School of Social Work Honors Community Partners and Receives $25,000 to Establish Scholarships

By Mike Porter

Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Social Work honored its community partners, recognized outstanding field instructors and received $25,000 from the Virginia Council of Social Welfare to establish endowed scholarships for qualifying social work majors at the 6^th annual appreciation luncheon on May 14.

The School of Social Work’s Department of Field Instruction places more than 550 students each year in agencies throughout Virginia and the Greater Washington, D.C., area. These partner agencies provide services in a variety of areas, including aging, child welfare, community planning, corrections, developmental disabilities, family services, health, homelessness, community mental health and school social work. 

“I love this opportunity to say thank you for a job well done to our faculty, staff, students, community partners and friends of the school,” said Timothy Davey, Ph.D., associate dean for community engagement and director of field instruction. “Our students have provided more than $6.5 million in community engagement service by volunteering for agencies throughout Virginia and the Washington, D.C., area during the summer and fall 2009 semesters and the spring 2010 semester.”

School of Social Work faculty members are also active in community engagement activities, including serving on community boards, providing consultation or training, volunteering, serving as a community researcher or participating in community organizations. Faculty members also provide continuing education opportunities and lead international social work and study efforts.

There was an added reason for celebration at this year’s awards luncheon because the Virginia Council of Social Welfare provided $25,000 to create a new endowed scholarship for undergraduate social work majors.

The Virginia Council of Social Welfare, formerly known as the Virginia Conference of Charities and Corrections, was formed in 1900 to advocate for Virginia social services. The group decided to dissolve as a formal organization and chose to provide money to establish scholarships at VCU, Radford University and Norfolk State University.

“On behalf of the faculty and students at the VCU School of Social Work, I want to thank the Virginia Council on Social Welfare for this generous gift,” said Ann Nichols-Casebolt, interim dean, School of Social Work. “What a wonderful legacy for the work done by the VCSW over the last 100 years. It will provide much needed financial support to a deserving undergraduate student in our program.”

The School of Social Work also awarded its Samuel S. Wurtzel Community Partnership Agency Award to St. Joseph's Villa, a Henrico County-based nonsectarian, nonprofit organization that serves children.

The school presented its Amy Rosenblum Field Instructor of the Year Award to Bonita Hogue. Additional field instructor awards were given to Ian Danielsen, Jennifer Blosser and Brinda Fowlkes.