WVU School of Social Work

09/01/2026

September is Su***de Prevention Month.

Talking about su***de isn’t harmful — silence is.

Did you know that WVU has a NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) chapter?

Learn more at nami.org/spm

***dePreventionMonth

08/21/2026

Happy first week of classes, all!

This week, the School of Social Work welcomed eighteen new on campus MSW students. Orientation was held Monday, August 17th. The students met advisors, faculty members, and got an overview of the MSW program.

We wish them and you a happy fall semester on behalf of the School of Social Work! 💛💙

08/21/2026

Happy first week of classes, all!

This week, the School of Social Work welcomed eighteen new on campus MSW students. Orientation was held Monday, August 17th. The students met advisors, faculty members, and got an overview of the MSW program.

We wish them and you a happy fall semester on behalf of the School of Social Work! 💛💙

08/14/2026

Congratulations to all of our Online MSW Summer 2026 graduates! 🎉🎓

We are so proud of all of your hard work, and wish you luck and success in your future endeavors.

Pictured here are a few of our graduates: Courtney Whetzel, Unique Murphy, Katie Root, Krys Nye, and Jennie Burroughs.

08/13/2026

A warm welcome to Howard Franks, our new Office Administrator!

Howard was born in Morgantown and grew up in western Pennsylvania. He worked previously at Louisiana State University before returning to the area to serve as an Office Administrator for the Department of Industrial Management and Systems Engineering in the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. He also worked as the Senior Dean’s Office Administrator for the College of Applied Human Sciences. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Penn State Fayette, and a master’s degree in public administration from Louisiana State University. He is also an alumnus of the College of Applied Human Sciences as he earned a second master’s degree in higher education administration from WVU.

08/13/2026

We can't wait to see all of you next week! 💛💙

A warm "welcome home" to all our Mountaineers returning to campus this week! 💛💙

08/10/2026

We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Yan Yuan to our department!

Dr. Yuan, LCSW, earned her Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Pittsburgh and completed an NIMH-funded postdoctoral fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Before entering academia, Dr. Yuan spent more than a decade as a licensed clinical social worker providing mental health services to individuals and families with severe mental illness and trauma.

Her research focuses on su***de prevention, mental health disparities, trauma, and culturally responsive interventions for underserved populations, particularly Asian American communities. By integrating clinical expertise with advanced quantitative methods, her work aims to improve access to effective, evidence-based behavioral health care and reduce disparities in mental health outcomes.

At WVU, Dr. Yuan looks forward to collaborating with students, colleagues, and community partners to advance research, mentor future social workers, and strengthen behavioral health services across West Virginia and beyond.

08/07/2026

Happy Friday! 💛💙

This week's Social Work Spotlight features Ally Schmouder.

Ally is a May 2026 MSW graduate who will be beginning a position with the WVU Americorp VISTA program, working on the Collaborative Student Food Pantry.

Congratulations to you, Ally! We wish you all the best in this and your future endeavors!

07/23/2026

How do policing and public safety practices affect families impacted by substance use disorders?

Sophia Brandel, an undergraduate student in criminology, explored this important question in her poster, titled “Understanding How Public Safety and Policing Practices Affect Families Impacted by Substance Use Disorders,” which she presented today at the WVU Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium.

The project was completed through the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE). John Evans, a doctoral student in sociology, served as Sophia’s mentor, and Dr. Megan Gandy, Associate Professor in the WVU School of Social Work, served as the faculty research mentor.

This interdisciplinary project reflects the School of Social Work’s commitment to community-engaged research addressing the intersections of family well-being, substance use, and public safety.

Learn more about research in the WVU School of Social Work:
https://socialwork.wvu.edu/research

Learn more about WVU’s undergraduate research symposia:
https://undergraduateresearch.wvu.edu/symposia

07/10/2026

Happy Friday, all! 💛💙

Today's Social Work Success Story features Candice Pauley.

Candice is a WVU School of Social Work BSW and MSW graduate who recently completed 100 hours under LICSW candidacy and is now able to sit for the LICSW exam. She is a Clinical Therapist for Crescent Counseling Group in Charleston, WV.

She wants to honor the late Professor Helen Hartnett, her advanced standing supervisor. Candice was a Graduate Research Assistant with her guidance and in conjunction with the Job Accommodation Network.

Congratulations, Candice! 🎉

If you would like to be featured in the Social Work Success series, fill out this form: https://tinyurl.com/2spx94rn