Florida State University College of Social Work

We're having a wonderful time connecting with alumni, students, and faculty at the NASW Florida Annual Conference! Yesterday, we hosted an alumni lunch in Orlando. This morning, faculty members Katrina Boone and Keithen Mathis presented together on field education and preparing interns for engaging multi-cultural communities.

🌟 Renee Souvenir is one of our two 2024 Patricia V. Vance MSW Students of the Year!

Renee's nominator wrote, "Renee always made class engaging and welcoming. Honestly, every class I had with them was better just because of the energy and passion they brought to class."

Nominate an exemplary graduate for our Distinguished Alumni Awards! ⭐ The awards include:
- Distinguished Emeritus Alumni Award
- Distinguished Young Alumni Award
- Distinguished Social Work Educator Award
- Distinguished Alumni in Social Work Practice Award
- Distinguished Alumni in Social Policy and Administration Award
Nominations are accepted through June 30th. Nominate at: CSW.FSU.EDU/AlumniAwards

Congratulations to faculty member Brenda Legaspi on receiving an FSU 2023-2024 Excellence in Online Teaching Award (Graduate Award)! With more than 20 years in the social work field, she is an incredible instructor for our distance-learning students. “Similar to the client/clinician therapeutic relationship, it is important to me to build a relationship with each student to ensure they feel heard, seen, and valued,” she said. https://bit.ly/3yIYT1D

🌟 Today we highlight one of our recent Award Winners, Jesmel Moreno. She is one of our two winners of the Patricia V. Vance MSW Student of the Year Award! Her nominator wrote about her, "She has such a drive to change the world and be a better advocate and is constantly educating herself on how to better serve her communities."

Read more about our award winners at https://bit.ly/3R7z29U

faculty member Dr. Jessica Pryce shares her journey as a social worker and explores the challenges within the child welfare system in her new book. Through her insights, she invites readers to reimagine and participate in a shift toward a new system. Read more at https://bit.ly/3RgaID6

Faculty Member’s New Book Shares Insights and Ideas for Reimagining Child Welfare | College of Social Work Dr. Jessica Pryce, a research faculty member at the Florida State University College of Social Work, launched her new book, BROKEN: Transforming Child Protective Services…Notes of a Former Caseworker this March. Dr. Pryce uses her expertise as a social worker and former caseworker in the book to e...

Alumni and Friends! Are you planning to join us in Orlando for an Alumni Lunch on June 13 during the Annual Conference? Don’t forget to register by June 10! https://bit.ly/3yyWMgO

Happy Pride Month from the FSU College of Social Work! Be sure to check out our Facebook/Instagram story posts throughout the month. We’ll share LGBTQ+ organizations and resources in our local community. 🏳️‍🌈 ✨

🌟 Lucy Lawrence, a recent graduate (BSW 2024), was awarded the 2024 Elizabeth J. Priccard BSW Student of the Year award for her hard work with the Macro Social Work Student Network at FSU, Payment4Placement FSU Chapter, the Arts & Athletics Program, and the NASW Florida.

"Lucy is one of the most well-known BSW students with an extensive history of service and leadership within the College of Social Work and in the community. She has demonstrated effective advocacy skills, creativity, and an unwavering commitment to social justice," Lucy's nominator wrote. "Collectively, these experiences speak volumes about her ability to manage multiple priorities with excellence and grace."

Read more about our award winners at https://bit.ly/3R7z29U.

The College of Social Work will be in Orlando next month for the NASW Florida Conference! Join us for an Alumni Lunch on Thursday, June 13th. Registration is required. Register here: https://bit.ly/3yyWMgO

📣 Nominate that alumni in your life who is doing great things in social work! Nominate at CSW.FSU.EDU/AlumniAwards through June 30th!

Starting this week and continuing through June and July 2024, the FSU College of Social Work will renovate its West Tower location of University Center Building C at Doak Campbell Stadium. Learn more at https://bit.ly/4aUkq5b

College of Social Work faculty member Dr. Amy L. Ai received the 2024 Integrative Health and Spirituality Special Group (IHS SG) Distinguished Scientist Award recipient, awarded by the Society for Behavioral Medicine. The award acknowledges scholars performing high-quality research on spirituality and complementary and integrative medicine. https://bit.ly/3V2Wzew

“While grief is a normal response to loss, our society doesn’t talk about it. Individuals, including social workers, struggle with what to say or how to support someone who is grieving effectively.” Kelly Daugherty (MSW 2002) is sharing her knowledge on grief and loss in a new book, which brings together expert insights and actionable strategies for those navigating grief. Read more at https://bit.ly/3QKNqF7.

Social Work Alumna Shares Resources for Grief and Loss in New Book | College of Social Work Kelly Daugherty (MSW 2002), the founder of Greater Life Grief Counseling and the Center for Informed Grief, LLC, has dedicated her career to providing resources and support for individuals facing the challenges of grief and loss.

A special thanks to the FSU Civil Rights Institute Director Ted Ellis ( ) for an excellent presentation and discussion surrounding Juneteenth and civil rights on May 20th, Florida’s Emancipation Day with thoughtful questions and engagement in-person and online from students, faculty and community members!

🌟 Florida State University recognized recent graduate Lucy Lawrence (BSW 2024) as the College of Social Work's 2024 Humanitarian of the Year Award Nominee. She has made a significant impact in the past year through her efforts with the FSU Macro Social Work Student Network, FSU's Chapter of Payment 4 Placement FSU, and the National Association of Social Workers Florida Chapter Read more at https://csw.fsu.edu/article/bsw-student-honored-humanitarian-year-college-social-work

🏆 Congratulations to BSW Program Academic Advisor Zoey Zeitlin on receiving the 2023-2024 FSU Outstanding Advising Award! Recipients of the award are recognized for their excellence in undergraduate advising. Zoey’s dedication and passion for supporting students shine through in her work. She goes above and beyond to ensure student well-being and academic success, leaving a lasting impact on the social work students she serves.

Florida State University remains open, but everyone is urged to use good judgment and caution when traveling due to more severe weather.

The impacts from Friday's tornadoes may be exacerbated by today’s forecasted rainfall amounts and other hazards, and we want to allow individuals ample commuting time as more storms are expected to pass through the Tallahassee area this afternoon. While the university has and continues to consult with the National Weather Service office in Tallahassee and with local and state authorities, the current forecast is highly uncertain.

For more information on the University’s status, official announcements, or situational updates, check

FSU Alert If you have received an FSU Alert notification, official emergency information and instructions will be posted here as they become available. Refresh this page for updated information any time the operational status of Florida State University may be in question.

Join us on Florida's Emancipation Day, May 20th for this discusison on Juneteenth's Intersection on Civil Rights with Ted Ellis, artist and director of the FSU Rights Institute. Register and learn more at https://bit.ly/3UzdpjM.

From Galveston to Tallahassee: Juneteenth's Intersection with Civil Rights Join Mr. Ted Ellis, Director of FSU’s Civil Rights Institute, for a hybrid (in-person and virtual) discussion and exploration of the history of slavery, its impact, and the significance of Juneteenth. This hybrid event also highlights the struggle to end slavery in the United States and the ongoin...

The College of Social Work is participating in the Florida Insitute for Child Welfare symposium May 8-9 this week and seeing lots of familiar faces including alumni, faculty and doctoral students, all with a shared passion for child welfare! Tag us and to share your symposium experience!

We are excited to be participating in the Florida Institute for Child Welfare at FSU's College of Social Work annual symposium to support our child welfare workforce and the Florida children and families they serve!

Florida State University Panama City celebrated Spring graduates on May 5th, awarding 99 bachelor's, 55 master's, and 29 doctoral degrees 🎓 🎉 . Pictured are Brittany Uriarte (left) and Julie Burger (right), who both earned their Master of Social Work degrees and decked out their mortar boards to mark the occasion. (Photo credit: Tyler Osburn/News Herald.) Read more at https://bit.ly/3WwuT2V.

Florida State University celebrated its Spring 2024 graduates, including our incredible social work graduates, this past weekend and captured some great moments!

Read more here: https://news.fsu.edu/news/university-news/2024/05/03/florida-state-university-awards-more-than-7800-degrees-at-spring-commencement/.

Photos: FSU celebrates the 2024 spring commencement May 3 and 4 - Florida State University News READ THE FULL STORY  

Let us reintroduce you to 🎓 Dr. Carol Campbell Edwards (faculty and alumna) and 🎓 Dr. Lyndi Bradley (alumna and staff at the Insitute for Family Violence Studies) who received their Ed.D. degrees at the commencement ceremony this morning! So much more to celebrate this weekend! 🎊🎉

We had a great event this April to share indigenous knowledge and explore ways to build more resilient Florida communities thanks to an interdisciplinary partnership with the Stoops Center for Communities, Families, and Children, AIChE at FAMU/FSU College of Engineering, RIDER Center, and Center for Native American and Indigenous Studies at Florida State! Read more at https://bit.ly/3whLL2H

FSU Indigenous knowledge workshop discusses challenges in building resilient coastal communities - Florida State University News Florida State University recently hosted “Saving the Planet with Indigenous Knowledge,” a free workshop exploring the concept of adaptive resilience […]

Florida State University Spring 2024 Commencement ceremonies are May 3-4 this week. The College of Social Work is participating in the commencement ceremony on May 4th at 7 pm. The ceremonies will be streamed on FSU's Facebook and YouTube channels. Find important updates at https://commencement.fsu.edu/.

Countdown to Commencement FSU to hold six commencement ceremonies May 3-4 Four distinguished graduates of Florida State University and a U.S. congressman will be the featured speakers during FSU’s spring commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 3, and Saturday, May 4, at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. President Richard M...

Don't forget to register you and your guests for the Spring Graduation Event this week on Friday, May 3rd! Learn more and register at https://bit.ly/3PYCumV.

Graduation is officially a week away! Faculty member Jessica Greil-Burkhart celebrated with her seminar class the end of their final semester as a social work student! We are so proud of all of our Spring 2024 graduates! Be sure to tag us on Instagram in your graduation photo or send your photo via Instagram messenger for a chance to be featured on our channel!

Front row (kneeling): Whitney Adams, Kennedy Ryder, Isaiah Vazquez, Grace Wiley, Alyssa Bellin
Middle row (garnet sign): Kelsey Sprenkle, Jodi L'Heureux, Hunter McCain, Karah Boney
Back Row: Salashia Jackson, Nancy Friedman, Meliss Balkcom, and Joshua Paredes

The last week of classes of the spring semester and we are so impressed by all the hard work of our social work students, faculty and staff this semester! Faculty member, Carol Edwards’ Social Work with Individuals and Families celebrated their last day of class and wish you all a great summer!