The university of tennessee college of social work
2024 Annual Report
As we continue to evolve and grow as a college, our faculty, staff, administrators, students, and alumni each contribute to this work.”
Dr. lori messinger
Dean of The University of Tennessee
College of Social Work
Message from the Dean
Our annual report is called “eVOLve,” representing the consistent change and (mostly) forward growth of our college as a learning organization. Each year, we are seeing signs of successes and new opportunities. We were thrilled to welcome three new senior faculty to our ranks. Drs. Bridget Freisthler, Rubén Parra-Cardona, and Tiffany Washington bring years of experience and expertise as scholars, instructors, practitioners, and leaders to our campus.
We moved into our newly remodeled home on the Knoxville campus on the 5th and 7th floors of Stokely Management Center, and we also reimagined and redecorated our spaces in Nashville as well. Our new spaces are especially welcoming of students, providing group work spaces, wellness rooms, and updated lounges.
We saw great successes on our strategic vision this year. We have more students enrolled, retained, and graduating than ever before, including bringing more students into our college through our innovative partnerships with the state’s community colleges. We continue to reach out to and support alumni through our continuing education, test support, networking, and other opportunities for professional development.
Our faculty, staff, and student research funding continues to increase, moving the needle in areas of disability research, support for immigrant families, and burn care, while the Social Work Office for Research and Public Service (SWORPS) develops even more projects to serve the people of Tennessee. We were thrilled to partner with colleagues in the College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences and Cherokee Health Systems to win the prestigious William T. Grant Institutional Challenge Grant for a project that will improve the health and well-being of local mothers and their children while strengthening the way the university supports this kind of community engaged research.
As we continue to evolve and grow as a college, our faculty, staff, administrators, students, and alumni each contribute to this work. Each of us has taken up the mantle of “being the change” we wish to see, doing our part—in the office, in the classroom, in the community, and in our lives—to live the college’s values and mission into changing the world for the better.
Lori Messinger, Dean
A College on the Rise
In the latest rankings from the U.S. News and World Report, the UT College of Social Work moved from 46th nationally and 30th among public institutions to 24th among all social work programs in the country and 13th among public institutions.
Three Senior Faculty Members Hired
Innovative contributions and unparalleled expertise accompany new faculty.
The Next Chapter: Moving to Stokely Management Center
After months of planning and
preparation, the UT College of
Social Work opened its newly
logo-bearing doors to alumni, donors,
students, friends, and community members, offering a peek inside the new “temporary” home of the college.
Strategic Goals Progress Report
FY 2024-2025
In 2022, the UT College of Social Work launched a strategic vision for our future. Our commitments included enhancing the workforce, expanding our impact, engaging stakeholders, ensuring equity, and empowering sustainability.
Enhancing the Workforce
Preparing ethical, effective, highly skilled social workers for Tennessee and beyond.
- Strategy: Increase Enrollment
- Fall 2023 Enrollment: 835
- Fall 2024 Enrollment: 954
- Strategy: Increase the number of continuing education participants at our events.
- FY ’23: 1,873
- FY ’24: 3,199
- Strategy: Increase the dollar amount and number of doctoral stipends.
- FY ’23: $20,000/14
- FY ’24: $25,868/16
Expanding Our Impact
Continuing to develop and support research that makes a difference
- Strategy: Increase the amount of new external grant funding based on a three-year moving average.
- FY ’23: $20.6M
- FY ’24: $27.3M
- Strategy: Increase the percentage of tenure track and research faculty with funded research as principal investigator (PI).
- FY ’23: 46%
- FY ’24: 59%
- Strategy: Increase the number of research publications and citations by UTCSW faculty and PhD students.
- FY ’23:
- Publications: 78
- Citations: 3,625
- FY ’24:
- Publications: 97
- Citations: 5,408
- FY ’23:
Engaging Stakeholders
Maintaining vibrant, mutually beneficial connections to alumni and community partners.
- Strategy: Enhance alumni support and outreach by increasing the number of agencies engaged for event sponsorships and attendance.
- FY ’23: 47
- FY ’24: 56
- Strategy: Increase paid internships and employment-based placements for BSSW and MSSW students.
- AY ’22-’23: 16%
- AY ’23-’24: 31%
- Strategy: Increase the number of proposals that involve interdisciplinary collaborations with other universities.
- FY ’23: 12
- FY ’24: 20
Ensuring Equity
Being a destination workplace where all people are respected, supported, mentored, engaged, and can thrive.
- Strategy: Increase pay equity to market for staff.
- FY ’23: 58%
- FY ’24: 65%
- Strategy: Increase the number of staff and faculty of color.
- FY ’23: 13
- FY ’24: 18
- Strategy: Increase the percentage of admitted graduate students of color awarded financial aid to at least 80%.
- FY ’23: 74%
- FY ’24: 82%
Empowering Sustainability
Expanding and diversifying revenue sources and strengthening business services.
- Strategy: Increase number of donors 2% (from 550-561)
- FY ’24: 576
- Strategy: Increase revenue by offering more credit, non-credit, and agency-based continuing education minors, certificate, and in-agency training programs.
- FY ’23: $13,000
- FY ’24: $33,000
- Strategy: We will remodel and move into Stokely Management Center floors 5 and 7 to provide a welcoming, comfortable, and inclusive environment for our students, faculty, and staff until we have identified our permanent home in Knoxville.
- Completed in May 2024
College Accolades
Student Success at the UTCSW Leads to a 94% Retention Rate
Two UTCSW PhD Students Awarded the 2024 Initiative for Cross-Institutional Student Collaboration Grant
UTCSW Strikes First of It’s Kind Partnership with Community Colleges Across the State of Tennessee, Allowing for Guaranteed and Priority Admission
A UTCSW Collaboration with HOLA Lakeway Introduces a Groundbreaking Initiative
UTCSW Now Offering Postgraduate Certificate in Organizational Leadership
College of Social Work Third Annual eVOLve Conference Breaks Records for In-Person and Virtual Attendance
The third annual College of Social Work Conference: eVOLve Be the Change was a huge success, breaking records for attendance both in-person and virtually.
The 2024 conference boasted over 336 in-person attendees, hailing from eight different states and over 500 virtual participants, logging in from 17 states and Canada, thus making this conference an international event. The conference offered 13 free sessions and 16 speakers, relied on over 40 volunteers, and allowed each participant to earn up to 4.5 free CEUs.
In addition to multiple breakout sessions, over 15 college community
partner organizations participated in the Community Partner Mingle, allowing participants to network and learn more about the organizations’ missions and services they offer, as well as to learn of open positions within the companies.
Three prestigious awards were given to very deserving alumni and friends:
OUTSTANDING ALUMNUS AWARD
Erica Gentry, MSSW ‘10, Franklin, TN
Lisa Higginbotham, MSSW ‘09, Norris, TN
THE HEART OF SOCIAL WORK AWARD
Ben Harrington, CEO of the Mental Health
Association of East Tennessee for 28 years
LIGHT THE WAY AWARD
Bryant’s Bridge, created by UTCSW alumnus
(MSSW ‘98) and former employee Sean Bryant
Faculty Research
The UTCSW Receives Grant from the William T. Grant Foundation
Examining Disparities in Alcohol Use Testing on Burn Patient Admissions: A Call for Association Guidance
Faculty in the Media
The media often contact UT College of Social Work faculty members and researchers for their expertise on a variety of topics.
Below are a few of their quotes captured by various media outlets throughout the year.
Dr. Stacia West | Associate Professor and Founding Director of the Center for Guaranteed Income | NPR Morning Edition
Places across the US are testing no-strings cash as part of the social safety net
“They spend the money in ways that everyone does,” says Stacia West with the University of Tennessee and a co-founder of the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Guaranteed Income Research. “Going to the grocery store, making sure the rent is paid, paying the car note.” She and her co-researcher Amy Castro have published peer-reviewed research on several cash aid pilots, including in Stockton, Calif., and are following others around the country. They find that — no surprise — the extra income makes people more financially stable. After about six months of payments, they also start to see “little glimmers of changes in a person’s psychology,” says West. “We see increases in a person’s psychological well-being, so a reduction in psychological distress.”
Read the full NPR Morning Edition Here
Dr. Andrea Joseph-McCatty | Assistant Professor | The Conversation
Trauma-informed approaches to discipline matter for equitable and safe schooling
“ Schools across North America are increasingly implementing policies and practices to reduce suspensions and expulsions. Yet the disproportionate application of school discipline for Black and Indigenous students remains a significant concern.” “Trauma and adversity can have a significant and negative impact on student outcomes. Due to systemic inequity, trauma and adversity also disproportionately affects Black and Indigenous students.”
Read the full The Conversation here
Dr. Elizabeth Strand | All Creatures Great and Small Endowed Clinical Associate Professor and Founding Director, Veterinary Social Work Program | New York Times
Their job is to help you grieve your pet
“Having a therapist on staff was becoming a selling point for attracting vets and other workers. The industry is a high stress field, and suicide rates among vets are higher than average.”
Dr. Bill Nugent | Professor | WATE News Channel 6, Knoxville
Violent Political Rhetoric
“Our research explores how violent political rhetoric (VPR) may contribute to increased suicide rate in the United States, with the Southern region showing the strongest connection.”
WATE interview is no longer available.
Dr. Anne Conway | Urban Child Institute Endowed Professor and Associate Professor | WREG News Channel 3, Memphis
Daylight savings time can take a toll on kids’ mental health
“A lot of kids who have social jetlag have issues with obesity, behavior problems, mood symptoms. What we did, we wanted to look at it over time and look at the sex differences over time.” “We found girls who had more of this social jetlag, more variability in their sleep timing from weekend to weekday, those who had more of that by age 12, long-term at age 15; they had more depressive symptoms and behavior problems and things like that.”
WREG interview is no longer available
Advancement Impact
Long-Time UTCSW Director of Advancement Stephanie Piper Retires
The College of Social Work announced that Stephanie Piper, Senior Director of Advancement, is retiring after 17 years in this role. During Piper’s years of service, the college has charted record growth in endowment, donor relations, board participation, and annual giving. Highlights include the college’s first five endowed professorships, 23 new scholarships and fellowships, and the establishment of the Roger and Carol Nooe Endowed Chair.
UTCSW Alumni Continue to Be the Change
and Lead the Way
Jacob Huff
MSSW student Jacob Huff has spent the past year volunteering in Ukraine, distributing food, helping refugee children, and assisting with reconstruction — and is now putting his UTCSW grant writing education to work supporting Kharkiv’s Pekelna Kuhnya, an organization that cooks 1,200 meals daily for hospitals and displaced people.
Darris Upton
UTCSW alum Darris K. Upton (MSSW 2018, BSSW 2017) was unanimously elected chair of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission Board of Commissioners, bringing his social work background to the state’s primary agency for enforcing civil rights laws in employment, housing, and public accommodation.
Kay Blakney
UTCSW alum Kay Blakney (MSSW 1974) built a remarkable 40-plus-year social work career spanning foster care supervision, school social work, mental health therapy, and even founding her own child placement agency — and encourages today’s students to embrace every opportunity, because you never know where it might lead.
Student Highlights
Christopher Sarrazin
BSSW
Christopher Sarrazin is a junior in the BSSW program on the Knoxville campus. He served in the Marine Corps for 11 years as a motor transport mechanic and later as the Maintenance Chief. He also served in other various roles, including one as an Assistant Suicide Prevention Program Officer, a role he was most proud of. “I discovered from my time in service that my true passion lies in helping people and that everything I had done previously had been to further that goal,” he explained. “I started my transition as a psychology major, and after a semester, transferred to social work because I was really missing the human element. I love working with people and getting the story behind all their little quirks. I am a huge supporter for advocacy, and I eventually want to start a nonprofit that focuses on reshaping the way we treat mental health and the unhoused in the United States.” Sarrazin wants people to know that it is never too late to do something different or to change career paths. “If anyone has a passion for people, and if the idea of making a change in whatever space you’re in sounds appealing, then social work is likely the field for you,” he said. “If helping others motivates you or even interests you in some way, I suggest exploring the field further. It’s a great feeling to know that what you do in your career has a direct effect on assisting others in an impactful way.”
Valerie Bogie
MSSW
Valerie Bogie is a second-year student in the MSSW Online program studying Veterinary Social Work. Bogie loves animals and has been working with them in some capacity since 2000. “With a career spanning over two decades, I have extensive experience across diverse animal care settings, including a veterinary hospital, an animal shelter, a veterinary behavior practice, training dogs, and caring for exotic animals in various zoos and aquariums across the country,” she explained. “I realized that no matter where I was living or what animals I was caring for, there was a lack of mental health awareness and resources specific to the animal industry, leading to high levels of compassion fatigue and burnout. My journey took a transformative turn when I discovered Veterinary Social Work—a field dedicated to work is likely the field for you,” he said. “If helping others motivates you or even interests you in some way, I suggest exploring the field further. It’s a great feeling to know that what you do in your career has a direct effect on assisting others in an impactful way.” addressing the emotional well-being of humans wherever there is a human-animal bond. Realizing the profound impact this support can have, I became dedicated to spreading awareness and providing resources about this growing and expansive field.” Bogie knows how strong a bond is formed with animals and acknowledges that this needs to be respected. “Whether you care for animals as your job or as a pet owner, it can be so impactful to receive support from someone specifically trained for what you are experiencing,” she explained. “There are so many opportunities for Veterinary Social Work to make a difference, such as veterinary students & staff, pet owners, shelter workers, zoo & aquarium staff, dog trainers, and so much more.” Learning from Dr. Elizabeth Strand is a key part of Bogie’s experience. “To be working with Dr. Strand, the founding director of veterinary social work, is a bit surreal,” Bogie acknowledged. “I really enjoy the in-person interactions with the Veterinary Social Work team, Vet Med Center staff, students, and clients. To be in a building full of so many intelligent, dedicated humans is truly an honor.”
Kamil Portis
DSW
Kamil Portis currently works as a Community School Coordinator in the public school system in metro Atlanta, Georgia. This position enhances her clinical skills while leveraging her leadership and organizational abilities. “My work primarily focuses on the mezzo and macro levels of social work, aiming to create a positive impact within the community,” she explained. “In this role, I assess the needs and strengths of the school community and develop strategic plans to address them. I build relationships with students, families, staff, and community members to foster a collaborative environment. I coordinate various services to ensure they effectively support student and family needs while also creating programs that enhance student achievement and wellness.” When Portis decided to embark on a doctoral journey, her primary goal was to return to metro Atlanta and establish a school-based mental health program tailored to the needs of students and their families. “My community is predominantly African American and Hispanic, and its members face significant challenges, including academic pressures, family stressors, community violence, poverty, trauma, and mental health issues,” she said. “Despite these hardships, the community’s resilience is inspiring; its members hold onto hope and strive to be seen, heard, and supported. As a clinical social worker embedded in this community, I felt a deep obligation to contribute to its healing.” “Enrolling in the DSW program at the UT College of Social Work provides me with the necessary training and skills to achieve my goals. I aim to create meaningful change and address the mental health needs of marginalized populations, ultimately working towards a more equitable and effective support system for those I serve.” “Being in the DSW program has profoundly impacted my life. As I progress through the program, I have been able to apply the knowledge I’ve gained to my work, which has helped me clarify my future career aspirations. The program has also equipped me with valuable tools to ensure my success.”
Namrate Mukherjee and Aritra Moulick
PhD
Namrata Mukherjee and Aritra Moulick are a married couple both in the PhD program. They started their social work journey together as classmates in their MSW program in India and are now cohort mates in the PhD program. They have been together for over nine years and have been married for four years. Moulick was originally selected for the PhD program in 2020. However, he had to defer joining the program by a year due to the pandemic. “When Aritra deferred a year, that gave me time to apply to the program,” Mukherjee said. “I was very excited when I received admission. The main reason we chose the UTCSW PhD program was for its QS World University Ranking of being one of the top 500 universities in the world. It was a wonderful decision, and we have not looked back since.” With his undergraduate degree in commerce and a graduate degree in social work, Moulick brings a knowledge of interdisciplinary collaboration to his research and teaching practices. During his time in India, Moulick gained an appreciation for cultures and perspectives different from his own while working with tribal and marginalized communities in remote rural areas of India. Moulick’s commitment to social justice ultimately led him to a career in social work with a strong focus on health equity and the well-being of rural and indigent communities. “I am dedicated to uncovering the truths that heal nations by transforming data into hope and action for a healthier world,” he stated.
Mukherjee obtained her undergraduate degree in economics and a graduate degree in social work in India. With that, she brings a unique blend of crosscultural perspectives to the program. Her practice experience of working with diverse communities in India and engaging in community participatory research in the U.S. has enhanced her appreciation for cultures and life-course perspectives that shape her narratives. “We are so excited to graduate and begin our careers together,” Mukherjee said. ‘We would like to go into academics and advance our work in the U.S. with a cross-national perspective.”
New Faculty & Staff
Faculty
Bridget Freisthler, PhD
Cooper-Herron Endowed Professor in Mental Health
This professorship was established through the generosity of long-time College of Social Work supporters Susan Cooper and Dr. Freida Herron. Freisthler came to the UTCSW from Ohio State University.
Rubén Parra-Cardona, PhD
Roger and Carol Nooe Endowed
Chair
This position was made possible through a generous $2 million donation from Phillip and Janet Lawson in honor of the legacy of Roger Nooe and his wife, Carol. Parra-Cardona came to UT from the University of Texas at Austin, where he was a professor and the Associate Dean for Global Engagement at the Steve Hicks School of Social Work.
Ayesha Keller, MSSW
Assistant Professor of Practice,
Nashville campus
Keller came to the UTCSW from Nashville State Community College, where she was the Social Work Program Chair and an Assistant Professor.
Tiffany Washington, PhD
Associate Professor (Health
Specialization)
Washington came to the UTCSW from the University of Georgia School of Social Work, where she served as an associate professor with tenure.
Staff
Abiodun Ajayi
Instructional Designer,
Knoxville Campus
Shelley Bell
Human Resources Specialist,
Knoxville Campus
Michaela Broyles
Internal Communications Manager,
Knoxville Campus
Jay Haley
Chief of Staff,
Knoxville Campus
Julie Williams
Executive Assistant to the Dean,
Knoxville Campus
Sarah Zannini
Procurement Specialist,
Knoxville Campus
