- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock /news-archive/tag/bachelor-of-social-work/ ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Mon, 25 Feb 2019 18:16:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alum named ‘Arkansas Social Worker of the Year’ /news-archive/2019/02/25/social-worker/ Mon, 25 Feb 2019 18:16:09 +0000 /news/?p=73534 ...]]> ��Vlog��ý Little Rock graduate Mandy Davis had never worked with people experiencing homelessness before she took a job in 2015 as a social worker at , which runs Little Rock’s only day resource center for the homeless. However, she quickly found ways to serve and has become an outspoken advocate for one of the city’s most at-risk populations. “I was able to build rapport with clients and when they saw what I was able to do, word spread,” she recalled. “People started calling me and coming to see me.” In 2017, she was promoted to director at Jericho Way and she now oversees a staff of seven people. Davis has been named the “Arkansas Social Worker of the Year” by the Arkansas Chapter of (NBASW-AR) and will be honored March 29 at an awards luncheon at the Marriott in Little Rock. Johanna Thomas, who was Davis’ professor at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, nominated Davis for the honor. “Her passion and drive were evident from the moment she entered the classroom,” Thomas said of Davis. “Her focus was often on social justice issues in her own community and state.” As a student, Davis received the Bachelor of Social Work Student of the Year award from the NBASW-AR and served on the chapter’s board. “Mandy epitomizes the values and ethics of the social work profession,” said Thomas, who is president-elect of NASW-AR and an associate professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Arkansas. “Her passion, drive, and advocacy on behalf of our unsheltered neighbors is not only inspiring, but is making a real difference in the lives of so many people.” Jericho Way, which is run by the nonprofit DePaul USA, operates in six countries and in six U.S. cities: St. Louis, Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans, Macon, Georgia, and now Little Rock. About 130 people visit Little Rock’s day resource center at 3000 Springer Blvd. daily. The center provides the city’s homeless with meals, case management, relief from the elements, help with job searches, hygiene services such as laundry and showers, transportation, telephones, and a computer lab. There’s also a medical clinic and clothing closet on site, and the agency is building small affordable housing units that will be available to low-income residents. Last year, the center served more than 49,000 meals, paid for countless shelter nights and much needed identity documents. They housed 62 individuals in 2018 with a more than 80 percent success rate. “Her work at Jericho Way illustrates the monumental impact that a social worker is capable of making,” said Dr. Stephen Kapp, director of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s School of Social Work. “The faculty, students, and alumni of the ��Vlog��ýLR School of Social Work are very proud of her accomplishments.” Davis, who grew up in western North Carolina, moved to Little Rock in 2009. As a nontraditional student, she started taking classes at ��Vlog��ý-Pulaski Technical College and received a full scholarship due to her high GPA and career choice. She then transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to pursue a Bachelor of Social Work. After graduating in 2012, she worked for a year as a medical eligibility specialist before returning to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock to complete her graduate degree. After earning a Master of Social Work in 2015, David went to work at at . “This job is a perfect fit,” she said. “My personal, professional, and organizational values all align. I think that’s why I’ve been successful. My employer gives me the space to create programs that meet actual needs and address emerging needs from the data. They truly listen to what’s going on at the ground level and help me implement programs or practices and hire to meet the needs.” Last fall, Davis returned to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock as a part-time instructor and taught field seminar for social work students. Students are required to have internships in their field before they graduate. Davis interned at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families when she was a student. The internship program is one of the strengths of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s BSW program, she said. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock students have interned at Jericho Way, and Davis has even hired two of them – Kyle Francis, who completed the MSW program, and Kenya Ray who will complete the program in May 2019. “Internships placements are vital, and I think that’s something ��Vlog��ý Little Rock does really well,” she said. “You have to get out in the community and the field, in my opinion, while you’re a student. A lot of times you find out what you want to do or what you don’t want to do. It helps you figure out how you can best serve and which populations are best for you to serve.” ��Vlog��ý Little Rock graduate Mandy Davis, director of Jericho Way, has been named Arkansas Social Worker of the Year. Photo by Benjamin Krain]]> On the road to success /news-archive/2019/01/02/road-to-success/ Wed, 02 Jan 2019 17:42:29 +0000 /news/?p=73027 ...]]> For the past four months, Cynthia McLellan has logged 230 miles on her Mustang each Thursday on her weekly drive from Mena to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and back home. The trip takes six hours round-trip, but McLellan doesn’t mind too much. Every mile puts her closer to her goal to completing her college degree. McLellan has been taking online and hybrid classes in the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program. The hybrid class requires her to come to campus once a week. “This is my dream, and there’s not a sacrifice I won’t make to make this happen for myself,” she said of the weekly drive. McLellan lives in Mena, a rural community on the state’s western edge, where she has worked in social services for more than 20 years. For the past 10 years, she has been the social services director at Rich Mountain Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. “I wanted to help others to face their challenges,” she said. “It’s my love. Even if I wanted to leave it, it would follow me.” McLellan earned an associate degree in 1999 from a two-year community college in her native New Jersey. She’s always known that she needed to complete a four-year degree for her career field, but accessibility has hampered her from doing so up until now. With a job she loves, and a husband, a stepson, and grandchildren all rooted in Mena, moving wasn’t an option, and educational opportunities in her community are limited. “I am unable to relocate,” she said. “I have to work and meet my responsibilities here.” McLellan, 45, had been searching for an online program when she discovered ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s Bachelor of Social Work was the perfect fit. Her previous college credits transferred to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, and she started the program in fall 2018 as a junior. She received a lottery scholarship, which helps offset tuition costs. At the time she was accepted, the online program was at maximum capacity, but there was a slot in the hybrid program, which allows students to complete courses mostly online with periodic meetings on campus. “Without this online program, I would be unable to attend college. There is no other program available to me,” she said. “With this online program, I’m able to continue working and attend college and take courses I need, and it plugs right into what I’m doing for a living. The courses I’m taking help strengthen what I do at the nursing home, and the nursing home will benefit from me getting a degree.” In the fall semester, she took five courses – 15 credit hours – while working full-time. Thursdays were the only days she spent on campus. She took advantage of the weekly trips, arriving early to meet with her academic advisors or professors. When the spring 2019 semester begins on Jan. 22, she’ll have all online classes, which will mean less drive time and more study time. ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s online BSW program began in Fall 2018. Dr. Stephen Kapp, director of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s School of Social Work, says online programs are particularly helpful for training workers in high-demand areas. “In rural areas, there’s an absolute shortage of social workers,” Kapp said. “Through online programs, we’re able to build capacity in those areas.” Online classes also can be a challenge, McLellan said. “You have to be self-motivated and stay on top of deadlines,” she said. “I have to do that in the workforce anyway.” For the most part, McLellan has been impressed with the way technology provides ways for meaningful interaction between her and her professors and other students. On the first day of her Persuasive Writing class, she logged on and watched a video of professor Melvin Beavers welcoming her to class. In her Diversity class, she worked on a small group project with classmates living in Hot Springs and Little Rock. With Google Docs and Google Slides, the group often worked on projects simultaneously. “Distance learning is no longer just reading and writing,” she said. “I’m interacting with my professors and other students. We’re chatting and collaborating.” Social work is a profession to which McLellan feels a strong calling – perhaps because at one point she was on the receiving end of social services. In 1995, as a mother of four children, trying to go to college in New Jersey, McLellan struggled with poverty – even experiencing homelessness at one point. She saved enough money to stay in a motel where she could take public transportation to a community college. “After getting that degree, I was able to provide for my family,” she said. “With an education, you have power to make choices. I got myself out of poverty and broke the cycle.” Her daughter graduated from SAU last year with a 4.0 GPA and is now a kindergarten teacher. Her son joined the U.S. Army and is working toward a college degree in computer science. “It’s my turn now,” she said. “I really want that BSW for myself. It will be the icing on the cake for me.” ]]> ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumna celebrates first book with booksigning /news-archive/2018/10/19/briannas-dream/ Fri, 19 Oct 2018 21:17:21 +0000 /news/?p=72405 ...]]> Debra Davis of Benton knew she wanted to one day be a therapist and help families, especially troubled youth. Part of her passion stems from her own childhood and never knowing her biological parents. As a child she felt abandoned, and as an adult who now works with youth, she encounters young people struggling with feelings of abandonment due to neglect, abuse, divorce, incarceration, and even immigration. It’s how she got the idea to write a book to share her own story in hopes of helping others. Davis’ book, “Brianna’s Dreams: I Just Want to Know” has recently been published through Butterfly Typeface Publishing Co. in Little Rock, an independent publisher. The book is available . A book signing is planned for Sunday, Oct. 21, from 3-5 p.m. at , 7624 W. 40th St., Little Rock. The book is about a young girl – much like the girl Davis was many years ago. “It’s a personal story inspired by what I went through trying to find my family and realizing where I came from,” she said. “I wanted to share my experiences, discover my heritage, and motivate others to understand they can overcome adverse childhood. Just because something is damaged doesn’t mean that it’s ruined.” Davis lived with foster families before she was adopted at age 6 by Sarah and Henry Stidham of DeValls Bluff. Sarah was a school teacher, and Henry was a barber and a farmer. “I have always thought of them as my real parents,” Davis said. “They were such good people. They took the time to take care of me when my biological mom couldn’t. I know what it feels like to really feel loved as a child, and I thank God for getting me with that kind of family. I had everything I wanted and needed as a child. I know they would be proud of where I am in my life.”

When Sarah Stidham passed away, Davis was preparing to return to ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. She had been working with children and older adults all her life and knew she wanted to continue. “I love encouraging and helping people, and I found my niche in social work,” she said. Davis earned a Bachelor of Social Work degree in 2006 at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and then finished a Master of Arts in Counseling in 2016. She is a paraprofessional in the special education classroom at Booker Elementary School and previously worked at Birch Tree Communities, helping people with mental disabilities learn life skills. She is working to obtain her license as a therapist. “I hope to have my own private practice one day and be able to help other families going through similar adversities,” she said. “This is my goal.” Davis, 52, has her own family now – a daughter, 33, a son, 28, and two grandchildren. “As I got older, I still had questions in the back of my mind,” she said. She sought information through state records and found just five pages. Davis learned that she had been taken into state custody when she was 4 due to abuse and neglect after an anonymous phone call to the state. She was returned to her mother for a short period, but her mother was mentally ill and continued abusing her, at one point stuffing her into an oven. Davis knows that her father left when her mother was pregnant. She doesn’t know if they were married. “I cried when I read it. It was so hurtful,” she recalled. “You don’t want to read something like that about your biological mother.” Part of coming to terms with her own history has been to share it with others who might benefit, and that’s how she got the idea to write a book. “It’s written from a child’s perspective,” she said. “I didn’t want it geared just toward black audiences because these situations happen to everyone.” She’s planning a five-book series that will follow her character’s progress as she ages. She hopes her books will be used by school counselors, Department of Human Services professionals, psychiatrists and psychologists, Head Start centers, mental health facilities, and other professionals who work with children, in hopes that children will find hope. For Davis, writing was just the therapy she needed. “I know there’s no chance of me reuniting with my birth mother,” she said, “but it’s helping me find my inner peace.” Top Right Photo: ��Vlog��ý Little Rock alumna Debra Davis wrote a children’s book titled “Brianna’s Dreams: I Just Want to Know” that was published in September 2018. Photo by Benjamin Krain]]> ��Vlog��ý Little Rock hires new director for School of Social Work /news-archive/2018/04/04/school-of-social-work-director/ Wed, 04 Apr 2018 15:16:34 +0000 /news/?p=70038 ...]]> School of Social Work. He starts July 1. Kapp has been a faculty member at the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare for more than 20 years. He has held leadership positions, including that of associate dean for academic affairs and interim dean of the School of Social Welfare. As director of the School of Social Work, he will oversee 16 faculty members and two academic programs within the school, including the Bachelor of Social Work and the Master of Science in Social Work degree programs. In addition, he will work collaboratively with the director of the , which is the community service arm of the school. “Dr. Kapp is a teacher-scholar who brings substantial scholarly and administrative accomplishments to this important role,” said Velmer Burton, executive vice chancellor for academic affairs and provost for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. “I believe that his appointment will greatly benefit our students, faculty and staff in social work and enhance our ability to work with the Little Rock community and local social service agencies.” The School of Social Work is one of the schools within the College of Education and Health Professions. “We believe Dr. Kapp is the perfect visionary to lead the School of Social Work,” said Dr. Ann Bain, dean of the College of Education and Health Professions. “He has professional experience as a social work practitioner as well as a proven track record of leadership in administrative leadership.” Before working in higher education, Kapp was a social work practitioner for 15 years. The vast majority of his work has focused on services to children and families in mental health, child welfare and juvenile justice. His scholarship and teaching have both focused on agency-based evaluation. His work has focused on the use of various forms of administrative and evaluative data in decision-making processes. Kapp holds an interdisciplinary doctorate in social science and social work from Michigan State University; a Master of Social Work from University of Michigan; and a BA in Social Work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “I feel very fortunate to join a program with a proud tradition supported by talented staff/faculty, passionate students and dedicated alumni,” Kapp said. “It is very exciting to have a opportunity to work with the entire ��Vlog��ý Little Rock School of Social Work community in support of its history of quality and innovation.” He and his wife, Mary Kennedy, have three adult children and one grandchild. Dr. Stephen Kapp, (pictured above right), will be the new director for ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s School of Social Work. ]]>