The School of Social Work prides itself on an impeccable academic and professional
reputation as well as dedication and strong commitment to supporting the student population.
Social work is a profession committed to assisting individuals, families, groups,
organizations, communities and society as a whole in the improvement of the quality
of life through the amelioration of social problems, equitable distribution of social
resources, and client empowerment.
MSW student Jay Green awarded Student Diversity Award Scholarship
February 24, 2021
Each year, the UAA Diversity Action Council awards theStudent Diversity Award Scholarshipto students who significantly enhance diversity at UAA by increasing visibility of
diverse people, cultures and/or perspectives; creating a welcoming environment; and/or
representing diverse student voices through their advocacy and participation in UAA
student organizations. The council picks the top applicants to receive a tuition grant
up to $1,000.
Brocious, Erisman, Devientieff publish article about Housing First
January 4, 2021
UAA School of Social Work Associate Professor Dr. Heidi Brocious and adjunct professor
Morgan Erisman, along with UAF Social Work Clinical Associate Professor Dr. LaVerne
Demientieff, have published an article in the Journal of Human Behavior in the Social
Environment, titled Thawing out: understanding adjustment to housing first through an ecological and trauma-informed
lens, which focuses on the role trauma plays in the adjustment to Housing First.
MSW student Ian Foster releases documentary, titledModern Subsistence
December 6, 2020
Set in beautiful northwest Alaska,Modern Subsistence is a documentary short by Ian Foster, a University of Alaska Anchorage School of
Social Work master's student. Foster explores questions with modern hunter-gatherers
in an effort to discover if/how ancient customs and modern society can coexist. What
is our relationship to one another? To the planet? What values transcend time and
culture? How do we know when we have enough?
Allen chosen as RWJF Social Work Health Futures Lab fellow
December 7, 2020
Congratulations to School of Social Work Associate Professor and MSW Program Coordinator
Mary Dallas Allen for being selected as a fellow for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Social Work Health Futures Lab. According to Portland State University, the national
cohort is comprised of 26 social work experts from the U.S. and Canada, "who will
spend the next 18 months learning about how to apply a futures lens to some of the
most challenging problems of society." Learn more about the RWJF national cohort.
Burke part of article published on diet quality of pantry foods
November 4, 2020
Social Work Professor Tracey Burke and Dietetics and Nutrition Program Assistant Professor
Amanda Walch published an article in the Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition,
titledThe Nutrient Quality of Foods Provided to Clients at the Largest Food Pantry in Alaska. The project—a partnership between Burke and Walch—grew out of Burke's long-standing
partnership with Food Bank of Alaska and associated pantries.