The Springfield College School of Social Work
Springfield College School of Social Work hosted its annual fall Faculty Leadership Institute
The Springfield College School of Social Work (SSW) hosted its annual fall Faculty Leadership Institute on Wednesday, Sept. 5 at the Brennan Center. Both full-time and adjunct faculty members from the SSW attended the event and took part in discussions focused on academic standards.
“The discussion was rich as faculty shared techniques and strategies for upholding academic standards,” said Springfield College School of Social Work Dean Francine J. Vecchiolla. “It was obvious to all of us that faculty are invested in each student’s success and in motivating graduate students to embrace high academic standards that are essential to becoming competent professional social workers.”
The SSW also hosted a kick off session on Thursday, Sept. 6 at the Brennan Center for their post-master’s students in the certificate program. The event featured keynote speaker Claudia Gold, who is a pediatrician and author of the book, Keeping Your Child in Mind. The post-master’s certificate program meets on Thursday evenings during the fall and spring semesters. Upon graduation, the students earn 90 continuing education units (C.E.U.’s).
“Throughout the semester, visiting and full-time faculty teach in this program on the most important contemporary topics in child and adolescent practice,” said Vecchiolla. “Students in the program have opportunities to relate the topics to their clinical practice and complete a year-long assignment in which they research a clinical area of special interest.”
The fall semester for the SSW started on Tuesday, Sept. 4 when they hosted their convocation for their master of social work (M.S.W.) weekday program. Emmi Schultz, 2012 graduate of the M.S.W. weekday program, was the guest speaker at this event. Schultz has gone on to become a professional social worker at Fellowship Health Resources in Fall River, Mass.
The convocation for the M.S.W. weekend program was held on Saturday, Sept. 8 with classes beginning both in Springfield and at Saint Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Mass. Distinguished 2012 graduate of the M.S.W. weekend program, Ronny Furhmann, was the keynote speaker at the festivities. Furhmann is a professional social worker at DCF in Whitinsville, Mass.
The supervision in fieldwork education for SSW is also beginning and features a year-long program for first-time field supervisors. The curriculum for this program is developed by the Field Directors of New England Schools of Social Work and upon completion, graduates receive C.E.U.’s.
SSW is looking forward to this new academic year. We join our faculty colleagues from throughout the campus in wishing all students a productive and rewarding experience at Springfield College.