Celebrating Social Work Month in the UB School of Social Work

By Matthew Biddle

March is Social Work Month, a time designated by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to celebrate the positive impact that social workers make every day through their work.

This year’s theme, Compassion + Action, acknowledges why many social workers join the profession in the first place: a desire to put empathy into action by supporting individuals, advocating for systemic change and uplifting the dignity and worth of humankind.

“Social Work Month is a chance to pause and reflect on the critical importance of our work as practitioners, researchers and advocates,” says Keith A. Alford, dean of the University at Buffalo School of Social Work. “At a time when our profession is immensely needed to uplift the many populations we serve, I urge you to stay the course, continue to live by our social work values — and take some time for self-care.”

All month long, the UB School of Social Work will provide opportunities for students, alumni, faculty and staff to come together. Join us during Social Work Month, and keep tabs on everything happening in the school on our events calendar.

Prison and Incarceration Research Speaker Series

• Hosted by the Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy at UB
• Assistant Professor D. Michael Applegarth discusses his paper, “Re-examining the Sequential Intercept Model: Incorporating Theory, Practice Insights, and Social Work Perspectives”
• March 3, 12-1:30 p.m., 509 O’Brian Hall

Reentry Simulation: Experiencing Life After Incarceration

• Hosted by the UB Prison Studies Certificate, Peaceprints of Western New York, UB Sociology and Criminology Department, School of Law, and School of Social Work
• Experience the obstacles people face after release from incarceration and hear from a panel about their journeys
• March 5, 5-8 p.m., 25 O’Brian Hall

CASAC Information Session

• Exclusively for School of Social Work students: Learn how you can become a Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor (CASAC)
• March 10, 1-2 p.m., Zoom

Social Work Student Research Poster Session

• Explore graduate student research and engage in scholarly dialogue
• March 14, 12-2 p.m., 214 Parker Hall

Master of Social Work (MSW) Program Virtual Information Session

• Explore our MSW program and take the next step in your social work career
• March 19, 6-7 p.m., Zoom

Advocacy in Action: Macro Social Work for Community Change

• Part of our Paths to Macro Social Work Alumni Series
• Kathryn Franco, MPH/MSW ’18, will discuss the intersection of social work, public health and economic justice — and how shifting systems can improve quality of life
• March 20, 12 p.m., Zoom

UB Alumni Webinar: Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Gatekeeper

• Hosted by the UB Office of Alumni Engagement
• Receive free evidence-based suicide prevention training from Lindsay Stuart, LMSW, CASAC, MSW ’08, and Courtney Dalgleish, BA ’23, from Horizon Health Services
• March 20, 12-1 p.m., Zoom

Courageous Conversations: Supporting Trans Youth in WNY

• Co-sponsored and organized by the School of Social Work Graduate Student Association
• Jack Kavanaugh, MSW ’15, and PhD student Sare Martin, MSW ’23, both from GLYS WNY, discuss how social workers can support and advocate for the rights of all people, regardless of gender identify or expression
• March 24, 12:15-1:30 p.m., 684 Baldy Hall or Zoom

The Journey Beyond the Trip: The Art and Science of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy

• Whitney Marris, LCSW, MSW ’20, leads a CEU workshop that’s open to all — and free for School of Social Work volunteers from the past three years
• March 26, 6-7:30 p.m., Zoom