From the MFP Team
Dear Fellows and Alumni,
Each month we put together a newsletter that highlights the contributions Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) fellows and alumni are making to address the mental health needs of their communities via their practice, research, teaching, and leadership. This month, we’re focusing our attention inwards, on the contributions fellows and alumni make to support a vibrant and interconnected MFP community.
Notably, the MFP benefits from the help of an incredibly supportive team of volunteers. Some are current doctoral fellows who take time each month to mentor master’s-level students. Others are experienced social work faculty who apply their expertise towards the review of fellowship applications each year. All contribute to making the MFP what it is today, and we appreciate them enormously. Read on to learn what drives our volunteers to invest their time and knowledge in support of our program.
As we imagine the MFP of tomorrow, MFP staff are listening to fellows and alumni who have expressed interest in establishing and strengthening community ties. This month, we held a virtual event, “An Evening of Networking and Connection,” via Zoom. Through a series of ice breakers and discussion questions, we saw the breadth of experience, knowledge that exists within our MFP sphere. We hope to expand this sphere in upcoming months, so be on the lookout for opportunities to participate! CSWE’s Annual Program Meeting may be one such opportunity—details are included in this newsletter and online.
In fellowship,
The MFP Team at CSWE
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Volunteer With the MFP!
The MFP is currently seeking applications for volunteers to support our doctoral and master’s fellowships as mentors, application readers, and advisory committee members. We welcome applications from current volunteers, MFP alumni, and others committed to supporting master’s and doctoral students as they pursue careers providing mental health and substance abuse services to minority communities. Learn more about open volunteer positions and apply here. The deadline to apply is September 2, 2021.
I Volunteer with the MFP Because...
The MFP is successful in its aim to support the mental health and substance use needs of underserved communities and address gaps in the social work workforce only because of the tremendous support of our committed team of volunteers. MFP volunteers serve on our advisory committee, as application readers, and mentors to our master’s and doctoral fellows. Hear why our volunteers regularly to generously share their time, knowledge, and expertise, with the MFP:
Julia Hastings, PhD, MSW, is an associate professor within the Schools of Social Welfare and Public Health at the University at Albany, State University of New York. She shared, “I volunteer with the MFP because I enjoy meaningful connections with a network that is charged with training the next generation of engaged professionals interested in eliminating racial disparities in mental health.”
Tracey Barnett McElwee, PhD, LMSW, is presently an assistant professor with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. For her, volunteering with the MFP is about paying it forward. “The MFP gave so much to me when I was a doctoral student,” she said. “I can’t help but want to give back in some way.”
Echoing that sentiment, Quenette L. Walton, PhD, LCSW, an assistant professor at the University of Houston, shared, “I benefited immensely from the MFP when I was a student, and it's important to me to give back to the burgeoning social work scholars and practitioners that are a part of the MFP as long as I am able to do so.”
Cortney R. VanHook is currently a doctoral student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work. Cortney explained, “I volunteer with the MFP because I want to help first generation BIPOC scholars and practitioners navigate the system with the guidance I wish I had.”
Melissa Bessaha, PhD, LMSW, MA, is an assistant professor and chair of the Families, Youth, & Transition to Adulthood Specialization at Stony Brook University School of Social Welfare. She shared, “I volunteer with the MFP because I want to pay it forward and support the invaluable efforts of the MFP.”
“I volunteer with the MFP because I believe our community has so much collective wisdom and this opportunity allows us to learn from one another,” shared current MFP fellow and doctoral student Gabbie Aquino-Adriatico, MSW. “I would not be where I am today if it weren't for individuals that poured into me, and I hope to do the same with each person I meet.”
An Evening of Networking and Connection
On August 3rd, 25 MFP fellows and alumni met alongside MFP staff via Zoom for a virtual gathering. This event served to establish and strengthen connections amongst all those who’ve benefited from and contributed to the CSWE’s MFP over the years. Participants expressed that they’d “love for there to be more opportunities as alumni, to meet with current fellows and to hear about what other alumni are doing” and that they’ve “been interested in connecting but haven't known how.” After this event, 100% of those who completed our feedback survey responded affirmatively to the statement “This event provided the opportunity to build and strengthen ties within the larger community of MFP fellows and alumni.” Additionally, the vast majority reported having exchanged contact information with at least one other participant. Based on the feedback we’ve received about the importance of networking within the MFP community, we intend to prioritize holding events to serve the same purpose in the months to come.
Support Student Research
Kevin Harris, a first-year MSW student at Loyola University Chicago, and Dr. Maria Wathen are working on a study to investigate the strategies that therapists of Color use to handle microaggressions in client–therapist interactions. The goal is to gather practitioner perceptions on the strategies that they consider to be both helpful and not as helpful to their own well-being and to the therapeutic alliance. Microaggressions are defined “as intentional or unintentional momentary and often common verbal, behavioral, and environmental indignities that “communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial slights and insults to the target person or group” (Sue et al., 2007). Any therapist of Color who holds an LCSW, LCPC, LMFT, or other license is invited to participate in this online, anonymous survey. The survey should take anywhere from 10–30 minutes, depending on how much you choose to share. Findings will be shared with practitioners and educators so that nuances in strategies and context are considered and so that communities of therapists of Color are strengthened. We would greatly appreciate you sharing your expertise in this area. As a sign of appreciation, we include the option to sign up for a drawing for one of five $50 e-gift cards. Participate in the online, anonymous survey here.
Resources
Professional Development
CSWE’s 2021 Annual Program Meeting (APM) will be held November 4–7 at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort in Orlando, FL. This year’s APM is focused on "Leading Critical Conversations: Racial, Economic, & Environmental Justice" and will feature social work education presentations, an exhibit hall, and networking opportunities. We cannot absorb the financial penalties that would be incurred by breaking our contracts and agreements at this time. We ask for your understanding on this matter and for your active engagement as social workers to help us meet this challenge. Learn more about the 2021 APM and register here.
Job Opportunities
- California State University, Long Beach, is seeking an assistant professor of social work. Find more information on job duties, requirements, and how to apply here. A review of applications is set to begin August 17, 2021.
- The University of North Carolina is hiring for the position of full-time social worker in their Substance Abuse Counseling/Psych Services department. This position includes a focus on serving underserved populations, including Asian, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Indigenous, LatinX, and BIPOC students, by providing mental health services, as well as delivering programming and outreach. Apply here by August 17, 2021.
- The School of Social Work at the University of Memphis invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position to begin August 2022. This 9-month faculty appointment offers a competitive salary and full benefits. Responsibilities will include teaching, research, scholarly activities, advising, and service. Apply here by September 30, 2021.
- Applications are now being accepted for tenure track faculty positions at the assistant, associate, or full professor level at the University of Maryland School of Social Work. All candidates must have an earned doctorate in social work or a related social or health science discipline and a commitment to exemplary research that yields high-quality scholarship with extramural funding potential. Learn more and apply here. For best consideration, applications should be submitted by October 15, 2021; positions will start July 2022.
CSWE Spark
Keep the conversation going on CSWE Spark! The Spark platform offers endless opportunities for connection, collaboration, and sharing in the MFP community. To join, navigate to the Spark home page and create an account. Within a few days, your account should be approved, and you’ll be able to search the Spark Directory for connections. Start by adding Ameera Bhanji (MFP program associate) as a connection. When this connection is established, you’ll be given full access to the MFP Community and can engage with existing threads or create your own. Now more than ever, we encourage you to make the most of CSWE Spark as the virtual home for the MFP family.