in live music, refreshments, networking and to hear our guest speaker Jacquelyn Santiago Nazario of COMPASS Youth Collaborative. RSVP here: s.uconn.edu/sswhhm. The Puerto Rican / Latin American Cultural Center’s (PRLACC) is also promoting several events throughout the month.

 

In solidarity,

Nina Rovinelli Heller
Dean and Zach’s Chair