2012-2013 Outstanding Senior. The Social Work Program nominated senior Ashley Lorenz for Mansfield University's Outstanding Senior Award. She will be honored at the Academic Honors Reception on April 15th and at the Graduation Brunch on May 17th. Ashley is completing her internship this semester with Bucks County Children and Youth Social Service Agency in Doylestown PA. Her high qpa is testimony to the motivation and consistently strong leadership skills she has demonstrated. Ashley has been very active in both the campus and the larger community, while maintaining her commitment to her academic growth. Her ability to set goals and work steadily towards them will help insure her future success as a practicing social worker. Her interests include working with at-risk children and family issues. Congratulations, Ashley!

Best Paper on Aging Competition. The Social Work program sponsored its Third Annual Best Paper on Aging competition during the 2012-2013 academic year. Cynthia Sullivan, a senior Social Work major, won with her entry on the topic of hope for Alzheimer's Disease. She was presented with a check for $250 and a plaque. The contest requires that the paper be written by one Social Work major (not a group). It can be written for any class or just for this competition. Congratulations, Cindy!  

Mentor Appreciation Celebration. The President's Commission on the Status of Women held its annual mentor appreciation celebration on April 9, 2013 in 307 Alumni Hall. Students from across campus nominated their "Outstanding Menor." Dr. Nancy Sidell was honored by senior social work major Alaysha Glover at the celebration.

Social Work student earns U.S. citizenship. Congratulations to me!  My name is Louvini Gray, a social work senior at Mansfield University. I am glad and honored to share my experience in becoming a U.S. citizen. Coming from a third world country and living in the U.S. is a great privilege for me and my family in Liberia. Becoming a U.S. citizen is a great opportunity because it gives me the right to vote in federal elections, run for federal office if I want, and many more rights. It's not an easy process for becoming a U.S. citizen, especially when money is not available. It cost $680 to file for citizenship. There was a lot of paperwork to complete. I had to do a finger print and wait for the results, which didn't worry me because I have a clear record. It was by the help of the Mansfield TRIO program that I was able to file for my citizenship. I had the opportunity last semester to participate in a $500 TRIO scholarhip, which I won. I remember being asked the question about what I was going to do with the money and I answered that I was going to file for my citizenship. After completing the necessary paperwork and fingerprinting, I was given a book with questions & answers to study for the examination. The book contained hundreds of questions about U.S. history and the Constitution. Out of the hundreds of questions, the exam asked ten and I had to get six correct in order to pass.  

After graduation in May, I know for sure that I want to work with the elderly. I also plan to pursue my Master's in Social Work. My friend Victoria Pittman and I are working on founding a charity organization in West African Liberia to provide children and youth with the opportunity to have an education, shelter, food, clothing, and a safe environment. We are doing this in collaboration with staff members on campus and hope to have it established in the near future.

Social Work Club Field Trip, February 2012
How are the Social Work Club, immigration policy, laughter, ferry rides, Alexander Hamilton's gravesite, and Chinese tofu dishes connected? All were part of the February 26-27 Social Work Club-sponsored bus trip to New York City! Coordinated by Dr. Mary Daly, the trip began with a guided tour of the Chinese-American Museum, free time to explore Manhattan, and a homestyle-served Chinese meal full of yummy dishes (except for the tofu!). Boarding the New Jersey ferry to Ellis Island, the group spent time learning about immigration policy and viewing the interesting exhibits there. Returning on the ferry to Battery Park, the group walked to the Twin Towers site and the recently-opened 9/11 memorial. With a bit of time left before the bus arrived to return to Mansfield, students were free to explore the Wall Street area, Zuccotti Park, and Trinity/St. Paul's Church (where the grave of Alexander Hamilton can be found). It was a whirlwind few days, but everyone agreed that the experience was worthwhile and wonderful! Accompanying the students on the trip, in addition to Dr. Daly, were the Kevin Murphy family and Dr. Nancy Sidell.

Suppport for BSW licensure in Pennsylvania. Seven social work majors participated in BSW Visibility Day on October 24, 2011 at the state capitol in Harrisburg. The purpose of the event was to increase visibility for BSW social workers, and ask legislators to support licensing of BSW's in PA. Gabby Bottone, Katelyn Briggs, Whitney Hoke, Catiyah Jones, Sarah Jones, Kayla Mapes and Frank Salatino attended, along with BSW students from nine other BSW programs across the state. The students provided fliers explaining the need for BSW licensure to members of the legislature and their staff members. Coordinated by the PA chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, the event was attended by over 100 students from across the commonwealth. Students, wearing their school logos and identifying themselves as social work majors, interacted with staff of legislators across the state. The event provided students with an opportunity to advocate for an issue of importance to their future careers. 

Students shared the following information:

• A license for bachelor's level social work reflects the academic work and professional competency that BSWs have successfully completed.
• Just to receive a bachelor's degree, at least 400 hours of direct social work practice within a supervised placement must be completed, more than nearly every other academic major.
• Upon graduation, a BSW has the ability to serve a variety of client populations in public, private or non-profit settings including: hospitals, family service agencies, homeless shelters, residential treatment facilities and more.
• Licensure would demonstrate to clients of BSW's that the social work passed a rigorous exam, met nationally established competency standards and were dedicated to the social work profession.
• By holding a social work license, BSW's can be held accountable by the state board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors should professional codes of conduct be violated.
• By licensing bachelor's social workers, PA would join a majority of states (33) and the District of Columbia. Neighboring states that have bachelor's level licensure for social workers are: Maryland, New Jersey, Ohio, W. Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Reaccreditation. The Social Work Program has submitted its self-study to the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and is preparing for its site visit sometime during the fall semester 2013. The program is seeking to continue its accreditation status, which has been in place since 1983. 

Temple University MSW Program at Mansfield. Many of you know that we've worked for years to offer the MSW Program in this area. Temple University Harrisburg has made it happen, as they began offering MSW classes in August, 2010. The degree comes from Temple, but all classes are taken on MU's campus. Since their first group of students, they have committed to continuing the program, as long as there is a need for it. They expect to start their next advanced standing cohort in the fall of 2013. If you are interested in applying for the next cohort, contact Temple at 1-866-769-1860 or visit http://www.temple.edu/harrisburg/Default.aspx?PageID=8 to learn more.

The NASW Press has announced the publication of Social Work Documentation: A Guide to Strengthening Your Case Recording, written by Nancy Sidell, Ph.D. Sidell is the BSW program director and chair of the Department of Social Work, Anthropology, and Sociology. NASW Press says this of the book: "Social work practitioners spend a lot of time documenting services they provide, but many are ill-prepared for this practice responsibility. In Social Work Documentation: A Guide to Strengthening Your Case Recording, Nancy Sidell has written the perfect, practical, how-to book on developing effective documentation. Regardless of the practice setting, clinical specialty, and documentation format, this book will help to build better recording skills." She is currently the featured author for NASW Press, which can be viewed here.

Nancy Sidell was named to the Council on Social Work Education's Commission on Accreditation, beginning in the fall of 2012. In her role as commissioner, she is charged with reviewing and helping make decision regarding accreditation of BSW and MSW programs across the country. Additionally, she conducts commissioner visits to programs who are in the planning stages of beginning a new BSW or MSW program. Sidell is one of 24 commissioners, and is serving three-year-term.

Nancy Sidell was recertified as an accreditation site visitor by the Council on Social Work Education in Atlanta, GA in October 2011.

Nancy Sidell was named north central division chair by NASW-PA, beginning in July of 2011.

Recent Faculty Publications
Junius, P. & Sidell, N.L. (2009). Dispelling fear and loathing: Engaging mathematically-challenged students to learn statistics. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 14 (2), 49-61.

Babb, T.V., Neal, K.A., Cenkner, L.A., Purk, J.K. & Sidell, N.L. (in review). The wisdom and vision of older adults: Changes in childcare since the Great Depression. Journal of Gerontological Social Work.

Keller, R.S., VanNote, K.E., Baxter, A.L., Porter, A. & Sidell, N.L. (in review). Participation in a Poverty Simulation: A Useful Educational Experience. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work.

Sidell, N.L. (2009). "Josephine Chapin Brown, Rural Social Worker" in Encyclopedia of American Women's History.