University of Tennessee College of Social Work

10/23/2026

We’re thrilled to be at in Atlanta!
Stop by our booth ( #704) and say hi 👋🏽 and learn about our programs and presentations. Go Vols! 🍊 Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)

10/21/2026

We're excited for CSWE's 72nd Annual Conference, starting tomorrow in Atlanta!

UTCSW is showing up strong with 20+ presentations tackling big issues like parental trauma, cyberbullying, energy insecurity, the future of AI in social work education, and more.

New this year, connect with Dr. Courtney Cronley during her PhD program office hours: Friday (2–3:30pm) and Saturday (10–11:30am)

Visit our booth ( #704) for exclusive swag, and learn why Rocky Top is the place for social work education.

Check out our full schedule here: https://csw.utk.edu/faculty-research/cswe-2026-presentations/

Council on Social Work Education

10/20/2026

We’re thrilled to celebrate Kim Denton, recipient of UT’s Heart and Soul Award! 🧡

Kim’s unwavering commitment to inclusion, respect, compassion, and community shines through in everything she does. As Assistant Director of BSSW Field Education, she provides a vital link between students and field instructors, agencies and alumni.

Kim is an inspiration to her peers and students, encouraging them to pursue their passions and create positive change. She is a beloved figure within the college, university and community with her bright smile and welcoming personality that makes everyone feels at home.

Kim says, “We all have something valuable to teach one another, and sometimes simply making someone feel seen, heard, and valued can make all the difference.”

Please join us in congratulating Kim on this well-deserved honor!

Read more: https://csw.utk.edu/news/kim-denton-receives-the-universitys-heart-and-soul-award/

10/20/2026

Katie is taking over our stories today! Follow along to see a day in the life of one of our BSSW student ambassadors 🍊

10/19/2026

Join us Friday for this year's Ethics Seminar at the Knox Co Public Defender’s Community Law Office! There's also a virtual option if you can't join us in person.
📅 Friday, Oct. 23 ⏰ 8:30-11:30amET 🔸 3 Ethics CEUs
🔗 Register now: tiny.utk.edu/cloethics

10/18/2026

Join us in celebrating two of our students who received top awards from the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ), the leading international professional association for research on human-animal relationships.

🔸 MSSW student Jada K. Ford received first place in the Poster Presentation category for her research, “Race, Structural Inequality, and Human-Animal Relationships Among Black Americans: A Qualitative Study.” Ford conducted and presented this work while at Colorado State University and has since joined UT as a graduate student.

🔸PhD student Matthew P. Knight received first place in the Oral Presentation category for his presentation, “Investigating the Influence of Animal-Assisted Services and Service Dogs on Moral Injury in Military Veterans: A Scoping Review.”

Together, UT students now hold the 2026 first-place awards in both student presentation categories recognized by ISAZ which include oral presentation and poster presentation. These awards showcase the strength of UT’s emerging scholars in human-animal interaction and the interdisciplinary work occurring across the Colleges of Social Work and Veterinary Medicine.

10/16/2026

Join us for our next Continuing Education program and earn 2 CEUs
📆 Tuesday, October 20 ⏰ 10amET 💻 Live Webinar
Topic - Story and Structure: Connecting Micro and Macro Practice

🔗 To Register: tiny.utk.edu/latusoctober

10/15/2026

We’re proud to recognize Associate Professor Dr. Kristen Ravi and her interdisciplinary research team for presenting their work at the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies in San Antonio.

The team studied the relationship between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), stress, and inflammatory biomarkers among children ages 3–12 in Appalachia.

The work was supported by a UT College of Social Work Fellowship. Collaborators included College of Nursing Assistant Professors Drs. Ji Youn Yoo and Anujit Sarkar; UTCSW PhD students Savannah Lindsey, Melissa Newman, Oliver Eya; counseling psychology PhD student Caterina Obenauf; public health PhD student Morgan O’Brien; and honors nursing bachelor’s student Abigail Bible.

Read more: https://ow.ly/lY0e50ZY8J5

10/14/2026

We were honored to host “The Future of Behavioral Health” panel last week on our Nashville campus. Thank you to our inspiring community leaders for sharing their expertise:
David Guth (Centerstone)
Alysia Smith Knight (Tennessee Association of Mental Health Organizations - TAMHO)
Marie Williams (Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services)
Corey M. Cronrath (Mental Health Cooperative)

We appreciate everyone who attended and contributed to this important dialogue for our students and community!

10/14/2026

Great news from SWORPS!

Supported by a new three-year federal grant from the Administration for Children & Families (ACF), SWORPS and Tennessee Department of Children's Services are collaborating on a statewide evaluation of the state’s Relative Caregiver Program (RCP).

Through a rigorous Randomized Control Trial (RCT) and work with regional RCP providers, the project aims to build strong, scalable evidence for Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse submission—helping inform child welfare practice both in Tennessee and across the nation.

We are grateful and honored by ACF’s and our partners’ trust to lead this work. When our research serves practice, systems become strong, and families stay connected.

Read the full release here: https://tinyurl.com/mh52hsck