- Email:
- clucasug@iu.edu
- Campus:
- IU Indianapolis
Professional Summary
Dr. Carmen Luca Sugawara brings over 25 + years of experience in international social development, with a focus on civil society networking and strengthening, local capacity development (LCD), community-university engagement, and global social work education. Her administrative leadership, research, and teaching are centered on increasing international partnerships and promoting community-university-engaged capacity to advance and support the university's third mission and its contributions to sustainable futures.
As a Fulbright Scholar in Croatia, she examined how universities contribute to strengthening local capacity for community development. Collaborating with colleagues from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo, she developed a framework examining higher education institutions’ influence on community development. She designed and teaches a graduate course in international social development and a community-based global learning course in Croatia.
Continuing her commitment to strengthening LCD through higher education partnerships, in 2020, she supported the development of a Master of Social Work program in Croatia’s postwar region. Her commitment to global social work education is reflected through her scholarship, service, and book projects. She received the Frank Turner Award from the British Journal of Social Work for research highlighting civil society’s role in local development.
Before joining Indiana University, she worked with the Academy for Educational Development’s Center for Civil Society and Governance on International social development initiatives. Her work focused on good governance, democracy, civil society strengthening, and LCD. In earlier years, she consulted for UNICEF Romania on social work education reform and partnerships among governments, universities, and child welfare organizations.
Education
- Ph.D.
Catholic University of America, National Catholic School of Social Services — 2005 - Master of Social Work (MSW)
University of Kentucky, College of Social Work — 2000 - Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Magna Cum Laude
Universitatea “Al. I. Cuza,” Department of Social Work, Iași, Romania — 1995
Further Education
- Fulbright Research Program
Case Western Reserve University, Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences — 1997 – 1998
Academic & Professional Portfolio
- Director of International and Global Engagements; Associate Professor
Indiana University, School of Social Work — 2023 – Present - Associate Professor
Indiana University, School of Social Work — 2014 – Present - Assistant Professor
Indiana University, School of Social Work — 2007 – 2014 - Senior Fulbright Scholar
University of Zagreb and University of Osijek, Croatia — 2019 – 2020 - Visiting Associate Faculty; Co-author of MSW Program
University of Osijek, School of Law, Department of Social Work — 2020 – 2025 - Adjunct Faculty
Catholic University of America, National Catholic School of Social Services — 2004 – 2006 - Adjunct Faculty
Universitatea “Al. I. Cuza,” Faculty of Philosophy, Department of Social Work — 1996 – 1997
- Program Office Staff
Academy for Educational Development — 2004 – 2007 - Research Assistant
Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) — 2002 – 2004 - Junior Consultant
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) — 1994 – 1997 - Founder and Executive Director
AgenT Association, Iași, Romania — 1995 – 1997
- Recognition Award for Outstanding Contributions
Josip Juraj Strossmayer University, Faculty of Law Osijek — 2025 - Keynote Address: Towards Reparative Futures of Social Work Education
International Scientific Conference “Child in Focus – Family in Social Change,” University of Mostar — 2025 - Keynote Address: With the Community for the Community
Southeast Europe Academic Women’s Leadership Summer School, University of Sarajevo — 2023 - Virtual Global Learning Fellows Grant
Office of International Affairs, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis — 2022 - Susan Buck Sutton Award
Office of International Affairs, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis — 2018 - Top Teacher Award, MSW Class of 2016
Indiana University School of Social Work — 2016 - Trustees Teaching Award
Indiana University — 2014 - Frank Turner Prize for Best Article
International Social Work — 2007
- Local Capacity Development Research Consultant
FHI 360 — 2017 - Research Associate, USAID Capable Partners Learning Agenda
USAID — 2012
International and Global Service
- Advisory Board Member
Southeast Europe Academic Women’s Leadership Network — 2021 – Present - Reviewer
Fulbright Scholar Program, Polish–U.S. Fulbright Commission — 2021 – 2025 - Global Engagement Award
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis — 2018 - Global Engagement Award
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis — 2015 - Woman Faculty Leader Newcomer Award
Office for Women, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis — 2011 - Partners for International Education (PIE) Award
Council on Social Work Education — 2009
- Fostering Healing and Transformative Learning through Study Abroad Education
U.S. Department of Education, IDEAS Grant — Co-Principal Investigator — 2024 - Disturbing Stereotypes and Single-Story Narratives: Expanding Inclusivity and Belonging in Global Programming
U.S. Department of State / World Learning, IDEAS Workshop Grant — Awardee — 2023 - Higher Education and Community-Engaged Programs: A Strategy to Strengthen Local Capacity Development in Post-Communist Countries
Denise & Julia Watkins Foundation — Principal Investigator — 2019 – 2022 - Higher Education and Community-Engaged Programs: A Strategy to Strengthen Local Capacity Development in Post-Communist Countries
Indiana University, President’s International Research Award (PIRA) — Principal Investigator — 2019 – 2022 - Women’s Philanthropy Council Award
Indiana University — Co-Principal Investigator — 2017 - Well House Society Award
Well House Society — Co-Principal Investigator — 2016 – 2017 - Mentoring Academy Grant: Mid-Career Mentoring and Capacity Building Strategies
Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis — Co-Principal Investigator — 2015 - Short-Term International Visitors Grant
Office of the Vice President for International Affairs, Indiana University — Principal Investigator — 2012 - Release Time for Research: Parental Involvement in Post-War Croatia
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis — Principal Investigator — 2009 – 2010 - International Development Fund: Parental Involvement—A Niche for Social Fabric Renewal in Post-Conflict Communities
Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis — Principal Investigator — 2008 – 2009 - International Guest Speaker Series 40th Year Celebration Fund
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis — Project Lead — 2008 – 2009
| Course # | Short Title | Format | Role | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWK-519 | Community and Global Theory and Practice | Online / Collaborative Online Global Learning | Co-designer; Instructor; Designed and taught Collaborative Online International Learning courses with the School of Social Work, University of Kyiv, Ukraine | 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| SWK-433 | Community Behavior and Practice within a Generalist Perspective | Classroom | Instructor | 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2015, 2017 |
| SWK-400 / SWK-600 | Social Work Practice in Post-War Communities | Study Abroad / International Field Learning | Course and Program Designer; Instructor | 2011, 2013–2019, 2020, 2022–2025 |
| SWK-516 / SWK-509 | Social Work Practice II: Organizations, Communities, and Society | Classroom | Instructor | 2011, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021 |
| SWK-555 | Practicum I: Master of Social Work Social Work Practicum | Field Practicum | Instructor / Field Supervisor | 2013–2017 |
| SWK-651 / SWK-652 | Practicum II: Community and Organizational Leadership Focus Area | Field Practicum | Instructor / Field Supervisor | 2014–2017 |
| SWK-661 | Executive Leadership Practice | Classroom | Instructor | 2009–2014, 2016–2017, 2022 |
| SWK-S790 / SWK-712 | International Social Development in a Global Context: Globalization, Actors, and Models of Practice | Classroom | Course Designer; Instructor | 2010–2012, 2014–2015 |
- Luca Sugawara, C. G., Caha, D., & Resetar, B.
Strengthening communities through reparative education: The case of social work education in Osijek-Baranja region. Engaged Journal — Accepted - Kyere, E., Luca Sugawara, C. G., Mijkulic, I., Vukovic, S., & Jelenic, G.
Youth engagement as praxis toward community repair in post-war context. Creating convivial spaces toward reparative futures. Engaged Journal — Accepted - Luca Sugawara, C. G., Caha, D., & Kim, H. W.
A community-centered perspective on community–university engagement and local development in Southeastern Europe. International Journal of Research on Service-Learning and Community Engagement — 2025 - Luca Sugawara, C. G., & Kyere, E.
Braving the pathways to community reconstructions: The power of youth engagement in the post-war context. In In This World Together: Global Social Work and Social Development. University of Osijek Press — 2024 - Luca Sugawara, C. G., Kim, H.-W., Modić Stanke, K., Krasniqi, V., & Basic, S.
The role of community–university engagement in strengthening local community capacity in Southeastern Europe. International Journal of Educational Development — 2023 - Luca Sugawara, C. G., Matesic, N., Paton, G., & Ray-Bennett, K.
Global solidarity – Voices from Croatian mobile social education partners. In Knowledge on the Move: Studies on Mobility Social Education — 2023 - Luca Sugawara, C. G.
Higher education institutions’ roles in strengthening local capacity for community development: An analytical framework. Journal of Higher Education Outreach and Engagement — 2022 - Hermoso, C. J., & Luca Sugawara, C. G.
Civil society and macro practice. Encyclopedia of Social Work Macro Practice. Oxford University Press — 2021 - Luca Sugawara, C., & Opačić, A.
Social work higher education institutions: Allies of most vulnerable communities. In Practicing Social Work in Deprived Communities – Competencies, Methods, and Techniques. Springer — 2021 - Hermoso, J. C., & Luca Sugawara, C. G.
Mainstreaming a gender perspective to peacemaking: A framework for policy evaluation for UNSCR 1325. Social Development Issues — 2016 - Pittman, S., Luca Sugawara, C. G., Rodgers, M. E., & Bediako, A.
Social workers in international relief and development: A natural fit. Interdisciplinary Journal of Best Practices in Global Development — 2015 - Luca Sugawara, C. G., Hermoso, J. C., Delale, A., & Lupsic, D.
Schools as pillars of postwar recovery: Rethinking the role of parental involvement. Social Development Issues — 2014 - Luca Sugawara, C. G.
Book review of International Community Organizing: Taking Power, Making Change. Journal of Community Practice — 2014 - Luca Sugawara, C. G., Hermoso, J. C., Popescu, M. L., & Dichter, T. W.
Strengthening democracy through local capacity development: The case of Moldova. Social Work Review — 2013 - Luca Sugawara, C. G., Hermoso, J. C., Delale, A., Hoffman, K., & Lupsic, D.
Parental involvement in an emerging democracy: The case of Croatia. Advances in Social Work — 2012 - Ashman, D., & Luca Sugawara, C. G.
Civil society networks: Options for network design. Nonprofit Management and Leadership — 2012 - Popescu, M., Luca Sugawara, C. G., & Hernandez, E.
Can government funding strengthen the third sector? The impact of a capacity building program on faith-based and community-based organizations. Social Work Review — 2010 - Luca Sugawara, C. G.
Building social capital among social work educators: A strategy for curriculum development. Journal of Social Work Education — 2009 - Hermoso, J. C., & Luca Sugawara, C. G.
Civil society’s role in promoting local development in countries in transition: A comparative study of the Philippines and Romania. International Social Work — 2006
- Kyere, E., Marošević, K., & Luca Sugawara, C.
In This World Together: Global Social Work and Social Development. University of Osijek Press — 2024
- Moyo, E. K., & Luca Sugawara, C.
From individual rights to collective wholeness: A framework toward sustainable futures. Interdisciplinary Sustainable Development Symposium, Purdue University Northwest — 2026 - Luca Sugawara, C.
Higher education institutions as catalysts for local capacity development: A framework for community–university engagement. AAC&U Conference on Global Learning — 2025 - Luca Sugawara, C., Kyere, E., & Price, M.
Centering context: Moving from replicating cultural trauma to trust and wholeness in education abroad teaching and learning relationships. The Forum on Education Abroad Annual Conference — 2024 - Ficarra, J., Luca Sugawara, C., Odhiambo, P., Vuković, S., & Price, M.
Addressing the hidden curriculum in academic–host community relationships. The Forum on Education Abroad — 2022 - Caha, D., & Luca Sugawara, C.
Capacities of community-engaged courses to build social capital in the post-COVID-19 period. European Society for Prevention Research Conference — 2021 - Luca Sugawara, C.
Strengthening local capacity for community development through community-engaged programs. European Conference on Service-Learning in Higher Education — 2020 - Luca Sugawara, C., Bašić, S., Krasniqi, V., Caha, D., Kim, H., & Stanke, K.
Higher education and community-engaged programs as a strategy for building local capacity for community development in post-communist countries. International Conference on Social Work Education and Social Development — 2020 - Price, M., Makki Alamdari, S., Luca Sugawara, C., Steele, J., Aguirre, O., & Vuković-Čović, S.
Building capacity for relational program planning in global service-learning. Global Service-Learning Summit, Clemson University — 2019 - Luca Sugawara, C., & Killian Kinney
Paving the road toward global social work practitioners: Study abroad and emotional intelligence development. Society for Social Work and Research Annual Conference — 2019 - Luca Sugawara, C., Carlson, J., Makki, S., & Vukovic, S.
International service-learning in post-war Croatia: Capacity building for the social work profession. International Consortium for Social Development Symposium — 2017 - Luca Sugawara, C., & Hoffman, K.
Using the common morality framework in postwar community research. Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting — 2012 - Rogers, M., Pittman, S., Luca Sugawara, C., & Bediako, A.
Preparing social work students for international careers. Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting — 2011