Tamara Davis Headshot
Greetings IU School of Social Work Community!
I am so pleased to once again bring you the IU School of Social Work’s Network Magazine! We broadened the scope of this issue to give you a glimpse of the range of impacts our alumni, students, faculty, and staff are making across our communities.

What a year it has been for the School and the profession! We entered the spring semester just as a worldwide pandemic was making its way to our own communities. Layered on top of COVID-19 came to another public health crisis in the form of long-standing racism, finally recognized as a disease ravaging society on all levels. These social realities provide Social Work opportunities to act and demonstrate the core values, strengths, and flexible character of our profession. While we have had to place some planned strategic activities on hold, the meaningful work of our School community has continued despite the demands, and possibilities, created by the shifting landscape of our learning and living environments.

In this issue, you will learn how faculty, students, and agencies are engaged in teaching and learning innovations. The Behavioral Health Academy is a model initiative to build the behavioral health workforce. Responding to students, faculty increased student options for policy advocacy, such as the Policy Field Unit, LEAD Day, and enhanced Labor Studies curriculum to address today’s labor force needs. I am excited for you to learn about Social Work’s first e-Social Work Practice Certificate. This program allowed us to rapidly develop a free continuing education course for behavioral health providers shifting to remote services during the pandemic.

Faculty applied research is exploring innovative ways to address community challenges. A partnership with Indianapolis Public Libraries is helping to meet the needs of patrons. Several of our faculty collaborated to develop an online application to support youth subjected to bullying. We also highlight two distinct faculty efforts aimed to establish new ways to address the trauma experienced by children, families, and providers serving them through child welfare and education systems. You will also see awards received by our faculty and alumni.

Of course, critical measures of our success are the achievements of students and alumni and the investments made in them. You will no doubt be moved by the words and determination of several alumni and students whose stories we spotlight. As we increase our investments in the futures of our graduates through services and funding, I want to thank our donors who make education possible for so many students, particularly in unprecedented times like the present.

Thanks to all of you for the tremendous difference you make through your own work. I hope you enjoy reading about the activities and achievements of the school community over the past year.

Tamara S. Davis
Dean and Professor