THE SOCIAL WORKER
SOCIAL WORK'S ROLE
IN THE AI LANDSCAPE
Embedded Files
FALL/WINTER 2024
FROM THE OFFICE
OF THE DEAN
IN THIS ISSUE, WE DISCUSS THE FUTURE OF THIS PROFESSION—AND SOCIETY AT LARGE—AS WE EVOLVE WITH TECHNOLOGY.
Dear GSS Community,
The future comes at us faster every day. These past few years, change seems to be moving at hyperspeed. While some of us are still fully adapting to a digital world, we find ourselves immersed in an era of artificial intelligence.
Every sector is grappling with what AI will mean for them and what is required to adapt. Higher education is no exception. Here at Fordham, discussions are ongoing. Within the GSS community, we’re having discussions almost daily about the implications of integrating AI into social work education and practice. In a profession focused on relationships, connection, and empathy, it can be difficult to discern where technology—which can seem impersonal—fits in.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Social Worker | Fall/Winter 2024
| THE HEADLINE
THE FUTURE OF AI IS INCLUSIVE
How is artificial intelligence (AI) impacted by bias? And what can society do to mitigate harmful AI bias as we become more intertwined with the technology? Professor Lauri Goldkind, Ph.D., says the solution comes through inclusivity.
| WHAT ELSE?
ALUMNI IN ACTION
John Damonti, GSS '85, details his work as president of the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, and how social work was the bedrock for his success. Plus, alumni make a difference abroad, in the courtroom, and the classroom.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS
One student's transformative experience studying abroad in London, a new B.A.S.W. student club comes to campus, and students band together to create a film that will help many teens struggling with mental health.
DOING THE WORK
New faces on the GSS faculty, two new books released this fall, and an important study on toxic masculinity and its impacts.
THE SOCIAL WORKER | FALL/WINTER 2024
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BREAKING
GSS REDUCES FIELD EDUCATION HOUR REQUIREMENT
FROM 950 TO 900 HOURS
Dean Debra McPhee, Ph.D., wrote in a statement to the community:
"During the spring 2024 semester, MSW students petitioned the Fordham GSS faculty and deans, advocating for a reduction in the required Field practicum hours. Students asked that the GSS requirement be reduced from 950 to 900 hours, which aligns with the minimum number of practicum hours required by the accrediting body, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
The students presented a well-researched and convincing argument. They advocated that a reduction of 50 hours would help to better support students’ academic success and well-being, the vast majority of whom must remain employed while pursuing their studies. Before the end of the 2023-24 academic year, the GSS faculty voted to support the students’ request. "
COMMUNITY IMPACT
THE SOCIETAL IMPORTANCE OF CAREGIVERS
According to the World Health Organization, one in six people will be 60 or older by 2030. And while our aging population provides society with abundant wisdom, experience, and value—as we age, many older adults may need to lean on others for care.
However, we’re learning that the supply of caregivers is not meeting the demand of this population. This has resulted in what Colette Phipps, Director of Program Development at the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services, calls a “care crisis.”
Phipps provided the opening remarks for “The Livable Communities Caregiver Coaching Program,” an event held at Fordham’s Westchester Campus on Wednesday, June 5. The event was co-sponsored by Fordham’s Ravazzin Center for Aging and Intergenerational Studies and brought together professionals in the aging field and caregivers from across Westchester County to introduce the Livable Communities Caregiver Guide, a comprehensive document with critical information for caregivers.
EMPLOYMENT PIPELINES
40+ MSW STUDENTS BEGIN JOURNEY TO BECOME NYC SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS THROUGH FELLOWSHIP
At the start of the semester, GSS held a kickoff event for our newest cohort of Fordham GSS/NYC Public Schools Collaborative Fellows. This is the second year GSS Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) students will participate in the program.
Over 40 M.S.W. students will intern as school social workers in 34 public schools across the five boroughs this year through the Collaborative. In addition to their field internships, students receive specialized coursework, dedicated resume and interview preparation, and a scholarship stipend.
“The Fordham GSS/NYC Public Schools Collaborative program has grown so much, and we’re thrilled about that,” Janna Heyman, Ph.D., GSS professor and Collaborative lead, said.
CSWE APM 2024
A SUCCESSFUL SHOWING FOR GSS IN KANSAS CITY
Another APM for the record books!
This year, Fordham took the trip down to Kansas City, Missouri, to participate in social work's biggest conference— and the journey did not disappoint. From watching our community members present research to mingling with our colleagues from across the country, APM is an incredible weekend of connection.
Check out the above for our recap video from the weekend! If pictures are more your thing, we have those, too.
SOCIAL WORK DIGITAL STORYTELLING
FACULTY FILMS ILLUMINATE THE LATIN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
Fordham GSS faculty members Jenn Lilly, Ph.D., and Rose M. Perez, Ph.D., have dedicated large parts of their careers to studying the emotional and psychological complexity of Latin American communities. Their findings inspired their respective film projects: one highlighting the unique grief of Cuban Americans who’ve left behind their homeland, and the other exploring the mental health challenges faced by many young Latinas.
THE HEADLINE
THE FUTURE OF AI
IS INCLUSIVE
Graduate School of Social Service Professor Lauri Goldkind, Ph.D., has researched technological innovations in social work and society at large for over a decade. Her opinion: AI isn't going anywhere—in fact, it's only going to become more prevalent in society. We just need to be ready.
One way to ensure that AI reflects our values is through inclusivity—specifically during the design process. The more voices heard during the building phase, the better.
Goldkind thinks social workers are especially suited for this type of work. The profession's person-in-environment approach positions it as a crucial perspective needed to develop AI tools that represent vulnerable populations and don't perpetuate harmful stereotypes. Watch the video below to get her full analysis:
Alumni in Action
A CAREER IN FULL
JOHN DAMONTI, GSS '85, RETIRES AS PRESIDENT OF THE BRISTOL MYERS SQUIBB FOUNDATION
Fordham M.S.W. alumnus John Damonti, GSS ’85, has seen firsthand the importance of social workers on the medical frontlines.
While working as President of the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, Damonti led the organization’s efforts in mitigating HIV in Africa for over 30 years. The key to health care success in vulnerable communities? Trust. And Damonti thinks no one is better at community relations than social workers.
Damonti and the Foundation later utilized the same community relations toolkit in its COVID-19 response. The organization was a catalyst in implementing clinical trial diversity into the mainstream. The awareness of clinical trial diversity’s importance came after a holistic needs assessment inspired by social work values.
Damonti is an ideal representation of social work leadership and how it can influence monumental movements that impact the globe.
FORDHAM CONNECTS
ALUMNI TEAM TOGETHER FOR 6TH ANNUAL ONE GIRL, INC. CONFERENCE, LAUNCH NEW MEMBERSHIP
When Meaghan Barakett, GSS ’16, founded her NYC-based nonprofit One Girl, Inc., in 2012, it marked the grassroots beginning of a thriving community. Barakett, a young woman passionate about social justice advocacy and holistic health, sought to share these values with like-minded individuals. When she couldn’t find the community she envisioned, she created it.
“Community is so important to all of us for so many different reasons, especially in New York,” Barakett said. “Most of us, at some point, ask ‘Where do I find my tribe?’…and sometimes you have to create it. My role was to create a community and, then, in that community, give the space to dive deep and ask important questions, like who am I? What is meaningful to me and the communities I serve? And how do I want to show up in the world?”
ALUMNA NAMED CHAIR OF THE NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION HEALTH LAW SECTION
Mary Beth Quaranta Morrissey, Ph.D., MPH, JD, FCRH ’79, LAW ’82, GSS ’11, assumed the position this summer.
A JOURNEY OF SERVICE: FROM NYPD TO SOCIAL WORK PHD
Grace Telesco, GSS '01, combined her skillset earned from decades on the force with the rigorous research program. Now, her career is as a professor — but Telesco is a teacher in many more ways.
Student Spotlights
BACHELOR'S PROGRAM
FORDHAM B.A.S.W. STUDENTS CREATE FIRST UNDERGRADUATE SOCIAL WORK CLUB
Fordham University prides itself on campus community. Some might even call it a Ramily.
The Graduate School of Social Service is no exception—at the master’s and bachelor’s level. However, our Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (B.A.S.W.) students face a unique dilemma.
At Fordham, the first two years of the undergraduate experience are dedicated to a student’s general education classes. Social work majors begin their social work-specific courses during their junior year and continue until graduation. These courses not only satisfy the social work undergraduate requirement, but can be later used as the generalist half of an M.S.W. degree as an advanced standing student—saving students time and money during graduate school.
While this allows students to ground themselves in the university atmosphere and settle into a routine, not all want to wait two years before diving into work that will inform their careers. Fordham B.A.S.W. student Makeda Byfield went through this process and wondered, How can we bring social work to undergraduates in their freshman and sophomore years? So, she started the Social Work Society, a now-officially recognized undergraduate student club at Fordham.
PALLIATIVE CARE FELLOWSHIP
FORDHAM B.A.S.W. STUDENTS CREATE FIRST UNDERGRADUATE SOCIAL WORK CLUB
Before she enrolled at Fordham to become a social worker in the area of palliative care, Eleanor Smith had already learned firsthand about the value of this kind of role, especially for those at the end of life.
She had spent a year as a hospice volunteer, learning to provide support to seriously ill patients and their families. She started working with four patients per week, but soon found herself working with 10 per week because the work was so rewarding.
“It’s a privilege to be able to see people in that time and provide them support,” she said. “It was fulfilling in that sometimes you could see that, even if just a little bit, you were making this very difficult process a little easier for some people.”
M.S.W. STUDY ABROAD
SUMMER LONDON PROGRAM'S TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON THIS M.S.W. STUDENT
Returning to school can be daunting for many students, especially after years spent in different careers. For Pam Gawley, GSS ‘25, the choice to pursue a Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) at Fordham University was not just a career shift but a personal journey.
“I wanted to go back to school to learn the skills that would enable me to make the greatest impact when working with others,” she said.
And this summer, that impact wasn’t limited to the tri-state—or the United States, for that matter. Gawley took her learning experience abroad through Fordham GSS’s London Summer Program—a two-week immersion that redefined her understanding of social work and herself.
“I didn’t get to go abroad in college, which was a big regret of mine,” Gawley said. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do my whole life. I jumped on it.”
CAREER CHANGERS
'THIS IS MY OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT I REALLY WANT TO DO': WHY THIS M.S.W. STUDENT SWITCHED CAREERS
Heading into her first day of class this semester, Natalia Arai felt a bit intimidated. As someone who’d successfully worked in the cosmetics industry for 12 years—eight of them for Fenty Beauty, the billion-dollar company created by Rihanna—this feeling was unusual. She was used to high-pressure situations and putting herself out there to succeed. But this was different.
“I was a little concerned,” she said. “I was like, What if I’m like the only person who’s been out of school for so long?”
This can be an uncomfortable, yet familiar tale for career changers. To pursue something meaningful sometimes means taking a leap of faith. And Arai soon learned she wasn’t alone.
“When I [got to]class, we were doing our introductions,” she said, “and someone was like, Yeah, I was in marketing for 12 years. There was a playwright, a lawyer, all these different things. And I thought, Hey, guys, I guess I’m home.”
STUDENT RESEARCH
STUDENTS STUN AT NYSSWEA CONFERENCE
GSS students made a huge splash this year at the New York State Social Work Education Association (NYSSWEA) 57th Annual Conference!
Top Left: MSW student Grace Laria's interactive workshop introduces the connection between forced migration, trauma, and grief—preparing social workers to recognize and respond to client trauma, develop empathetic communication skills, and improve the quality of practice when working with forced migrant communities.
Top Right: Lily Scheyhing received the MSW Student of the Year Award!
Bottom Right: MSW Students Hayley Cowart, Bryan Jimenez, and Sophia Lonardo conducted a poster presentation on their work "Decolonizing Social Work,' and GSS Ph.D. student Emily Coderre gave a poster presentation on "Increasing Enrollment in Higher Education of Undocumented Students in the United States."
Bottom Left: MSW students Jake Schefer, Katie Schendel, and Lexy Zimmerman presented their research examining the harmful effects of the Troubled Teen Industry (TTI), or private residential programs that provide inappropriate treatment for children and adolescents with mental health disorders, substance use issues, and other challenges—while thriving on deceptive marketing, public and private funding, and a lack of judicial oversight. Their study proposes a mixed-methods approach to raise awareness of TTI's negative impact and educate on remediation strategies such as reallocation of funding to community health based interventions and research.
STUDENT RESEARCH
WANT RESULTS? TELL A STORY: STUDENTS COLLABORATE WITH PROFESSOR ON RESEARCH-BACKED FILM
Emily is a first-generation Latina teen struggling to approach her family members about her mental health. She’s overwhelmed by the responsibilities that come with two younger siblings, college applications, and the continuous straddling of her two distinct worlds as a bicultural person.
She wants to bring this up to her parents, but she’s not naive to the stigma. Things like therapy have never been a part of the conversation—and that’s on purpose. They don’t want to hear it.
So, what should she do?
GSS Assistant Professor Jenn Lilly, Ph.D., found that this is a common experience among Latina adolescents. And it’s now the plot of a short film she co-wrote with Latina youth. The film, titled Nuestro Apoyo, which means “our support,” aims to spark critical conversations about mental health in Latinx families.
“The film is meant to inspire open dialogue around early recognition and treatment of girls’ mental health problems,” she said.
SCHOLARSHIPS
LATINO SOCIAL WORK COALITION SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT HONORED
Fordham GSS is proud to announce that M.S.W. student Eileen Castillo, GSS ’25, has been named a 2024-2025 Latino Social Work Coalition CORE SCHOLARS Scholarship recipient.
The scholarship program “caters specifically to 2nd or 3rd year MSW bilingual and Latino/x/e Students facing significant financial constraints in the vibrant landscape of New York City,” according to the organization’s website. Along with the scholarship stipend, participants receive monthly mentorship sessions with professionals in the field, networking opportunities, and ongoing access to the organization’s professional development events.
SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT: OUR STUDENT AMBASSADORS!
This year, GSS expanded our ambassador program to feature 12 wonderful M.S.W. students! We feature ambassadors across our three NY campuses, who come from all walks of life to pursue their passions.
We asked some of our ambassadors what the best part of the position is. Check out their answers in the video below!
Doing the Work
NEW FACULTY!
TWO NEW CLINICAL FACULTY JOIN FORDHAM GSS
In some more exciting news for the 2024-2025 Graduate School of Social Service faculty roster, GSS has added two new full-time clinical faculty members to help educate the future of social work.
Clinical faculty are crucial to a social work program’s success. Their diverse wealth of experience in clinical settings brings frontline information about clinical social work directly into the classroom. This tangible, real-world knowledge is an ideal supplement to the theory our students learn in class. It provides a well-rounded education that prepares them for anything they encounter as professional clinicians.
GSS proudly welcomes Clinical Associate Professor Melissa Mason, D.S.W. (left), and Clinical Assistant Professor Lakeia Murray, Ph.D. (right), to our school!
FACULTY PROMOTIONS
FOUR GSS FACULTY PROMOTED AHEAD OF 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR
Congratulations to the Graduate School of Social Service faculty members who were promoted and tenured this year:
Sameena Azhar: Tenured and Promoted to Associate Professor
Lauri Goldkind: Promoted to Professor
Elizabeth Matthews: Tenured and Promoted to Associate Professor
Rahbel Rahman-Tahir: Tenured and Promoted to Associate Professor
These promotions were honored on September 17 at the Rose Hill campus. Congratulations!
Faculty Research
Cox and Marlowe Publish Book on Antisemitism and Social Work
Congratulations to Fordham GSS faculty members Carole Cox, Ph.D., and Dana Marlowe, Ph.D., who have just published their new book, Social Work and Antisemitism: Issues and Interventions.
In Social Work and Antisemitism, Cox and Marlowe explore the history and contemporary manifestations of antisemitism and its impact on mental health. In addition, they offer practical teaching guides to enhance the social work curriculum.
Cox Named Distinguished Fellow at Hebrew University of Jerusalem
In addition to her newest book, beginning October 1, Fordham GSS Professor Carole Cox, Ph.D., will serve as a Distinguished Fellow at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare. The appointment lasts two academic years.
“I’m very excited,” Cox said. “It’s a great honor to be working with them.”
Hebrew University of Jerusalem Professor Tamir Sheafer said the invitation reflects Cox’s “exceptional contributions” and “illustrious career in the field of social work.”
“We hope that this distinctive appointment will allow you to engage with our community at your convenience and that we will have the privilege to learn from your vast knowledge and experience,” Sheafer wrote in the letter to Cox announcing the appointment.
Congratulations, Dr. Cox!
How Can We Learn From Europe’s Policy Changes to Help Families?
A new book from Fordham GSS Professor and Mary Ann Quaranta Chair for Social Justice for Children Shirley Gatenio Gabel, Ph.D., examines how European countries manage the shifting dynamics of family life, when those families must adapt to social and political changes.
Titled Navigating Family Policies in Precarious Times: Examining Diverse Approaches in European Countries, the book explores how changes in family and gender roles, work, and household composition have affected the intricacies of parental leave policies, societal attitudes, and the inherent precarity within family life.
The book bridges academic analysis and practical policymaking, serving as an interdisciplinary, relevant resource for students and educators interested in social policy and the complexities of family life. Its focus on Eastern European countries makes it an especially engaging study for those interested in this region.
How Toxic Masculinity Harms the Well-Being of Everyone
New research from Fordham GSS Associate Professor Laura Wernick, Ph.D., and Derek Tice-Brown, Ph.D., was the focus of a USA Today article in September titled, "Homophobic speech in youth sports doesn't just harm gay boys. It harms straight boys too."
The research explored the impacts of anti-LGBTQ language on high school athletes, and had a surprising finding—heterosexual boys felt some of the most harmful effects of the language use.
“The irony of policing masculinity," Wernick said, "… is that it's actually having the opposite effect. It's bringing these kids down.”
Colocated Care Improves Mental and Physical Health Outcomes, Study Says
Research from Fordham GSS Assistant Professor Elizabeth Matthews, Ph.D., emphasizes the potential positive impacts of colocated care on mental and physical outcomes in patients with serious mental illness (SMI) and chronic disease.
The article, titled “The Impact of Structural Integration on Clinical Outcomes among Individuals with Serious Mental Illness and Chronic Illness” and published in Community Mental Health Journal, analyzed data from 8,548 individuals with co-occurring SMI diabetes and 16,600 with an SMI and hypertension receiving care in community health centers (CHCs).
“Among those with diabetes or hypertension, colocated care was associated with better health outcomes related to HbA1c, blood pressure control, and BMI compared to less coordinated and unintegrated care, though there was significant variation in this relationship across SMI diagnoses,” the abstract reads.
An Unintended Benefit of the Child Tax Credit
Fordham GSS Professor and Associate Dean Elaine Congress, D.S.W., recently published a New York Times Letter to the Editor asserting an unintended benefit of a child tax credit: escape from abusers.
Congress wrote that a child tax credit could give women in abusive relationships the financial means to leave their dangerous situation — providing a better life for themselves and their children.
"It has been reported that most women in abusive relationships remain with their partners in large part because they lack the financial means to leave. Some of those relationships prove deadly: Over one-third of murders of women are committed by intimate partners.," Congress wrote.
"Government benefits such as the child tax credit that enable women to leave abusive partners may help reduce family violence. This will have immediate, as well as long-lasting, positive effects on the well-being of women and their children!"
Exploring the Complex Relationship Between Social Work and System-Justifying Beliefs
New research from Fordham GSS Assistant Professor Kimberly Hudson, Ph.D., highlights how system-justifying beliefs influence social workers’ job satisfaction, burnout, and practice outcomes. Published in the Journal of Social Work, the study examines a national sample of 516 master’s-level social workers, using system justification theory to explore how beliefs about the status quo affect their job and practice outcomes.
While higher system-justifying beliefs were linked to reduced social justice motivation and less transformative practice goals, they were also associated with greater compassion satisfaction and lower levels of burnout. The study underscores the importance of structural interventions—such as workload reduction and workplace empowerment—and highlights the role of critical consciousness and critical thinking in addressing these dynamics.
Acevedo Amplifies London Youth Voices in Study Highlighting UK Cost-of-Living
Fordham GSS Associate Professor Gregory Acevedo, Ph.D., has collaborated with young people in the UK to study how the cost-of-living crisis is reshaping access to emotional support. Conducted in Tower Hamlets, London, the research uses a youth participatory action research (YPAR) approach, empowering youth to play an active role in the project.
The study, titled “Cost-of-living: the impact on emotional support for young Londoners” and published in the Journal of Public Mental Health, engaged 12 peer researchers, aged 16–22, who led 14 focus groups with 44 residents over six months. Their work revealed significant challenges, including obstacles to receiving support from parents and carers, the value of diverse support networks, and the effects of financial hardships on youth well-being.ong-lasting, positive effects on the well-being of women and their children!"
Causes of Social Work Student Burnout and How to Address It
Social workers are caregivers and changemakers, and often throw themselves into their work. They do this because they know it’s for the betterment of their community and society. When a client makes a breakthrough, or a policy gets passed—these moments remind professionals why it’s all worth it.
Sometimes, however, those moments can be few and far between. Day after day, those on the frontlines tackle issues head-on with their entire selves—but it seems like the results will never come. What comes instead is frustration—with the system, society, and themselves.
Fordham GSS adjunct professor Mary Powell, Ph.D., LCSW, would describe this feeling as burnout. In her new book, Burnout in Social Work Field Education: Mitigating the Risk, she identifies that burnout is not exclusive to practicing social workers. Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) and bachelors students can feel it, too. But with some effort, things can change.
How Does Unpaid Care Work Impact Women’s Employment?
Three Fordham GSS community members published research this month that uncovered a significant association between women’s unpaid care work (UCW) and their employment status in India.
Using the first Indian 2019 Time Use Survey, the study, titled “Unpaid Care Work Time and Women’s Employment Status: Evidence from India,” explores how this relationship varies across different socio-demographic factors such as age, marital status, education level, and household size—while also considering the influences of religion, social group status, household expenditure, and geographic location.
Saumya Tripathi, Ph.D., GSS ’22, collaborated with GSS faculty members Sameena Azhar, Ph.D., and Fuhua Zhai, Ph.D., as co-authors. The study was published in The British Journal of Social Work.
A Strengths-Based Analysis of Latinas’ Adolescent Sexual Health Experiences
Research from multiple members of the Fordham GSS community explores how Latina adolescents manage their sexual health during the critical period of sexual development. Departing from the traditional focus on risks and disparities, the article adopts a strengths-based perspective, highlighting the resilience and proactive behaviors of Latina youth.
The article, titled “‘How to Make it Out Alive’: A Strengths-Based Analysis of Latinas’ Adolescent Sexual Health Experiences,” was published in Community Health Equity Research & Policy. Authors include Fordham GSS faculty members Jenn Lilly, Ph.D., and Derek Tice-Brown, Ph.D.; M.S.W. program alumni Maddox Emerick, GSS ‘23, and doctoral student Susan Pace.
Recognizing the elevated risk for sexual health disparities among Latina adolescents, the study aims to shift the narrative from vulnerability to empowerment. Lilly et al utilized a narrative research design, gathering and analyzing 18 Latina adolescents’ stories of attending school in New York. This approach allowed for a deeper understanding of their experiences and strategies in navigating sexual health.
Winter 2024 Virtual Info Sessions!
If you know someone interested in pursuing their M.S.W. or Ph.D. but they still have questions, our information sessions have answers!
CHECK OUT THE FULL LIST OF UPCOMING INFORMATION SESSIONS HERE.
Thanks for reading!
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