Jax State Social Work

09/02/2026

🌟 Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Jody Long

Dr. Jody Long’s path to social work did not begin where you might expect. He earned his undergraduate degree in accounting, passed two sections of the CPA exam, and began working as an accountant, only to discover that it was not the career he wanted. A conversation with a former advisor helped him recognize that the courses he had enjoyed most were in psychology, ultimately leading him to pursue his Master of Social Work at the University of Georgia.

That decision launched a career spanning psychiatric social work, substance use treatment, hospice, employee assistance, outpatient behavioral health, clinical supervision, and social work education.

Dr. Long now brings that wealth of experience into the classroom at Jacksonville State, where he is especially passionate about helping students work through challenging cases and develop the critical-thinking skills they will need in practice. His career is also a reminder that professional paths do not always move in a straight line and sometimes changing direction leads exactly where you are supposed to be.

Considering your next step? Jacksonville State University’s two-year MSW program offers an opportunity for students interested in pursuing graduate-level social work education to learn from experienced faculty like Dr. Long. New cohorts begin each fall.

https://www.jsu.edu/socialwork/msw/two-year-msw.html

08/25/2026

Stronger Together: Collaboration, Connection, and Care
There is still time to register for the Annual Out of the Shadows Summit on September 1, 2026, at the Oxford Civic Center.

This conference is open to anyone passionate about promoting mental health and well-being in our communities. Whether you are a professional, advocate, educator, student, caregiver, or community member, this event offers valuable opportunities to learn about available resources, connect with others, and strengthen the support systems that help individuals and families thrive.

Attendees will earn 5.5 CEUs for nurses, counselors, and social workers, provided by Bradford Health Services.
Don't miss this opportunity to join others who are committed to making a difference through collaboration, connection, and care. Register today and be part of an inspiring day of learning, networking, and community impact.

Register Now:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdo4TGvgKb0jtLlsjSRiw-rbWRs-DuW-1BijV0wli9O5EFNJg/viewform

https://www.annistonstar.com/news/oxford/mental-health-summit-returns-to-oxford-civic-center/article_a259f1a2-d435-4e6e-8d0f-9a810451ef52.html?fbclid=IwY2xjawT1XYRwZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR4ymmRUly0kkGrfmE5wxoYIfXgc-dLSFboVxSuUQMUpafIyjwqprVPdDPl49g_aem_EgqvXAb614XgE-FGLMsFgg

The eighth annual “Out of the Shadows” mental health summit is returning to the Oxford Civic Center on Sept. 1. Featuring networking opportunities for professionals and community members, this year’s theme highlights collaboration and care.

08/24/2026

**“I found my people.” ❤️**

For Kaci Worley, that may be one of the best ways to describe what happened when she took a chance on Jax State Social Work. Kaci transferred from **Northeast Community College through Transfer Pathways** at 34 years old. She worried she might be the odd one out. Instead, she found classmates who welcomed her and professors who knew her, encouraged her, and showed up when she needed support.

This summer, Kaci walked away from Jax State with her social work degree. 🎓

But her commitment to people started long before she became one of our students. For 12 years, Kaci has worked at Haymon Homes in DeKalb County, supporting adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She began as an Activities Coordinator and today serves as a Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professional. She is also a foster parent.

Kaci says social work has taught her to listen more, judge less, and look beyond someone’s choices to see the whole person. That matters, because the best education doesn’t just prepare you for a career. It changes how you show up in the world.

Kaci came to Jax State already caring deeply about people. She leaves with stronger skills, a deeper understanding of the work, and a degree that opens the door to what comes next.

**She took the leap. She found her people. And now she gets to keep being that person for someone else.**

Congratulations, Kaci. We are so proud to call you a Jax State Social Work graduate. ❤️

08/20/2026

**Sometimes what helps a student succeed is simply knowing someone sees them.**

Meet Kierra Morris, a Rural Behavioral Health Social Work Stipend recipient who will graduate from Jax State this December. 🎓

Kierra describes the Social Work faculty as kind, gracious, understanding, and easy to communicate with. More importantly, she knows that when she needs help, her professors will listen and make sure she has the support she needs.

That is the kind of learning community we work hard to create.

Social work is deeply human work, and we believe educating future social workers should be human too. We get to know our students, invest in their growth, and help them develop into professionals who are prepared to serve individuals, families, and communities with skill, compassion, and a trauma-responsive lens.

Kierra is almost ready to walk across the graduation stage, and we are incredibly excited to see where her journey in social work takes her next.

Come learn somewhere you can be known, supported, and challenged to grow.

**You belong at Jax State.**

08/18/2026

🎥 Hear Dr. Ellis share why he believes students need more than our successes....

As students prepare to enter the profession, they often see faculty and experienced social workers from the outside: the degrees, the expertise, the accomplishments. What they don’t always see are the mistakes, the uncertainty, and the moments that required us to learn and try again.

Dr. Ellis believes sharing those experiences matters. It humanizes the profession and reminds students that becoming a strong social worker doesn’t mean always having the right answer.

Sometimes professional growth sounds like: “I don’t know.” Sometimes it looks like recognizing what you could have done differently. And sometimes it means failing, learning, and continuing forward.

08/15/2026

Jax State is growing, and it is an exciting time to be part of the university. Our Social Work programs serve students who bring a lot with them into the classroom. Many are first-generation college students. Many have strong ties to rural and nonurban communities. They know these places, they care about the people in them, and they are serious about becoming social workers who show up well for their clients and communities.

That matters to us.

We are hiring an **Assistant/Associate Professor of Social Work in Micro-Mezzo Practice**, and we are looking for someone who enjoys helping students make the jump from learning about practice to actually thinking like a practitioner.

Our students want to know what to do when the case is complicated, the resources are limited, the family system is messy, the group goes sideways, or the textbook answer does not quite fit the person sitting in front of them. They need faculty who can help them build skill, judgment, confidence, and curiosity.

Our programs emphasize generalist practice with rural and nonurban communities, and there is a lot of meaningful work happening across the university and within Social Work around behavioral health, workforce development, community engagement, and preparing students for the realities of practice.

If you are a practitioner-scholar who still remembers the clients, families, groups, supervisors, and experiences that shaped the way you practice, we would love for you to take a look at Jax State. Come teach with us.

🔗 https://careers.jsu.edu/jobs/assistant-associate-professor-social-work-micro-mezzo-practice-jacksonville-al-main-campus-alabama-united-states

08/12/2026

What does it mean to prepare social workers for communities where resources may be limited, relationships matter deeply, and practitioners are often called to work across multiple levels of practice?

At Jax State, that question matters.

Our Social Work programs serve many first-generation students and students with strong connections to rural communities. They bring lived knowledge, ambition, and a clear desire to become practitioners who serve their communities and clients well.

We are seeking an **Assistant/Associate Professor of Social Work in Macro Practice and Research** who can help deepen that preparation. We are especially excited about welcoming a scholar-educator who sees macro practice and research not as subjects that sit apart from direct practice, but as essential tools for understanding organizations, evaluating programs, strengthening communities, examining inequity, influencing policy, and expanding what is possible for clients and practitioners alike.

This is an opportunity to teach students whose education can have a direct impact on communities throughout our region while developing a meaningful program of scholarship and contributing to the continued growth of social work education at Jax State.

If that intersection of **teaching, research, rural practice, and community impact** speaks to your work, we hope you’ll take a closer look.

🔗 https://careers.jsu.edu/jobs/assistant-associate-professor-social-work-macro-practice-and-research-jacksonville-al-main-campus-alabama-united-states

08/10/2026

******Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Taylor Ellis******

As the MSW Program Coordinator, Dr. Ellis believes that caring deeply about social work also means being willing to critique it. As a program evaluator, much of his work involves asking whether the services provided to children, families, individuals, and communities are actually doing what they are intended to do.

A quote from James Baldwin has helped shape that perspective: “I love America more than any other country in the world, and therefore I reserve the right to criticize her perpetually.” Dr. Ellis carries that same idea into both the classroom and professional practice. Organizations can easily settle into familiar routines, and new professionals often enter systems where certain policies and practices have been in place for years without anyone stopping to ask why.

Sometimes there is a sound, ethical reason to keep doing things the way they have always been done. Other times, “that’s how we’ve always done it” is a sign that it may be time to look more closely.

Dr. Ellis encourages students to remain curious enough to ask those questions. Loving the profession doesn’t mean accepting every practice without examination. Sometimes it means asking whether we can do better and being willing to change when the answer is yes.

08/05/2026

Attention recent graduates. Here is a professional development/Internship opportunity. Please direct all questions to the contact listed on the flyer.

08/02/2026

2026 Official Arrival Dates 🐔

Whether you are arriving early with the Marching Southerners or joining us for general move-in, your official arrival date is locked.

Your Action Plan:

1️⃣ Find your specific group or building date on the schedule.

2️⃣ Log into the Housing Portal to secure your exact check-in time block. (Registration strictly closes this Saturday, August 1!)

3️⃣ Pack smart and prepare your JCard for the drive-thru.

Take ownership of your arrival. We will see you soon, Gamecocks!