Center for Nonviolence Hosts Mediation Skills Program

Next semester, Ashland’s Center for Nonviolence is hosting a two day workshop on mediation skills. The program runs from February 7th through the 8th and goes from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM both days and would be a very valuable opportunity to build conflict resolution skills for any student who wishes to attend. There are two free spots open that are reserved for AU students. To apply for one of these scholarships to attend the program, click here. The application requires two faculty recommendations as well as a one page essay on resolving conflict and a personal interview. Applications are due by January 10th and any questions may be directed to vtelego@ashland.edu.

AU Social Work Students Visit the Good Shepherd Nursing Home

Social work students in the Practice 1 class have an opportunity to practice their skills developed in the course with residents at the Good Shepherd Nursing Home. They meet with their assigned resident seven times during the semester. Students obtain needed practice in developing their skills, while residents get the undivided attention of a social

work student.

As a way to celebrate the conclusion of this practice activity, everyone got together on November 22nd at the nursing home for food and drink. As one student described it, “this was not only a chance to practice skills, but was also an opportunity to forge relationship building skills.” Another student stated, “although I won’t be seeing my resident as often as I did this semester, I do plan on seeing him next semester to see how he is doing.” A resident at the nursing home described her experience as being fantastic because “it allowed me to tell stories that by now everyone else in my life are bored with.”

New Awareness Month Activity for the Social Work Club

Yesterday, the Social Work Club met to make ribbons for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. At the most recent meeting, the club voted on doing small projects like this each month in order to raise awareness for different issues. For breast cancer awareness, the group gathered to make ribbons as well as write down facts about breast cancer. One in eight women in their lifetime will be diagnosed with breast cancer. For more information about breast health and early detection, visit the American Cancer Society’s website.

For more information about Social Work Club, please contact ahiggins@ashland.edu or hfalter@ashland.edu.

The Cleveland Urban Plunge

For the past 25 years, the Cleveland Urban Plunge has been a tradition in the Social Work department. Senior Social Work majors devote a Saturday in the fall semester to learning more about urban life and the struggles that come with it. Though previously held over an entire weekend, the shortened Urban Plunge still has a lot to offer students. 

A first-hand look at poverty and homelessness can be incredibly powerful. “This trip has enabled me to understand myself and how I react to certain situations,” said senior Hillary Falter, “I definitely went out of my comfort zone, but I believe it changed me for the better and I am more thankful for what I have.”

When asked about the most memorable moment of the trip, Jennifer Tenbrook talked about a man she had met on the trip named Ray. He had been homeless since 2005, when he moved to Cleveland after Hurricane Katrina. “Even though he has been homeless for 8 years, he was still very happy and outgoing, as though nothing could possibly bring him down.”

Hillary also commented on the positive attitudes of people she met on the trip. “Despite the situations these individuals have encountered, they did not fail to stay positive-- how powerful is that?”

For more information about the Social Work and Family Studies Department, visit our website.

Social Work Seniors Travel to Cleveland

This past weekend, senior Social Work majors participated in the Urban Plunge, a trip to Cleveland with the purpose of looking at the challenges of living in an urban area. Stay tuned for further details on the trip, as well as students' reactions to the experience, later this week.

Amanda Roberts, Maureen Centa, Nikki Wrubel, Bethanee
Burden, Jennifer Tenbrook, Elizabeth Marconi, Hillary Falter,
Hillary Krause, and Katelyn Exner on the Urban Plunge

50th Anniversary March on Washington Event

Last Wednesday, the Ashland Center for Nonviolence celebrated the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr.’s March on Washington event. Students, staff members, and citizens of Ashland gathered at the Ashland Theological Seminary and walked with signs down College Avenue, proceeding to the Eagle’s Nest on campus to view footage of the original march as well as watch the “I Have a Dream” speech. Following the speech, the group discussed the meanings of the speech, the effects of the march, and the continued fight for equality that still exists today. Approximately 50 people of all ages participated in the event.

For more information on the Ashland Center for Nonviolence and their programs, please visit their website.

Nancy Udolph, a Social Work department faculty member, with
students at the March (L-R: Jennifer Williams, Diana Anchundia,
and Jessie Ryder)

First Social Work Club Meeting

Last week, Ashland’s Social Work Club met for the first time this school year. Pizza, pop, and cookies were served to students as upcoming events were discussed.

Social Work Club’s major event, Skip-A-Meal, is quickly approaching. Skip-A-Meal is an annual fundraiser where Social Work Club members collect meal swipes outside of the Eagles Nest to provide food baskets to charity. It is a week-long event and counts for community service hours as well as professional identity credit. The date for this year’s Skip-A-Meal has not been set, but the executive committee is looking at potentially having it during the first three weeks in October. For any conflicts or questions, please email one of the group’s Co-Presidents at ahiggins@ashland.edu or hfalter@ashland.edu.

The group also discussed the purchase of t-shirts for this school year. Last year’s shirts were very popular and the possibility of changing the design or color was also brought up. Please email ahiggins@ashland.edu or hfalter@ashland.edu if you are interested or have ideas for new shirts. The price would be approximately $10 per shirt.

AU Social Work program now offering a minor in Family Studies

This fall, exciting changes have taken place within the Social Work department. Many students were taken aback last year when Ashland University announced the elimination of the Family Studies major. This year, the Department of Social Work has now become the Department of Social Work and Family Studies.

A Child and Family Studies minor is now offered and can be completed in just 15 credit hours’ worth of courses, many of which closely tie into the already existing Social Work curriculum. For instance, Human Behavior and the Social Environment I (a course that examines the relationship among biological, social, and psychological systems) is a part of both the Social Work and Family Studies curriculum (click here to view a full list of courses for a Family Studies minor).

Dr. Michael Vimont, head of the Social Work and Family Studies Department, believes this to be a very beneficial change for both current students as well as future students beginning their search for potential college programs.

For more information about the Social Work and Family Studies Department, visit our website.

Summer has almost arrived...

We wish everyone a wonderful & safe summer break!

Congratulations to all graduating seniors!

Academic Honors Convocation

This past Sunday, the University's Academic Honors Convocation took place and was held in the Jack and Deb Miller Chapel. Pictured below are a couple of award winners from the Social Work department. Many congratulations to the students!

Haley Mossing wins the Sophomore Award

Jessica Heck wins the Senior Award

Potluck

Yesterday evening, the Department of Social Work held a potluck. Faculty and students brought various dishes to share, and the seniors discussed their field placement experiences with other social work majors.

AU alumna presents a donation to the Social Work department

Barbara Chuburko, a 2005 graduate of the AU Social Work program, recently chose to give a generous check to the department on behalf of her place of employment.

Chuburko currently works as a social worker for Hospice of North Central Ohio. The local organization has a “Jeans for Generosity” program in which employees may pay three dollars to wear jeans to work on Friday. Then, the names of the individuals who wore jeans are put into a hat, and a name is drawn from that hat once every quarter. The person whose name is chosen gets to choose a non-profit of his or her choice in Richland or Ashland counties and donate the total collected money.

This is actually the second time that Chuburko has chosen to donate the “Jeans for Generosity” money to the Social Work department. While a student in the program at AU, she herself was married with two children at home, and she remembers the difficulties that some other students had with juggling multiple monetary responsibilities. It could be an especially difficult situation when a student is both attending college and balancing other items such as working hundreds of hours for an unpaid internship.

“I saw students struggle,” said Chuburko.

She said that by giving the money to the Social Work department, she “would be sure they would put it in the right hands.”

Jayne Meyer, the director of marketing and development at Hospice of North Central Ohio, was also present for the donation of the check and offered her opinion on Chuburko’s decision.

“AU supports Hospice a lot…it’s nice to support them back,” she said.

Chair of the Social Work Department Nancy Udolph (right) accepts a donation from Barbara Chuburko, a social worker for Hospice of North Central Ohio.