College of Public Service at Tennessee State University

04/10/2026

Social work graduate students recently shared their analysis of a social movement project as completed in Dr. Cynthia George's foundation policy course. Check out Takajya Clayton's presentation about the prison abolition movement, and then Mary Pollard speaks about the growth of kidfluencing on social media and how social work can intervene to help protect children. Their papers and mini-zines that were completed as part of the project will be published soon in the upcoming Volume 8 of Creating Change: The Online journal of zines about social movements available through TSU Libraries.

Tennessee State University, College of Public Service, Social Work ProgramGraduate Social Work Students from Dr. Cynthia George's Social Welfare Policy cours...

04/03/2026

Join the College of Public Service and the Social Work Program for a powerful conversation centered on justice, accountability, and social change as we dive into Worse Than A Lie by Ben Crump. This is more than a book club—it’s a space to learn, reflect, and speak up. It's a chance to connect the themes of the book to professions that are related to advocacy and to promote equitable systems and change.

📍 Location: TSU Health Science Building, Room 243
📅 Date: Tuesday, April 7th, 2026
⏰ Time: Tiger Time - 12:35 PM – 2:10 PM
🎁 FREE books will be provided. The first three students who register will receive a signed copy from Attorney Crump!

This event is open to ALL majors at TSU, so bring a friend and join the conversation. 💬

Register to secure your book (or receive yours at the first session): https://tnstateu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cIpWHNqOUm5OCsS

Can’t make it? If you'd still like a book, reserve yours (PICK-UP ONLY) here: https://tnstateu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cIpWHNqOUm5OCsS

Let’s read, engage, and create change together. 💙

03/31/2026

TSU's Department of Public Administration was well-represented at the American Society for Public Administration's annual conference, held in Hollywood, CA this March! Current doctoral student Anne McIntyre-Lahner co-presented "Partnering with Providers to Develop Common Performance Measures Across a Network of Services with Wide Variation in Grant Size, Program Types, Outcomes, and Provider Capacity" in the Mark Holzer Symposium, and also co-presented a workshop on "Working Together to Build a Bridge to Renewal and Resilience in Sacramento, CA." Recent doctoral alumna Dr. Erika Leicht presented her dissertation research, "Gentrification and Voter Turnout in Urban School Board Elections." Faculty member Dr. Angela Páez moderated a session on "Connecting Theory and Practice: Local Government Perspectives in PA" and participated in the Public Administration Review (PAR) editorial board meeting. PAR is among the premier journals worldwide in the field of public administration.

03/26/2026

TSU Social Work Program had a great time today at the National Association of Social Workers NASW Tennessee Chapter Social Work Day on the Hill! TSU faculty Dr. Keith Ekhator touched our hearts with his keynote speech, and LaToya Bentley represented TSU in the BSSW policy analysis competition. Then Alan with gave us a great tour of the Capitol and helped us take some fun pics in the Senate Chamber. Which one of these students will go on to be a Senator one day?? We are counting on at least one of them! 🤞Then we went through the tunnel to Cordell Hull for visits with Legislators from the Nashville Caucus. We all left very inspired after meeting with Representative Justin Jones State Representative Justin Jones , Tennessee's only social worker legislator Representative Aftyn Behn Rep. Aftyn Behn , Senator Heidi Campbell Senator Heidi Campbell , Representative John Ray Clemmons Rep. John Ray Clemmons , and finally TSU's own Representative Harold Love, Jr. State Representative Harold M. Love, Jr. . We all had such a fun day learning about the public policy process and the history of Tennessee's democracy. Social Workers Uplift, Defend, and Transform. Happy Social Work Month!!

03/13/2026

We gathered on March 9, 2026 to honor the legacy of Dr. Hollace L. Brooks. Thank you to Bobby Brooks and Brooks painting and cleaning services and Family for supporting the Brooks Scholarship and this annual Policy Symposium. Congratulations to our 2026 Scholarship winners, Paris Lewis-Washington, BSSW Student, and Quanisha Flynn, MSW Student. Thank you to TSU Librarian James Scholz for writing a new biography about Dr. Brooks, and to BSSW & MSW Alum Daijah Washington for sharing her story with us to honor his legacy. And congratulations to our BSSW Policy Analysis winners, Doncoria Cortner, Serene Tillman, Jamie Davis, and LaToya Bentley!!

03/08/2026

We're so proud of our social work Alum Cindy Raymond! She is still doing amazing things to support people in recovery.

Cindy Raymond is among the first recipients of Wayspring’s Second Chance Scholarship, which helps employees pay legal costs to seal or expunge past criminal records. Wayspring’s chief HR officer said, “If we had said no to her because of something that happened 15 years ago, our company would not be as great of a company.”

03/03/2026

Social Work faculty Dr. Cyn Graduates Rise is featured on today's City Cast Nashville Podcast speaking about their project to promote disabled people's access to nightlife in Nashville. Disabled to the Front Listen in here:

Artists and fans from around the world are welcome at Nashville’s music venues — unless they’re disabled, in which case, obstacles abound. Dr. Cynt...

02/12/2026

Please join us Monday, March 9, 2026 from 1-4 pm for the Dr. Hollace L. Brooks Policy Symposium. We will honor Dr. Brooks and members of the Brooks Family will join us! The Brooks Scholarship winners will be announced! Alumni Daijah Washington will speak! TSU Librarian James Scholz will talk about the biography he wrote about Dr. Brooks ( https://digitalscholarship.tnstate.edu/notable-faculty/1/ ). And students will compete!! Also - PIZZA and COOKIES!! Thank you very much to Bobby Brooks and Family and all those at Brooks painting and cleaning services for sponsoring this event and supporting the TSU Social Work Program! Please RSVP to help us plan for food: https://tnstateu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8zXpzA5OozLAvXw

02/12/2026

Join us for "The Soul of the Street: Jefferson Street's Past and Promise" on Feb 26 at 6 pm in Zoom. This panel discussion will explore this history and promise of the Jefferson St community. Hosted by TSU CPS and Young Professionals in Transportation. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83388128178

02/11/2026

What's the impact of the Department of Education's new definition of professional degrees? According to data from the National Center for Education Statistics:

- Almost 678,000 women who studied at the graduate level in 2023 would not be considered for the new, higher "professional" loan limits
- Almost 368,000 students of color who studied at the graduate level in 2023 would not be considered under the new limits

According to EdTrust, the DOE's proposed changes "would deliberately underfund the degrees that staff hospitals, clinics, schools, and community organizations ... worsening existing workforce shortages and reducing access to care for millions of Americans."

Click the link in bio before March 2 and tell DOE that !

bit.ly/3OkRGws

02/09/2026

By excluding social work from its definition of "professional" degrees, the Department of Education is limiting access to federal student loans for MSW students. Fewer students means fewer social workers available to meet growing mental health and social service needs. Visit the link in bio and tell DOE that !

LINK: bit.ly/3OkRGws

01/22/2026

Public Administration faculty Dr. Ken Chilton was a guest on WPLN's This is Nashville program on January 21. The show focused on Nashville housing market trends and outlooks for 2026.
Click here for data tables: https://www.agc.org/sites/default/files/users/user21902/PPI%20Tables%202025_11.pdf
Check out the podcast here: https://wpln.org/post/episodes/our-real-estate-reality-check/

It’s hard to make heads or tails of the housing market in Nashville. You’ve got McMansions sitting for months and starter homes swept up in a flash.