Meet Our Alumni

"There are so many opportunities here at UB. Take advantage of them, and commit yourself to lifelong learning. There’s so much you can derive from interacting with other people."

9/7/18

Rita Andolina, MSW ‘88

"Upon intensive research I discovered the great diversity and opportunities available when attending and graduating from the UBSSW."

9/7/18

Terence Askew, MSW '12

“...field put real meat on the bones of things I had been learning in my classes.”

11/4/19

Caitlin Beck
JD/MSW Student

"People are more resilient than they think."

9/7/18

Brianna Bozeman, MSW '18

“I was looking for interprofessional collaboration; SIF offered the perfect opportunity to both learn about and experience it.”

5/31/19

Cheney Brockington, MSW '19

"I knew that social work would align with my strengths..."

9/7/18

Dan Calabrese, MSW '18

"In my opinion, social workers are uniquely suited to helping medicine transform itself.”

9/7/18

Jennifer Carlson, MSW '94

"Through my fieldwork at Lake Shore Behavioral Health, I was able to learn and observe evidence-based practices like motivational interviewing."

9/7/18

Kali Carpenter, MSW '13

"I wanted to use my voice to address how immigrants were being portrayed."

2/3/20

Hector Chaidez Ruacho
MSW Student

"It was an important realization that you can get close to people despite a huge difference between you."

9/7/18

Marie Clarcq, MSW '11

"With a professional mentor, students can gain a realistic view of the profession; they don’t have to reinvent the wheel—kind of like built-in career counseling."

9/7/18

Bonnie Collins, MSW '80
Adjunct Instructor Emeritus

"The UBSSW really takes pride in adequately preparing students for a career in social work."

9/7/18

Jose Correa, MSW '03

"Just be open to the idea that you might be wrong—remember that your experience with the world is different than other people’s."

9/7/18

Victor Diaz, MSW '17

"I felt like most of my hands-on learning came from my SSW field placements."

9/7/18

Jennifer Ditta, MSW '00

"The trauma-informed aspect of the program is what drew me here in the first place."

9/7/18

Siobhan Fitzgerald-Matson, MSW '18

"The UBSSW has an awesome research program—the orientation of the research, the research coursework and the professors are incredible resources for graduate students to take advantage of."

9/7/18

Dieuveut Gaity, PhD '18

"Interning at the Mobile Safety-Net Team, gave me a valuable viewpoint of what poverty looks like at the community level."

9/7/18

Rachel Gaydosh, MSW '15

"I wanted to continue to grow and participate in as many ‘in the field’ applied research and practice activities as possible. UBSSW offers a variety of opportunities to do that.”

9/7/18

Laura Greyber, PhD '14, MSW '07

"The program has really helped prepare me to adapt, be effective, and be happy in the wide range of possibilities that may present themselves."

9/7/18

Steven Halady, MSW '15

“I would not be where I am if it were not for the continued encouragement and support of UB SSW faculty and staff.”

9/7/18

Travis Hales, PhD '18, MSW '14

"I have become so interested in solution-focused practice..."

9/7/18

Emily Hammer, MSW '18

"I’m especially interested in how people recover from trauma."

7/30/19

Paige Iovine-Wong
MPH/MSW Student

"I knew earning an education in social work would provide me with a perspective that goes beyond examining demographic factors..."

2/3/20

Eric Johnson, MSW '14

"Opportunity here is good."

9/7/18

Ali Kadhum, MSW '14

"Even on the worst days of work I still feel like it’s a perfect fit."

9/7/18

Alicia Kaufman, MSW '17
Online cohort

"It's our responsibility to make sure that individuals aren't falling through the cracks..."

9/7/18

Laura Kelemen, MSW '97

"UB’s PhD program is very good; the faculty are special because they care about the students a lot."

9/7/18

Mary Keovisai, MSW '17
Social Welfare
PhD Student

“We talk about trauma a lot and that’s important, but the other side of trauma is resilience…"

9/7/18

Colleen Kristich, MSW '18

“I think trauma is the link between the majority of the work that social workers and public health practitioners do.”

9/7/18

Lauren Kroening, MPH/MSW '16

"Canopy of Neighbors is a work in progress. It's part of an expanding, national 'village-to-village network'."

9/7/18

Toby Laping, MSW '63

"If you’re worried about not having that networking opportunity —it still exists, especially the way UB has set up the online program."

9/7/18

Alexandra Liloia-Bishop, MSW '17
Online cohort

"Whether it’s shaping policy, interventions or service delivery systems, I hope to be able to draw a line from my work to improving the lives of others."

9/7/18

Brad Linn, PhD '18, MSW '12

"A big part of the SSW is being challenged and doing some hard thinking about helping others and what it means to be a social worker."

9/7/18

Brad Loliger, JD/MSW '13

"I had to set boundaries, I learned that as a social worker."

9/7/18

Tabatha Lumley, MSW '14

“My social work education made me keen to focus on those most at risk and in need...”

9/7/18

Nelson Mar, JD/MSW '98

"At UB, there are so many ways to learn and such a diverse faculty, so take advantage of all those opportunities."

9/7/18

Aaron Maracle, MSW '10

"The status quo has to be disrupted."

2/10/20

Whitney Marris
Online MSW Student

“I met people who broadened my mind and helped me grow as a person and as a professional.”

9/7/18

McKenzie Mattison, MSW '12

"The professors are phenomenal."

9/7/18

Danielle Maurice, MSW '13

“Social work would give me the broadest degree that would prepare me either way...”

9/7/18

Chanell McCain, MSW '15

"The School exceeded my expectations—I’m proud to identify as a social worker..."

5/31/19

Alexandria Meranto, MSW '19

“With war come so many social problems that need to be addressed.”

9/7/18

Felecia Badio Merriam, MSW '16

"[The DREAM program is] a great place to make connections with other students and the Buffalo community."

9/7/18

Marna Metcalf, MBA/MSW '16

"Buffalo, for being a big city, there is such a homey feel to it."

9/7/18

Melissa Pietrkiewicz, MSW '12

"I can’t say enough good things about my experience with the School of Social Work."

9/7/18

Thomas Power, MSW '17
Online cohort

"I feel so lucky that I get to make a career out of helping people."

9/7/18

Victoria Rader, MSW '17

"Coming to terms with your own humanity, with both its positive and negative aspects, will help you to grow personally and be a more effective social worker professionally."

9/27/18

Barbara Robertson, MSW '13

"I’m working in a goal-driven way to empower clients..."

4/29/19

Julie Rockmaker, MSW '07

"I think UB has a lot to offer the community."

11/4/19

Matthew Schwartz, MSW '18

"I’m developing a program to provide support for international students."

9/7/18

Nurit Fischer Shemer, MSW '13
Social Welfare
PhD Candidate

"Every place I'd worked, patient care was number one."

9/7/18

Marilyn Z. Shine, MSW '74, BS '72
Marilyn Z. and Jerome D. Shine Endowment Fund

“Being able to educate people about problems they are unaware of while also being able to support individuals who have experienced those problems firsthand — that’s why I love social work.”

9/7/18

Julia Szprygada, MSW '13

"We wanted to serve people with dignity and respect, our core values."

9/7/18

Joyelle Tedeschi, MSW '08

"There are tons of opportunities to develop professionally if you take advantage of what the school has to offer — you definitely will not regret it."

9/7/18

Shawnte Wilson, MSW '12

"No matter your area of interest or professional goals, you will have valuable experiences and opportunities for learning at UBSSW."

9/7/18

Katie Witmer, MSW '13