News

At a time when higher education faces many uncertainties, enrollment and student interest in social work programs remain strong. According to new CSWE research, 76.4% of programs indicated that applications for the fall 2021 semester have increased or remained flat. 

With funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, CSWE partnered with 32 schools of social work to develop a high-quality standardized substance use disorder curriculum for accredited schools and programs of social work.

"Coming back to the school that once represented collaboration and community rather than fear or loneliness initially provoked feelings of anxiety and frustration for me. While I wanted to feel excitement on my return to campus, the residual effects of the pandemic reminded me that this space may not be what it used to be." Pari Shah, LCSW, recounts her experience of returning to campus after nearly a year. Shah and Michael Talamantes, LCSW, also share pedagogical strategies that can be used to create more equitable and person-centered classrooms. 

CSWE proudly announced that Megan Fujita, PhD, MSW, has been hired as the executive director of accreditation. In this role, she will oversee CSWE’s Accreditation Department and support the candidacy and reaffirmation of more than 800 social work programs across the United States.

In observance of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) Director Duy Nguyen provides context to the Asian Americans’ present experience and highlights this community’s collective resilience. He shares his role supporting MFP fellows from diverse backgrounds as they contend with the racism and discrimination they encounter, ending by issuing a call to action for social work educators.

This CSWE Critical Conversation focuses on the work of the YWCA, whose progressive vision and vocal activism for racial equality was, nevertheless, bound within the fundamentally racist belief that being Japanese and being American were mutually exclusive states. Watch the video and learn more!

Social workers can be proud of their voter mobilization efforts in the 2020 elections. With more than 158.4 million ballots cast, nearly two-thirds of eligible voters exercised their right to vote. These elections are on record as having one of the highest voter turnouts, despite the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, allegations of voter fraud, and delays in postal service that affected timely delivery of some mail-in ballots. Read more.

Land acknowledgment statements are part of the truth and reconciliation movement to address mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples across the globe. These statements are intentional and personal. Land acknowledgments name the historical treatment of Indigenous Peoples in the loss of their lands; land acknowledgment statements also provide non-Indigenous people opportunities for critical self-reflection and for learning about alternative perspectives on the history of this country. Read Dr. Rebecca Maldonado Moore's personal reflections on the significance of land acknowledgment statements.

In observance of Women’s History Month, members of the CSWE Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education (Women’s Council) took to CSWE Spark to share thoughtful profiles on their accomplishments and the mentors that help make those accomplishments possible. Read more.

In recognition of Arab-American Heritage Month, Jessica Saba, MSW, explores Arab representation and experiences in the United States.