Lewis appointed to CSWE's Council on Global Social Issues

By Destiny Rust

Laura A. Lewis, PhD, clinical associate professor and assistant dean for global partnerships in the University at Buffalo School of Social Work, has been appointed as a member of the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Council on Global Social Issues (CGSI).

Lewis began her three-year appointment on July 1.

Founded in 1952, CSWE is the national association representing social work education in the United States.

CGSI is a council of the Commission on Global Social Work Education of CSWE. The council works to educate CSWE members on emerging and existing global and international social issues and their relevance to social work practice. The council is charged with exploring policy implications and identifying teaching issues, promoting community guidelines for nontraditional issues, and contextualizing global issues for local practice.

Lewis is the School of Social Work's inaugural assistant dean for global partnerships. Her work has focused on expanding field opportunities for students regionally and globally, and developing international partnerships related to teaching and research. Additionally, she is a co-director of the Institute for Sustainable Global Engagement. In this role, Lewis facilitates the development and implementation of the institute's mission and vision with the guidance of faculty and student affiliates. 

A member of the School of Social Work community since 2007, Lewis was the director of field education for over 14 years. She was the recipient of a Fulbright Scholar Award in International Education (2018) and the CSWE Leadership Award (2012). Lewis has presented and published in the areas of university-community partnerships, globally networked classrooms and technology in social work practice.

Matthew Biddle
Director of Communications and Marketing
School of Social Work
Tel: 716-645-1226
mrbiddle@buffalo.edu