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. The college has claimed the fifth and seventh floors of Stokely Management Center, creating a home for superior learning and teaching after residing in Henson Hall for the past four decades. (Henson Hall was recently demolished along with Dunford Hall and Greve Hall to make room for a new Haslam College of Business building. Read more about that here.)
Since June, there has been a flurry of activity in SMC, including creating new student work and study spaces, renovating classrooms and offices, creating graphics that represent our brand, including a timeline that highlights social welfare history and the important moments in the history of the UTCSW. The results have been remarkable. “I am so proud of how the new space looks,” said UTCSW Dean Lori Messinger.” It went from dull and dated to bright, airy, and full of positive energy, reflecting the momentum found in our academic programs, research, and community engagement that propelled UTCSW to our recent ranking as a top 25 college of social work.”
In an effort to reflect this productive energy, the college recently hosted a day of celebration and learning. The events throughout the day offered something for everyone.
The day started with a Youth Mental Health Forum, where UTCSW Board of Visitors member Altha Stewart, M.D., gave a keynote address entitled “A Framework for Achieving Mental Health Equity for Youth: Moving from Information Sharing to Empowerment through Service, Education, Research, and Community Engagement.” Dr. Stewart, Senior Associate Dean for Community Health Engagement at UT Health Science Center (UTHSC), Associate Professor and Chief of Social/Community Psychiatry, and Director of the Center for Youth Advocacy and Well-Being at UTHSC, discussed lessons learned from her work, working to strengthen youth mental health services in Memphis, specifically through the Center for Youth Advocacy and Well-Being.
A Community Partners Networking Roundtable followed allowing faculty and staff the opportunity to network with various community partners whose work centers around youth mental health. Partners included City of Knoxville, AIMHiTN, McNabb Center, Emerald Youth, Harmony Family Center, Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth, UTK Psych Clinic, and Vine Clinic, among others.
The day culminated with an Open House in the new home of the College of Social Work. Guests toured the fifth and seventh floors and enjoyed light hors d’oeuvres, refreshments, and entertainment. The highlight of the night was the unveiling of a painting of Henson Hall, commissioned from local artist Heather Whiteside of Whiteside Art.
“For many people, the College of Social Work was synonymous with Henson Hall,” Dean Messinger explained. “So, to honor the past, we commissioned a painting of Henson Hall. Heather managed to capture the essence of the building, allowing us to reflect on the past while looking forward and embracing the exciting future we have here. It’s been such an emotional and exciting journey, and we will continue to work to give our students the best experience possible.”
