School of Social Work | University of Missouri

Nia Manning has not only excelled academically in the BSW program, but she also made an impact with her positive outlook and attitude. Nia has a gift to see the best in every person and situation. She successfully completed her practicum at the MU Adult Day Care Connection where she embraced the opportunity to learn more about the profession and the aging population.  Both her Field Instructor and her clients raved about her skills and her personality. Nia will graduate in May and has been accepted to the School of Social Work graduate program as an advanced standing student. She plans to continue her social work education and would like to work with older adults.

Ryan Black entered the MSW program after four years as a community support worker for adults with chronic mental illness. Since becoming a graduate student, Ryan has used his experience to excel as a student and provide leadership among his classmates. He is a member of the Chi Delta Chapter of the Phi Alpha Honor Society, serves as an Ambassador for the School of Social Work and has been the MSW representative for the field education committee. Ryan also excelled in his work as Coordinator of the MU LGBTQ Resource Center. Ryan has been instrumental in developing intergroup relations within the LGBT student community and helped implement a mediation program to ensure cooperation between organizations. Ryan's commitment to serving marginalized students has helped create a safe and welcoming environment for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and allied students on the MU campus.

Seema Sehrawat has proven to be a leader among her fellow students and educators. Her commitment to scholarship and service are apparent in her integrity and modeling of social work values. As a teaching assistant, Seema was described as fair, helpful, consistent and encouraging. As a doctoral candidate, Seema has conducted thoughtful, important research on the effects of environmental factors on engagement in later life. Seema has had the opportunity to share her knowledge with other faculty, students, and researchers throughout the country and has represented herself and the School of Social Work with professionalism and character. Her colleagues have lauded her talent in teaching, technology, building relationships and managing pressure. In addition to her studies and research, Seema served as the PhD Student Representative on the School of Social Work Alumni Organization Board of Directors. After completing the program in May, Seema will begin a position with California State University - Chico. 

ManSoo Yu recently joined the School of Social Work faculty and has quickly made a lasting impression on his students. Dr. Yu earned his PhD and a Certificate in Women and Gender Studies from Washington University and then became an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska. In 2008, he joined the faculty of the University of Missouri as an assistant professor in both the Public Health Program and the School of Social Work. He has taught research methodology to graduate and doctoral students along with classes on equality and disparities in health and principles of epidemiology.  Dr. Yu’s students recognize his many professional and academic achievements, but his abilities to teach and advise are among the most notable. Through his class instruction and discussion, Dr. Yu has given his students the confidence to further develop their own research and the motivation to continue the pursuit of higher education.

Family Guidance Center is a not-for-profit organization that provides the community with services in the areas of crisis intervention, adult mental health, children and youth, family planning, and chemical dependency. They serve a large portion of rural northwest Missouri and are the only agency in the area to provide many of these crucial services. The mission of Family Guidance Center is to help individuals and families lead healthier, more productive lives. Beyond the service provided to the community, Family Guidance Center is committed to enhancing the education of social workers by providing practicum settings for students. They provide opportunities for students to work with skilled professionals who model how to use social work skills and values to obtain social and economic justice for their clients. Family Guidance Center also promotes the profession by employing numerous trained social workers. To encourage continued education and training, the agency has implemented a tuition reimbursement program for employees pursuing a masters degree in social work. For 27 years, Family Guidance Center has provided vital social services for communities in northwest Missouri and continues to promote the profession through the education and employment of social workers.

Malinda Lamb earned her BSW, MSW and her PhD from the University of Missouri School of Social Work. She was the first graduate of the doctoral program in 2005. Since then, she has served as the Jail Alternatives and Mobile Crisis Coordinator and on the Crisis Negotiation Team in Iowa City, Iowa. She is now the Clinical Services Manager for the 6th Judicial District Department of Correctional Services in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is actively involved in the development, implementation and administration of treatment programming within the district. Since assuming her role, several new programs have been developed and implemented specifically for clients with mental health and substance abuse disorders. She is a Licensed Independent Social Worker, Certified Criminal Justice Professional, and a Certified Co-Occurring Disorders Professional. In addition to her professional work, Dr. Lamb has contributed to the social work knowledge base by presenting her research findings at local, national, and international conferences and gatherings. She has been honored with several professional awards, including the Innovation Award from the Iowa State Association of Counties and the Forty Under 40 award from the Corridor Business Journal. Above and beyond her career and activities, Dr. Lamb is described as a good colleague and good friend who is consistent in her dedication to the social work profession.

While Alisha Waller was a student at MU, she not only performed well academically, but she often went above and beyond to actively participate in class discussions and role-playing. She is described as creative, intuitive and assertive - all valuable traits for a professional social worker. It is her well-rounded balance of characteristics that led to her nomination for Outstanding BSW Student. Alisha received her BSW in December 2007 and she is now translating her classroom skills into real world practice. She is currently working for Second Nature wilderness therapy camp in Utah where she lives in the field with youth campers who struggle with issues like drug abuse, eating disorders, and abuse recovery. While living with campers for eight days at a time, Alisha serves as a role model and a facilitator of change in a highly therapeutic environment. After her upcoming wedding, Alisha plans to enter the Peace Corps with her husband and eventually attend graduate school to become a therapist.

Karen Enyard has worked in healthcare as a nurse and a social worker for 20 years with specialized experience in geriatrics and dementia. She is now working toward her master's degree and plans to graduate in 2009. It is evident from her nomination that Karen is making an impact on her fellow students who portray her as dedicated, experienced and intelligent. Her life experiences and values serve as assets toward class discussions and projects. Karen has worked with diverse populations in her career, but her focus and her heart lies with the elderly. She serves them with a great deal of joy and commitment. She initially earned a BSW and then delayed pursuing her MSW until her own two children were a little older. Now she is fulfilling her dream to attend graduate school so she can meet the psychosocial needs of her clients on a deeper level. From here, Karen would like to pursue opportunities at the state or federal level to advocate for changes in laws that could enhance the lives of the elderly population.

Michele Day brought extensive clinical, academic, and administrative experience to the PhD program. Her contributions to the School of Social Work have made a significant impact on students, while her research and publications have made a significant impact on the profession. Her commitment to the provision of quality social work services began in practice settings where she devoted nearly two decades to working with clients in agency settings. Michele also values social work education, as demonstrated by her previous work as an instructor and supervisor of clinical experience for the Title IV-E program at Missouri State University School of Social Work. In addition to her formal educational experiences, Michele has also helped other students accomplish their educational goals, serving as a mentor to numerous PhD students since her return to academia here at MU. Perhaps most noteworthy are Michele's accomplishments as a researcher and author. Michele has received numerous honors recognizing her important research, including the John A. Hartford Pre-Dissertation Award, National Library of Medicine Short-Term Fellowship, American Cancer Society Doctoral Training Grant, and the John A. Hartford Doctoral Fellowship in Geriatric Social Work. She is now serving as project coordinator for Patient and Family Participation in Hospice Interdisciplinary Teams, a National Cancer Institute research grant. Michele's dissertation title is Team Communication and Collaboration in Hospice Pain Management and she anticipates completing the PhD program in August.

Dr. Markward earned a BA at the University of Northern Iowa and her MSW and PhD at the University of Illinois. She brings professional experience from school social work, program design and evaluation, and academia. Her work also includes an impressive list of professional presentations at both the national and international level, as well as publications on topics ranging from school social work to human rights of children. Dr. Markward has now been on the MU School of Social Work faculty since 2000. She has taught in the MSW program and currently serves as the Director of Doctoral Studies. She not only helped with the development of the PhD program itself, but she has also provided significant mentorship and guidance to help her students succeed. It is notable that Dr. Markward was the faculty mentor and dissertation chair for the first two PhD graduates of the school. Perhaps most importantly, Dr. Markward is a teacher who goes the extra mile for her students which is reflected by her consistently high ratings on her student evaluations. She challenges her students to think critically and to examine the evidence when evaluating programs and clinical practice. She sincerely cares about her students as individuals and invests a lot of time working with them in order to teach them the skills to succeed. Dr. Markward clearly has a commitment to creating an excellent educational experience and excellent social work students. Such dedication can only continue to benefit the social work community and the profession.

For more than 55 years, Boys & Girls Town of Missouri has been a leader in providing specialized treatment programs and services for troubled girls and boys from birth to age 21. From four campuses in St. James, St. Louis, Springfield and Columbia their services reach out to children and families in 87 counties in Missouri plus the City of St. Louis. Boys & Girls Town is one of the largest children's agencies in the state. Their mission is to improve the lives of children with emotional and behavioral problems superior, family-focused services. The treatment programs employ a strength-based approach, helping each child discover his or her talents and strengths and building on those to empower the child for success. When negative societal trends involving children and families are apparent they strive to create new, innovative programs that focus on correcting the issue and putting lives back on track. A few examples include: Changing Prisms - A Voyage of Self-Discovery, a two-day intensive program to focus on the recovery issues of young women in out-of-home placements; Empowering Youth provides shelter and services for homeless youth ages 10-18; Meramec Wilderness Learning Ranch is designed to offer adventure and wilderness experiences that develop character, integrity, and stronger relationships. Beyond the children they serve directly, Boys & Girls Town continues to advocate for public policy that benefits all children in residential services. They continue to keep the crisis of under-funded residential programs in front of the governor and legislators; it paid off with a significant increase in state funding for residential care facilities in both 2006 and 2007. Through residential care, foster care case management, community outreach and specialized education services Boys & Girls Town of Missouri makes a difference for more than 5,200 children and family members each year.

Dasi Schlup received her MSW in 1979. Since then she has been a social worker at University Hospital where she has advanced the issue of pediatric palliative care to new levels in the facility and the community. Her specialty in pediatric services includes pediatric cardio thoracic surgery, victims of trauma, birth defects and genetic disorders, and child abuse and neglect. For the past 15 years her work as been dedicated to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and high risk obstetrics. Dasi was responsible for the introduction and implement of both the Sibling program and the Family Grief program in the NICU, including the introduction of memory packets and foot molds of infants that are now a standard of practice. Dasi's commitment to children and families extends beyond the hospital walls. She is a co-founder of the Ronald McDonald House, an agency that provides services to countless patients and families for all Columbia healthcare facilities. She is also a hospital representative of the International Breast Feeding project that sends breast milk to orphans in Africa living with HIV/AIDS. Fortunately, Dasi also extends her knowledge and passion to others by supervising students, mentoring colleagues and sharing her medical social work expertise through local and national seminars. She is an active member of the National Association of Perinatal Social Workers and serves on the outreach committee for the March of Dimes. Whether she is tending to families in Columbia or nourishing children in Africa, Dasi has dedicated her career to insuring the wellness, safety and comfort of those in need. As a result, she not only sets an example for social work students and professionals, but she represents the best of social work to her community.

Outstanding BSW Student: Gayle Ervin

Outstanding MSW Student: Kristin Baker

Outstanding PhD Student: Andrew Muriuki

Outstanding Faculty: Elizabeth Wilson

Outstanding Social Service Agency: Ellis Fischel Cancer Center Patient and Family Services

Outstanding Alumni: Paula Richards

Outstanding BSW Student Award: Carmen Washington

Outstanding MSW Student Award: Mark Miller

Outstanding Faculty Award: Michael J. Kelly, MSSW, PhD, LCSW

Outstanding Alumni Award: Vince Hillyer, MSW'94 ACSW, LCSW

Outstanding BSW Student Award: Kelly Ferrario

Outstanding MSW Student Award: Angela Kay Davis, BSW

Outstanding Faculty Award: Carol Snively, MA, MSW, PhD

Outstanding Alumni Award: Ann Ruhl Woody, BASW '68, MSSW '71

Outstanding BSW Student Award: Megan Klenke

Outstanding MSW Student Award: Audrey Shearer

Outstanding Faculty Award: Kalea Benner

Outstanding Alumni Award: Gene L. Svebakken

Outstanding BSW Student Award: Julie Ditmars

Outstanding BSW Student Award: Dia M. Carpenter

Outstanding MSW Student Award: Kimberly Erin Scott

Outstanding Faculty Award: Assistant Professor Fran Danis, MSW, PhD

Outstanding Alumni Award: William H. Fuser, MS in Social Work ‘70

Outstanding BSW Student Award: Brent M. Coleman

Outstanding MSW Student Award: Nadie Antranette Dubose

Outstanding Faculty Award: Marjorie Sable, MSW, MPH, DrPH

Outstanding Alumni Award: James C. Brady, MSW ‘78