THE SOCIAL WORKER
And they're off!
Embedded Files
SPRING/SUMMER 2026
FROM THE OFFICE
OF THE DEAN
BEING NIMBLE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY
Dear GSS Community,
Happy summer!
This spring, GSS marked the end of another amazing academic year! On May 19th, we celebrated the graduation with more than five hundred (500) students. It was an inspirational (albeit hot!) day, as we heard from the remarkable Sister Helen Prejean, who told our graduates that, as social workers, they will “be the face of love” for individuals, families, and communities during their most vulnerable moments — and they must serve this role even when their tenacity is tested. I know you know exactly what Sister Helen was talking about, and for that I am eternally grateful.
This year, amid the usual busyness of the fall and spring semesters, GSS and all of social work education have grappled with the looming implications of changes to federal student loan policies. The changes will take effect on July 1, 2026, courtesy of the Trump Administration’s One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). Most significant for MSW students will be the elimination of Graduate PLUS loans and Loan Forgiveness programs.
As so many of our alumni know firsthand, access to federal loans is essential for most of our students. Without them, earning an MSW would be simply out of reach for countless individuals who want nothing more than to pursue their passion and live their values. These loans provide more than mere funding for an education. They empower the next generation of social workers to dedicate their lives to creating meaningful, lasting change in our communities.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The Social Worker | Spring/Summer 2026
| THE HEADLINE
ONWARD INTO THE PROFESSION!
On Tuesday, May 19, the Fordham GSS Class of 2026 — over 500 members strong — celebrated the culmination of their academic achievements at our Graduation Diploma Ceremony. Two themes prevailed: community and presence.
| WHAT ELSE?
ALUMNI IN ACTION
A BASW grad's journey from foster care to Yale Law, two alumnae spreading the word on corporate social work, and two new alumni books seeking to serve others managing mental, physical, and relationship stress.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHTS
Meeting the #Classof2026 Changemakers, highlighting student research success, and a veteran seeking to serve his community after 20 years serving the country.
DOING THE WORK
Examining the impact of infertility on women of color, predicting the future of AI chatbot therapists, and filling gaps in gender violence research.
THE SOCIAL WORKER | SPRING/SUMMER 2026
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Support future social workers!
| FOR STARTERS...
MAKING SCHOOL ACCESSIBLE
Fordham GSS Launches "Summer Jumpstart" Option in Response to Grad PLUS Loan Changes
A new federal law significantly changes how graduate students finance their education beginning July 1, 2026—and the stakes are high for Master of Social Work (MSW) students.
Signed into law on July 4, 2025, as Public Law 119-21, H.R. 1 (One Big Beautiful Bill Act – OBBBA) ends the Graduate PLUS loan program for new borrowers starting July 1, 2026, and introduces borrowing limits for unsubsidized graduate loans. Master’s students will be capped at $20,500 per year with a $100,000 lifetime limit, while professional students will be capped at $50,000 per year with a $200,000 lifetime limit.
Currently, Master of Social Work (MSW) students sit alongside many other vital professions—such as nursing and occupational therapy—not included in the “professional student” category. For a student completing a two-year MSW while balancing required fieldwork hours, these new caps could make it more difficult to finance the full cost of attendance.
GSS created the Summer Jumpstart Option to help students access the MSW education at Fordham. The program let Fall 2026 applicants begin their coursework in May or June 2026, allowing them to take out federal Graduate PLUS loans before the July 1, 2026 deadline and secure funding for the entirety of their degree or up to three years, whichever comes first.
Read more about the Summer Jumpstart and Dean Debra M. McPhee's advocacy for social work to be considered a "profession" under the new legislation below.
HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCACY
Upholding Human Rights and Rule of Law in Immigration Practice
On Friday, February 6, the Graduate School of Social Service gathered a group of interdisciplinary experts to discuss the state of immigration in the United States and how sectors can come together to advocate for those most vulnerable.
The event, titled “Criminalizing Compassion: Upholding Human Rights and the Rule of Law in Immigration Practice,” took place at Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus. The event was sponsored by Her Migrant Hub, Catholic Charities, the Fordham Law School Feerick Center for Social Justice, and NYC Public Advocate Jumanne D. Williams’s office.
GUEST LECTURER
"Your Casework is Transforming Lives": Advocacy Lessons from a Global Human Rights Leader
Carlos Salinas has spent more than three decades fighting for people the world too often forgets.
Whether it be Indigenous communities in the Colombian Amazon or Jesuit human rights defenders living in hiding, Salinas has touched these communities through his work and has impacted them for the better. And they, he’ll admit, did the same for him.
As the founder and Executive Director of Healing Bridges, a nonprofit working alongside the Kofan indigenous people of Putumayo, Colombia, Salinas brought his lifetime of experience to Fordham’s Graduate School of Social Service (GSS), speaking to our Master of Social Work (MSW) students in their first-year course, Integrating Human Rights and Justice in Practice, taught by GSS Associate Professor and BASW Program Director Gregory Acevedo, PhD.
SHAPING THE PROFESSION
Celebrating Fordham Graduate Student Research
On Wednesday, April 29, 2026, Fordham University’s graduate community gathered at Fordham’s Law School for the 2026 Graduate Research Celebration—an expanded, university-wide event showcasing the breadth, rigor, and impact of graduate scholarship across disciplines.
WHAT'S THE WORD?
We Asked Fordham MSW Students to Describe Fordham in Just One Word (video)
Strong. Excellent. Transformative.
What comes to mind when you think of Fordham? We asked current Fordham MSW students for their answers — and they didn't disappoint.
THE HEADLINE
"BE THE FACE OF LOVE":
Class of 2026 Enters the Profession with Community and Presence
On Tuesday, May 19, the Fordham GSS Class of 2026 — over 500 members strong — celebrated the culmination of their academic achievements at our Graduation Diploma Ceremony.
The ceremony took place at 10 a.m. at Fordham’s Rose Hill campus in the Bronx, NY. Graduates were asked to be nimble when they received a day-before email notifying them that, due to the extreme heat, the ceremony would move from outside on Edwards Parade to inside the Lombardi Field House.
Like true social workers, they adapted flawlessly — and the day went off without a hitch.
Watch the video above for some highlights, and read the full recap article at the button below!
MEET OUR
#CLASSOF2026CHANGEMAKERS
Janet Cohen Balances Fieldwork, Coursework, Motherhood, and Founding a Nonprofit
Janet Cohen enrolled in Fordham's MSW program to level up her community impact — and the degree is already helping her in a big way.
As the co-founder of The Community Initiatives of New York (TCIONY), Cohen was "doing the work" of social services in her community every day. What she needed was a better understanding of the systems that surrounded her.
As an MSW student, Cohen applied the lessons she learned from classroom theory and her hands-on field practicum directly to TCIONY's work. Now that she is graduating, this application will be in full force.
Changing Careers at 70, with Philip Petrosky
Petrosky spent decades as a teacher and later as a Chief Operating Officer in the financial sector, developing systems for derivatives and processing. After a successful climb up the corporate ladder, however, Petrosky realized he wanted to recenter his career toward making a meaningful impact on the people around him, not just the financial sector.
Drawn to the one-on-one depth of clinical social work, Petrosky arrived at Fordham’s Westchester campus in his late-60s ready to learn the skills to help make a difference for those who are struggling. This May, he celebrates completing his Master of Social Work (MSW) degree with a Specialized Practice Certificate (SPC) in Crisis and Resilience over two and a half years at Fordham GSS.
Nia Wallace Learns How Policy Change Gets Made
When applying to Fordham’s MSW program, Brooklyn native Nia Wallace, MSW ’26, knew she wanted to use her degree to address the broader structures that cause harm.
“I wanted to impact the systems that were impacting the individual,” she said. “Even though social work also can be clinical, I knew I wanted to be community-based.”
From her macro-driven field placement in London, to attending City Hall meetings with Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani, Wallace is well on her way to being the changemaker she's set out to be.
Joui Hessel Aligns Spiritual and Social Work Values
An ordained rabbi since 2001, Joui (pronounced “Joey”) Hessel spent over a decade leading a congregation in Washington, D.C., before moving into education, seminary recruitment, and eventually serving as Director of the Bronfman Center for Jewish Life at the 92nd Street Y.
Inspired by her sister-in-law and a close friend who had both attained fulfilling careers in clinical social work, and nudged by a trusted colleague’s recommendation of Fordham GSS, Hessel enrolled in the two-and-a-half-year MSW program.
Highlighting Some 2026 “Double Rams”
Our Advanced Standing program is allowing these three grads (among many more) to make their impact sooner. Better yet, they’re all also graduates of our BASW program — so you know they’re primed for changemaking!
From left to right: Emma Morino, Nathaly Fernandez, and Meagan Cunney. Fordham Now grabbed some great quotes from each of them about their Fordham experience.
Alumni in Action
EMOTIONS EDUCATION
Stop Thinking Your Way Through Emotions, with Hilary Jacobs Hendel '04 MSW (video)
When we're at the crossroads of handling bad emotions, we can choose one of two routes, says Hilary Jacobs Hendel, author of Parents Have Feelings, Too. We can try to suppress the emotion and pretend it's not there, or we can be proactive and constructive, setting ourselves up for a better future. This is where "emotions education" comes in.
In a time of proliferating mental health issues, emotions education still remains a void in society — leaving us without the tools we need to thrive. Psychotherapist and author Hilary Jacobs Hendel MSW '04 is trying to fill that gap with her writing and speaking.
Hendel's interpretation of the Change Triangle, a tool that guides users from emotional distress back to their calm self, has helped countless individuals by providing an emotional education they can practice for a lifetime. By recognizing the physicality of emotions, and using emotions as data to inform future actions, individuals can improve their decision-making and overall state of mind.
Watch the video above to learn more about Hendel, the Change Triangle, and how you can use these methods to better control and use your emotions in a healthy and productive way.
BASW ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT
Why Social Workers Make Great Lawyers — Christian Ripke, BASW ’25
Christian Ripke’s path from foster home to Yale Law School is one of resilience and dedication. After earning his Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) from Fordham University and his Master of Social Work (MSW) from New York University, Ripke is headed to law school at Yale, where he will further study the legal system and the advocacy strategies most effective for helping those in need.
Ripke says his social work education enables him to assess situations more holistically than a typical law student, and he believes this will serve him well throughout his career. We couldn’t agree more.
Social workers are needed and embedded throughout every aspect of society. The well-rounded skill set one gains through undergraduate and graduate social work study allows them to pivot and shift their careers to meet the greatest need. Christian knows the law is where he will use his lessons learned to impact the most people.
BOOK PUBLICATION
When Love Isn’t the Problem: The Power of Intentional Communication in Marriage
In his therapy practice, Eli Weinstein, LCSW, MSW ’17, noticed a pattern. Couples were struggling, but not because they didn’t love each other. Their issues stemmed from comparison, measuring their real lives against someone else’s highlight reel.
He calls it the “expectation-perception trap.”
Weinstein said people shape their idea of a successful relationship based on what they’ve seen: their parents’ marriage, a favorite television show, carefully curated social media posts. When real life doesn’t measure up to that imagined standard, they get disappointed.
“A lot is the idea of comparison — ‘Oh, well, this couple is going on vacation, and look, they’re matching outfits,’” he said.
But what happens next is where the real damage occurs. Instead of naming and expressing their frustration, couples bottle it up. Then, resentment festers in response to an image that was never reality.
“You have to remember: they are setting up the camera to make it look like everything’s good,” he said. “You’re comparing yourself to fakeness. What you’re seeing is curated perfection.”
When couples fall victim to the expectation-perception trap, communication is key, Weinstein says. But it’s a skill, not an inherent talent. It takes work.
In his new book, From I Do to We Do: Navigating Marriage in the Parenting Years, Weinstein offers couples the tools to overcome these challenges and rebuild connection with intention.
BOOK PUBLICATION
How Can Social Workers Help Address Endometriosis in Health Care?
Casey Berna BASW ’01, MSW ’02 has worked in the endometriosis space for the past 15 years, and says there is still so much for providers, social workers, and patients everywhere to learn about the illness and its impacts. She’s hoping her new book provides a comprehensive place to start.
Berna’s book, Endometriosis From Harm to Hope: A Chronic Illness Guide, published just in time for Endometriosis Awareness Month, hopes to shine some much-needed light on how to support patients both physically and mentally. It explains to readers what endometriosis is, how to manage it, and current treatment options, through Berna’s lens as both a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and her lived experience as someone diagnosed with the illness.
We sat down with Berna to speak about endometriosis, obstacles endometriosis patients face throughout the health care system, and how her social work education informs her work and life as an educator and advocate for better systems.
THE NETWORK EFFECT
How Two Fordham Alumnae Are Redefining What It Means to Be a Social Worker
What comes to mind when you hear “social worker”? Most people picture a therapist’s office or a case management desk. And while demand for trained professionals in both these spaces continues to rise, Kara (Byron) Sheinman MSW ’19 and Ally Abramowitz MSW ’21 want to show social workers that their career options aren’t limited by traditional roles.
Since graduating from Fordham’s MSW program, Sheinman and Abramowitz have built careers that span event production, corporate philanthropy, consulting, and community building, demonstrating how social work skills translate across industries. Now, they’re helping grow a thriving online community to show other social workers that their careers can be just as versatile.
“[As a social worker], you can sometimes be your own limiting barrier to what you believe your ‘job’ should be,” Abramowitz said. “There’s so much you can do with a social work degree in terms of transferable skills outside of the traditional understanding of what social work is.”
Together, Sheinman and Abramowitz serve on the leadership team at the Corporate Social Work Collective, a networking community dedicated to expanding how social workers — and broader society — understand the profession
Student Spotlights
NATIONAL RECOGNITION
Two Fordham 2026 Grads Selected to 2026 NYSSWEA Board
The Graduate School of Social Service is proud to announce that two of our Master of Social Work (MSW) 2026 graduates have been selected to serve as board members for the New York State Social Work Education Association (NYSSWEA).
Adam Jason Neufeld MSW ’26 and Maria Talloni-Perlett MSW ’26 will serve alongside fellow board member and GSS Associate Dean Elaine Congress, DSW; as well as NYSSWEA Board of Directors members and GSS alumnae Joanna Suppa MSW ’08 and Stephanie Blackwell MSW ’24.
We had the chance to ask Neufeld and Talloni-Perlett a few questions about this honor.
CONTINUING TO SERVE
Meet AJ Tiffany: The Veteran Serving His Community After Serving His Country (video)
After exiting the military, AJ Tiffany knew his service wasn't over. He wanted to use the skills he'd gained through his 20-year military career to help other veterans struggling with their mental health after returning to civilian life.
Now, AJ is a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) student at Fordham University, with plans to continue school after graduation to earn his Master of Social Work (MSW) at Fordham. He's motivated by his desire to become a clinical social worker who gives back to his community.
AJ will earn both degrees in just five years, with no financial burden. Thanks to the Yellow Ribbon Program, Fordham covers 100% of tuition and fees for eligible Post-9/11 GI Bill® veterans and their dependents with no cap — one of the many reasons it was voted the #1 college for veterans in New York by the Military Times.
Doing the Work
Faculty Research
New Research Explores the Emotional Toll of Infertility for Women of Color
Infertility research in the United States has historically prioritized white, high-income couples. A new study from Fordham GSS Associate Professor Binta Alleyne-Green, PhD, pushes back on that default by centering the voices of women of color.
Alleyne-Green partnered with two Fordham GSS alumnae to fill this substantial gap by exploring how infertility, combined with a range of socioeconomic factors, impacts this underrepresented population — and how they cope with it.
Alleyne-Green and her co-authors argue that understanding how WOC experience and cope with infertility is essential to developing culturally competent care, ranging from fertility counseling to mental health support to how providers communicate with patients. The study also points to a need for more open community dialogue about infertility, loss, and reproductive health in communities of color.
Popescu Receives Defender of the Dream Award from Fordham Law’s Feerick Center
Fordham GSS Professor Marciana Popescu, PhD, was honored as a Defender of the Dream Award recipient by Fordham Law School’s Feerick Center for Social Justice.
Established in 2022, the Defender of the Dream Award recognizes members of the Feerick Center and Fordham Law School communities who have distinguished themselves for their work and service in advancing human rights, upholding the rule of law, and transforming systems to advance justice and allow every person a genuine opportunity to realize their dreams and aspirations.
Popescu has committed her career to those who need a voice: from her time as a Fulbright Senior Scholar in 2016–2017, conducting research on migration policies and their impacts on women asylum seekers in the EU; to co-founding Her Migrant Hub in 2021, a platform providing crucial resources and services for women asylum seekers here in NYC. A 2025 JD graduate of Fordham Law School, Popescu uses her knowledge and training to bridge the gap between social work and international law.
“This award was never mine alone,” Popescu said in her acceptance speech. “It belongs to the extraordinary women, some of whom are here tonight, who have trusted me with their stories, who have shown me what courage looks like in its most unfiltered form, and who inspire me every single day to fight for freedom and human dignity.”
Photovoice Study Unveils Chronic Pain in Women of Color
In this study, Fordham GSS Associate Professor Rahbel Rahman, PhD, used Photovoice, a community-based Participatory design method where participants take photographs and combine them with short text narratives, to foster critical dialogue between two groups of women of color about their experiences living with chronic pain.
The study explores key themes unveiled throughout the conversations that encapsulate participants' experiences, and provides recommendations to support holistic chronic pain management.
Goldkind’s Summer Course Leads to Increased AI Literacy Among Social Work Students
Fordham GSS Professor Lauri Goldkind, PhD, is breaking new ground in social work’s adoption of artificial intelligence tools. Importantly, she’s teaching students how to responsibly apply it for better outcomes in practice.
Goldkind’s most recent publication, “Promoting AI literacy in social work education: lessons from an interdisciplinary course for social work students,” presents findings from an interdisciplinary summer course she designed to promote AI literacy among social work students. The curriculum combined interactive learning experiences with time for ethical reflection and a developmental experience of creating domain-specific CustomGPTs.
“The results show statistically significant and potentially meaningful gains in AI literacy,” the article reads. “The responses suggest that the course helped increase AI knowledge, enabling students to shift from hesitant observers to confident users of and thinkers about AI tools.”
The article was published in Social Work Education: The International Journal in late February and was co-authored with Joshua Weber of the FHNW School of Social Work in Olten, Switzerland.
Filling a Gap in Sexual Victimization Research
Fordham GSS Assistant Professor Yafan Chen, PhD, recently published one of only a few research studies that reviews and synthesizes the existing literature regarding victimization against Latina sexual and gender minorities (SGMs).
The study, “Victimization Against Latinas with Sexual and Gender Minority Identities: A Scoping Review,” appears in Trauma, Violence, and Abuse.
The article analyzed 26 empirical articles that investigated victimization against Latina SGMs in the US, as well as Latina SGMs’ victimization experiences in comparison with other groups, and the contributing factors and consequences of victimization among Latina SGMs.
Authors concluded that, in general, Latina SGMs are likely to experience victimization due to their minority identities.
“Although their risk of victimization is usually higher than that of heterosexual individuals, the evidence does not always indicate a higher risk of victimization compared to SGMs in other racial/ethnic groups,” the study said.
Cox and Marlowe Spotlighted by NASW-NY Currents
Graduate School of Social Service Professor Carole Cox, PhD, and Clinical Professor Dana Marlowe, PhD, were recently spotlighted in NASW-NY Currents, the official newsletter of the National Association of Social Workers, New York Chapter (NASW-NY).
The article detailed the formation of the “Jewish Social Workers Special Interest Group,” an international group created by Cox and Marlowe that meets monthly on Zoom. The group has met since 2021, when Cox’s research article “Addressing Antisemitism in Social Work Education,” published in the Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work: Social Thought, received national acclaim.
Fall 2026
Virtual Info Sessions!
If you know someone interested in pursuing their BASW, MSW, or PhD, but they still have questions, our information sessions have answers!
CHECK OUT THE FULL LIST OF UPCOMING INFORMATION SESSIONS HERE.
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