News Archive

The following is an archive of items (since Jan 2000) that were previously posted on the College's news page.

09/20/2007 - Courtney Cronley, a Ph.D. student in the College of Social Work has had her doctoral research proposal selected by HUD for funding in the amount of $15,000. Her proposed project is entitled, Examining How Organizational Social Context Influences Technology Diffusion Among Homeless Service Providers.

08/01/2007 - SREB Doctoral Scholars Program: The Southern Regional Education Board’s (SREB) Doctoral Scholars Program was developed with support from The Pew Charitable Trusts and The Ford Foundation. It is part of a nationwide initiative, the Compact for Faculty Diversity, to produce more minority Ph.D.’s and to encourage them to seek faculty positions. SREB states share resources, work to expand their minority applicant pool, support qualified candidates with financial assistance for up to five years of graduate study, and assist graduates and higher education institutions in identifying employment opportunities. For more information please contact: doctoral.scholars@sreb.org

05/22/2007 - College Ranks 7th for Scholarly Productivity in Social Service Journals: The academic affiliations of the authors of all articles published between 1999 and 2003 in six major social work journals were tabulated to produce a ranking of the colleges and universities whose faculty made the most substantive contributions to the social work literature. In that study, the University of Tennessee College of Social Work attained the seventh highest ranking of all universities considered.

An analysis of the publication rate of authors from academic institutions in six social work journals has been conducted every five years since 1970. The most recent study (1999–2003) has now been published (Ligon, Jackson & Thyer, 2007). In the study entitled Academic Affiliations of Social Work Journal Article Authors from 1999–2003: A Productivity Analysis Spanning 25 Years of Social Work Scholarship, published in the Journal of Social Service Research, 33(3), 13–20, nearly 1,000 articles were included, representing 310 academic institutions. The University of Tennessee College of Social Work ranked seventh. This was a notable increase from the previous study period when the college was ranked at the 25th level.

Karen Sowers, dean of the college, expressed her appreciation for the continued excellent scholarship of the faculty. She said, "It is only because of hard work, persistent effort, and deep commitment to excellence on the part of many individual scholars within our institution that this level of productivity and academic recognition has been reached."

Article copies are available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail Press, Inc. All rights reserved. Or order online at: http://www.haworthpress.com [Issue 3 (4-2007) 2006].

04/13/2007 - Kimberly McClure Cassie, a doctoral student in the College of Social Work, has received a two-year, $50,000 John A. Hartford Foundation dissertation research grant to study the effects of organizational culture and climate on client outcomes in nursing homes.

04/03/2007 - During the National Association of Social Workers-Tennessee Chapter's "Social Work Legislative Conference" activities at the Tennessee State Capitol on April 2-3, two students in the College of Social Work were honored with statewide awards. The NASW-TN announced that Veliska Perumal (M.S.S.W. student on the Knoxville campus) was selected as the 2007 M.S.S.W. Student of the Year and Heather Marshall was selected as the 2007 B.S.S.W. Student of the Year.

03/05/2007 - Dr. Sherry Cummings has been appointed as the Associate Dean for the Nashville campus. Dr. Cummings has been Acting Associate Dean since January 2006.

03/05/2007 - Dr. Matthew Theriot has been invited by the Provost to serve as a Provost's Junior Faculty Fellow.

03/05/2007 - Dr. Stan Bowie has been named a recipient of the first annual University of Tennessee African American Image Award, and recently graduated from the University of Tennessee Leadership Institute, an intensive week-long leadership training experience for 50 statewide faculty and staff from the University of Tennessee system and Board of Regents system.

03/01/2007 - Dr. Sarah Craun has been accepted to the one-week Summer Research Institute on the Cornell University campus, sponsored by the National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect. The Institute provides an intensive experience in the secondary analysis of child abuse and neglect data. This workshop is multidisciplinary and highly competitive, with only 12 individuals selected each year.

02/28/2007 - Sandra Gonzalez has been named the interim Field Coordinator for the Nashville campus effective March 1, 2007.

02/26/2007 - Dr. Cindy Davis has been accepted into the Fulbright Scholars Program as a Fulbright Senior Specialist. The Fulbright Senior Specialists Program is designed to provide short-term academic opportunities (two to six weeks) for U.S. faculty and professionals.

02/09/2007 - The College of Social Work M.S.S.W. program will move to a new curriculum beginning in the Fall of 2007. See http://www.csw.utk.edu/mssw/ for more details.

01/02/2007 - It's with great sadness that we report that former Associate Dean and Associate Professor Dr. Hugh Vaughn passed away in Memphis on Friday, December 29, 2006 after a lengthy illness. Dr. Vaughn retired from the University in 2004 after more than 40 years of service to the College of Social Work. A funeral was held on Sunday, December 31, 2006 in Starkville, Mississippi. Dr. Vaughn's obituary can be found on the web site of the Starville Daily News.

08/01/2006 - The College is pleased to announce the appointments of several new full-time faculty members. Joining us this year are Dr. Bill Bradshaw (Knoxville), Dr. Sarah Craun (Knoxville), Dr. David Dia (Memphis), Dr. Cathy Simmons (Memphis). Also joining us as a full time instructor is Sandra Gonzalez (Nashville).

05/31/2006 - It's with great sadness that we report that Linda Broyles, who retired from the College of Social Work after 22 years of service at UT, passed away on Friday, May 26, 2006. A funeral was held Tuesday evening, May 30, 2006 in Seymour. Linda's obituary can be viewed here.

05/25/2006 - College of Social Work Honored As Compassionate Employer. The recognition came from Compassionate Friends, an international, nonprofit, self-help group for families grieving the death of a child. Read more about this award at http://www.utk.edu/news/article.php?id=3643 .

04/18/2006 - At the University of Tennessee Honors Banquet, Dr. Matthew Theriot received the UT National Alumni Association's Outstanding Teaching Award. Three BSSW students were also recognized at this event. Laura Mann was honored as a Top Collegiate Scholar, Catherine Wright received an Extraordinary Achievement Award, and Ashley-Paige Rollinson received an Extraordinary Professional Promise Award.

03/01/2006 - During "Social Work Day on the Hill" activities today at the Tennessee State Capitol, it was announced that M.S.S.W. student (Nashville campus) Brian Honeycut has been selected as the M.S.S.W. Student of the Year.

02/27/2006 - B.S.S.W. student Catherine Wright has been selected B.S.S.W. Student of the Year by the Tennessee state chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Catherine was in competition with students nominated from 12 other B.S.W. programs in Tennessee. This is the fourth time in the last seven years that a University of Tennessee student has received this award.

01/01/2006 - Effective January 1, 2006, Dr. Sherry Cummings assumed the duties of Acting Associate Dean for the Nashville campus. Dr. Rod Ellis previously held the Acting Associate Dean positon and decided to step back into a full-time faculty position with the College.

09/28/2005 - Dr. Mary Rogge has received a four year grant as Principal Investigator from the National Institute of Encironmental Health Sciences. The grant is entitled "The Alton Park/Piney Woods Encironmental Health & Justice Collaborative".

09/26/2005 - Mr. Frank Spicuzza, Director of the B.S.S.W. program has announced his intentions to retire at the conclusion of the 2005-2006 academic year.

07/29/05 - The College's Memphis campus offices completed their move from their former offices in the Beale Building on Beale Street to the Boling Center at 711 Jefferson Ave, Memphis, TN 38163. All phone numbers for faculty and staff remain the same. For a map (courtesy of www.mapquest.com) to the new location, click here.

07/13/05 - Dr. John Orme who has been appointed to the editorial board of the upcoming 20th edition of the Encyclopedia of Social Work.

04/22/05 - Dr. Catherine Dulmus and doctoral student Andridia Mapson were written up in an article entitled "Kids for Kids - UT Social Work students advocate for Pre-K" in the Knoxville Metro Pulse. The article can be read online here.

04/13/05 - Dr. Sam MacMaster has been awarded a grant for $30,000 for two years from the Lois and Samuel Silberman Fund for a project "Service Access and HIV/AIDS Risk Behaviors of Female Methamphetamine Users in Rural Appalachia".

04/13/2005 - Two B.S.S.W. students and three M.S.S.W. students were recognized and received awards at the Chancellor's Honors Banquet on April 13. K. An-Haley White, a graduating senior in the BSSW program, received an Academic Achievement Award. Sarah R. Fiest-Gardner, also a graduating senior in the B.S.S.W. program, was recognized as a Top Collegiate Scholar. Sarah B. Garling, Mary E. Lamb and Katheryn O. Teague, all second year students in the M.S.S.W. program each received the Professional Promise Award. The Baccalaureate Student Social Work Organization received the Extraordinary Community Service Award.

04/13/2005 - Dr. Stan Bowie received a prestigious award at the Chancellor's Honors Banquet on April 13. Dr. Bowie received the National Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Award.

04/08/2005 - The University of Tennessee National Association of Black Social Workers Chapter received the "NABSW Presidential Award" at the awards luncheon during the National Association of Black Social Workers conference in New Orleans this week. The award was given because NABSW-UT had the highest increase in membership of all community and student chapters in the country. They received a beautiful plaque for the honor which will be displayed at the local chapter Harambee celebration April 27 at the University Club. Special recognition was given to Dr. Stan Bowie for his leadership as advisor to the NABSW-UT chapter.

02/01/2005 - Dr. Roger Nooe was selected for this year's TCSW Middle East Region Leadership Advocacy Award.

10/26/2004 - The B.S.S.W. Student Organization (B.S.S.W.O.) in the College of Social Work took part in "CANstruction 2004" at the West Town Mall in Knoxville. CANstruction is an annual competition designed to draw attention to the problem of hunger. Each year, teams build structures out of non-perishable food items, and at the end of the competition, the structures are dismantled and the food is donated to Second Harvest Food Bank. .This year's B.S.S.W.O. entry, " CANelot: Defense Against Hunger", won the Jurors' Favorite Award and will be entered in the national competition. Once again, the B.S.S.W.O. worked with Sparkman and Associates Architects to design and build the project. The "CANelot" structure was built with 2,400 cans of tomato soup, 240 cans of chicken noodle soup, 24 cans of tomato paste, 4 cases of split peas, 2 cases of lima beans, 35 packs of gravy/sauce, 11 packages of small boxes of raisins, 4 packs of gum balls, and various types of condiments.
More information on CANstruction events around the country can be found at http://www.canstruction.org.

10/25/2004 - Dr. Cindy Davis has received a Professional Development Award from the Office of the Chancellor for a project entitled "Premenstrual Distress and Multiple Roles: A Comparative Study of Caucasian and African-American Women".

09/27/2004 - Dr. Stan Bowie has been appointed by Chancellor Loren Crabtree to serve on the University of Tennessee Commission for Blacks. The purpose of the Commission is to advise on planning, implementation, and evaluation of University programs, policies, and services as they related to Black student, faculty, and staff.

09/03/2004 - Dr. Marlys Staudt has been awared a K01 (Mentored Research Scientist Development Award), from the National Institute of Mental Health for five years for a project "Service Participation by Families of Maltreated Children."

05/20/2004 - It was announced today that Dr. Hugh Vaughn, Associate Dean and Associate Professor at the College's Memphis campus, is retiring. Dr. Vaughn has devoted more than 40 years of his life to the College of Social Work and his presence will be missed by all. Dr. Theora Evans assumes the role of Acting Associate Dean until a permanent replacement is named.

11/12/03 - B.S.S.W. students in the College of Social Work took part in "CANstruction 2003" - an annual event to draw attention to the problem of hunger - in October at the West Town Mall in Knoxville. They worked with Sparkman and Associates Architects to win the "Best Use of Labels" award. Using 1500 cans of food, 200 boxes of spaghetti, 100 bags of dried beans, two boxes of chewing gum and 40 boxes of Cracker Jacks, the group built "Field of Cans: Strike Out Hunger". All structures were dismantled and the food donated to Second Harvest Food Bank. Photos of the structure were entered in the national competition. More information on CANstruction events around the country can be found at http://www.canstruction.org.

10/24/03 - Billie NeSmith Spicuzza (MSW '72) has been selected as the Knoxville YWCA's 2003 "Tribute to Women" honoree in the Human Services category. The honoree was selected for her significant contributions and impact in the field of human services, leadership qualities, as well as professional growth and level of achievement. Spicuzza, who serves as Vice President of Housing for Knoxville's Community Development Corporation (KCDC), was nominated by her employer citing the positive impact she has had on residents of Knoxville community's assisted housing. The nomination also paid tribute to her "vision, leadership, and 'can-do' attitude as a driving force in recognition of KCDC by the U.S. Housing & Urban Development (HUD) as a leading provider of affordable housing in the state of Tennessee and the nation." Spicuzza serves as a member of the University Associates for the University of Tennessee (UT) Knoxville, and the UT system's College of Social Work Continuing Education Committee.

07/31/2003 - The College of Social Work, Tennessee First Lady Andrea Conte, and Micheal J. Miller (MSSW '76), Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Children's Services, held a press conference in Nashville today to announce that Distinguished University Professor and Children's Mental Health Services Research Center Director Dr. Charles Glisson has won a $4 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health for his Rural Appalachia Project. The Project will study how to help delinquent youth in Appalachia.

06/02/2003 - Dr. Rod Ellis has been appointed Acting Associate Dean of the Nashville campus effective 07/01/2003.

04/09/2003 - The College of Social Work truly sparkled at the University Honors Banquet! These are highly competitive awards across the University. Congratulations to all the winners and thanks for helping the College look great! College of Social Work winners were:

Faculty Honor Awards:
Stan L. Bowie for Excellence in Teaching
Roger Nooe for Outstanding Public Service
Frank Spicuzza for Excellence in Advising

Student Organization Award:
Baccalaureate Social Work Student Organization for Extraordinary Community Service

Student Awards:
Shelby Grant for Extraordinary Academic Achievement
Gary Cuddeback for Extraordinary Professional Promise
Tomeeka Heard for Extraordinary Professional Promise
Dabney Shurling for Extraordinary Professional Promise
Donna Cherry for Extraordinary Professional Promise
Christopher H. Hargrove Extraordinary Community Service

03/24/2003 - Mr. Frank Spicuzza has been selected to receive the "Provost's Outstanding Advisor Award". This is a University-wide competition that requires faculty to submit a philosophy of advising and a list of their current advisees. The advisees are contacted by the Awards Committee and interviewed. The award will be presented to Mr. Spicuzza at the University Honors Banquet.

03/30/2003 - Dr. Stan Bowie has been selected for the "Provost's Excellence in Teaching Award". This is a University-wide competition which requires that faculty submit a dossier of teaching materials, address creativity in the classroom, and an in-class review by faculty on the committee. The award will be presented to Dr. Bowie at the University Honors Banquet.

12/11/2002 - Josh Goldwin, an M.S.S.W. student at the Memphis campus, has been promoted to the position of State Secretary for the Tennessee chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.

10/14/2002 - Dr. Sam MacMaster has received the University Professional Development Award to support his project "A Pilot of the Service Needs and HIV/AIDS Risk Behaviors of Methamphetamine Users in Middle Tennessee".

07/10/2002 - Dr. Rod Elllis has been asked to be one of only 15 researchers nationwide to meet with Robert Flores, the recently confirmed Administrator of the federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Dr. Ellis will participate in a focus group that will provide information to guide policy decisions about the disproportionate minority confinement of juveniles during Dr. Flores' tenure as administrator.

07/3/2002 - Dr. Roger Nooe was designated today as the Daily Point of Light by the national Points of Light Foundation. Founded by Former President George Bush and supported by the Knights of Columbus and the Corporation for National Service, the Points of Light Foundation is recognizing Dr. Roger Nooe for his many years of work on behalf of the homeless. Dr. Nooe has volunteered his time and effort to describe the problems of area homelessness and to increase community awareness of the needs of the homeless. You may find further information here.

06/14/2002 - Provost Crabtree has awarded Dr. Tom Cruthirds, Professor of Social Work, with the title of Professor Emeritus upon Dr. Cruthirds' retirement.

05/2/2002 - Dr. Gideon Frier, Professor Emeritus of the College of Social Work and long time supporter of the College, has gifted the College with a $100,000 charitable trust.

04/18/2002 - Juli L. Aube`, an undergraduate social work student in the College of Social Work, was selected as a recipient of the 2002 Harold Love Outstanding Community Involvement Award. The award is given by the State of Tennessee Higher Education Commission and recognizes outstanding community service performed at the campus level by students. Only five students statewide were selected to receive this $1,000 award.

04/10/2002 - Dr. Catherine Dulmus received the Provost's Excellence in Teaching Award.

03/6/2002 - Dr. Rod Ellis has been invited to become a member of a team of researchers from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (part of the U.S. Department of Justice). This team will serve in an advisory capacity to disporportionate Minority Confinement projects in juvenile courts around the country.

01/15/2002 - An anonymous donor has made a $27,000 donation to the College of Social Work for the Thomas Jefferson Graduate Fellowship program. The Jefferson Graduate Fellowship program assists the College in attracting and supporting outstanding graduate students.

01/15/2002 - Dr. Karen Sowers, Dean of the College of Social Work announced that a project of the College of Social Work "Increasing Aging Content in Social Work Education" was selected to be funded by the Geriatric Enrichment in Social Work Education Program. This program is sponsored by the Council on Social Work Education with funding support obtained by the John A. Hartford Foundation. The geriatric Enrichment Program is part of a multi-faceted John A. Hartford Foundation's "Strengthening Geriatric Social Work Initiative". Through collaborations with social work education programs, the focus is to prepare needed aging-rich learning experiences within the classroom, curricula, field practicums, lectures, and presentations, and other activities at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The College of Social Work will receive $60,000 over a two year period. The grant will provide money for a doctoral stipend, and stipends for an MSSW and BSSW student, as well as supplies, travel and conference funding to support the project. The principal investigator is Dr. Colleen Galambos, and the faculty consultant is Dr. Sherry Cummings-both of the UT College of Social Work. Granted by the national accrediting organization for social work education, this is a very prestigious award and combined with Dr. Cummings recent Faculty Scholar Award in Gerontology, places the College of Social Work in the forefront in gerontological education for social workers.

01/15/2002 - An anonymous donor has made a $27,000 donation to the College of Social Work for the Thomas Jefferson Graduate Fellowship program. The Jefferson Graduate Fellowship program assists the College in attracting and supporting outstanding graduate students.

09/27/2001 - The University of Tennessee announced the appointment of Dr. Charles Glisson, Professor of Social Work and Director of the Children's Mental Health Services Research Center, as a University Distinguished Research Professor.

08/29/2001 - Dr. Karen Sowers, Dean of the College of Social Work announced that the College of Social Work has received a $300,000 endowment. The endowment is a gift from Ms. Betty Lynn Hendrickson, a long time social worker in Anderson County with the Department of Human Services, who recently passed away. Interest from the endowment will be available to help support the mission of the College. Ms. Hendrickson was a compassionate person who devoted her life to helping others less fortunate. This gift will allow her caring and concern for others to continue to benefit others. Dr. Sowers accepted thes gift behalf of the College in gratitude to Ms. Hendrickson.

06/15/2001 - The College's Nashville campus and the College Office of Research and Public Service moved from their offices on West End Ave to 193 Polk Ave. Suite E, Nashville, TN 37210. The new phone number for the Nashville Campus is (615) 256-1885, and the fax is (615) 248-8823. For a map (courtesy of www.mapquest.com) to the new location, click here.

05/29/2001 - Mr. Frank Spicuzza, Associate Professor in the College of Social Work, has been chosen as a receipient of a Center for Undergraduate Excellence Fellowship for the third consecutive year.

04/12/2001 - Dr. Sherry Cummings, Assistant Professor in the College of Social Work has been awarded a grant through the Hartford Foundation and was named a Hartford Scholor. This grant will support her research and development as a gerontological scholar.

09/12/2000 - Dr. John Orme, Associate Professor in the College of Social Work has received a another one year contract from the Casey Foundation. This contract is for $250,000.

09/7/2000 - Dr. Karen Sowers, Dean of the College of Social Work has been asked by the US Department of Justice and Attorney General Janet Reno to participate in the "Police as Problem Solvers and Peacemakers" program. As part of this program, Dr. Sowers will be participating in a roundtable discussion with Janet Reno, the Knoxville Deputy Chief of Police and others.

8/9/2000 - Dr. Mary Rogge, Assistant Professor in the College of Social Work has been named as a consulting editor for the journal "Health & Social Work".

05/29/2000 - Dr. Roger Nooe, Professor in the College of Social Work, was featured on the front page of the "Knoxville News-Sentinel". In a lead article entitled 'Stand Down will offer help to area homeless veterans', Dr. Nooe's research on the homeless in the Knoxville area was cited.

03/16/2000 - Dr. Catherine Dulmus's (Assistant Professor in the College of Social Work) dissertation entitled "Trauma-Related Symptamatology among Children of Parents Victimized by Community Violence" was one of only ten dissertations selected from across the country to be presented at the 12th National Symposium on Doctoral Research at Ohio State University.

01/25/2000 - The Honorable Mayor Victor Ashe of Knoxville, Tennessee proclaimed January 26, 2000 to be "Roger M. Nooe Day" in honor of Dr. Nooe's work with the homeless. Dr. Nooe is a Professor in the College of Social Work.

College's B.S.S.W. Student Organization named a Daily Point of Light
On June 14, 2001, the Points of Light Foundation, the Corporation for National Service, and the Knights of Columbus named the UT College of Social Work's Bachelor of Social Work Student Organization a Daily Point of Light (#1921). Click the link above for more information on the Daily Point of Light web site.

UT Couple Makes Research Family Affair
Dr. David Patterson, Associate Professor in the College of Social Work, and his family spent a in the summer of 1999 doing research in India. Click the above link for the complete press release.