We are proud of our alumni and the positive impact they are making in their communities. Submit your recent news here. ’88 Terri Spahr Nelson, BSW ’87; MSSW ’88: One of my longtime endeavors is being the owner of a small publishing company that focuses on resources for sexual assault and trauma survivors and professionals–a […]
Fall 2022
Why your support matters: Destiny Ayala, BSW ’22
Destiny Ayala, a BSW student and a SWEEP mentor, was awarded a Social Work Education Enhancement Program (SWEEP) Mentor Scholarship this past year. This scholarship is granted by the school to exceptional SWEEP mentors and is funded by donors. As a SWEEP mentor, Destiny walks alongside first-year BSW students, helping them acclimate to the Steve […]
Steve Hicks School of Social Work program moves up in ranking
The Steve Hicks School of Social Work’s Master’s in Social Work program has received a 7th place ranking, tying with University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s program, according to US News and World Reports. Graduate rankings and undergraduate rankings from US News and World Reports are released in alternating years. In the 2020 graduate program […]
UT Austin recognized for supporting veteran education
The University of Texas at Austin is the No. 1 school for veterans in Texas, according to U.S. News & World Report, and was recently honored with a gold medal designation from the Texas Veterans Commission. Established by the State of Texas, the Veterans Education Excellence Recognition Gold Award recognizes universities that provide excellence in […]
New educational tools assist with understanding of COVID-19 vaccinations
The University of Texas at Austin’s Health Behavior Research and Training Institute (HBRT) and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Foundation have been awarded a $3.3 million grant by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to engage the nation’s 700,000+ social workers in boosting COVID-19 vaccine confidence, uptake and access, particularly among populations with […]
Suicide prevention study for LGBTQ+ young adults aims to provide support
The University of Texas at Austin will collaborate with UT Southwestern Medical Center on the nation’s first study of suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ young adults – a group at higher risk for depression and suicide. The study, supported by a $5.4 million award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), is aimed at identifying whether interventions tailored […]
Gamified exercise app improves fall prevention
Although older adults face high risk for falls, many are unable to utilize community-based fall prevention programs due to their mobility limitations. In a recent study published in the Journal of Applied Gerontology, Steve Hicks School of Social Work researchers found that a brief fall-prevention program that included a tablet-based, gamified exercise app was well received […]
Grant helps improve service to children and adolescents with disabilities
Texas took an important step forward in the past year in training leaders in service to children and adolescents with autism and other disabilities. The University of Texas at Austin’s Texas Center for Disability Studies (TCDS) was awarded the prestigious LEND grant to develop the next generation of interdisciplinary leaders prepared to improve the lives […]
New video tools made available for managing sexual assault cases
Law enforcement officers, prosecutors and victims services professionals have a new set of tools to better understand and respond to sexual assault on college campuses and in local communities — just as many students are preparing to return to campus. The Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault (IDVSA) in the Steve Hicks School of Social […]
Dominique McGaha: On international social work and empowering others
It’s nighttime in South Africa, but Dominique McGaha, a Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) student, is not winding down for the evening. After a day of working in her second field placement, it is now class time for her. But Dominique embraces the busy and exciting season she’s in. After all, the international […]
