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Noor Paracha Hayat Found Home at Loyola
Noor Paracha Hayat gave the student address at the School of Social Work's commencement ceremony in May 2026, reflecting on her journey that led her to Loyola.
Ren Horst Awarded 2026 President's Medallion
As this year’s recipient of the President’s Medallion, Ren is recognized not only for her academic excellence, but for the lived experience, cultural grounding, and unwavering purpose that inform her work in social services.
Loyola professor spotlights mental health on campus
As demand rises for mental health resources on college campuses, Loyola serves students with evidence-based resources. School of Social Work Professor Jonathan Singer, Ph.D. is leading the way.
Introducing Three New Faculty Members
We are pleased to welcome three outstanding scholars and educators as new full-time faculty members: Shannon Dunn, Ph.D., Amzie Moore II, Ph.D., and LaTasha Smith, Ph.D. Each brings a deep commitment to social work education, innovative research agendas, and a passion for teaching and mentorship that aligns with Loyola’s mission and values.
SSWR Conference 2026 Presentations
More than 40 presentations from School of Social Work faculty, students, and alumni were accepted for presentation at the Society for Social Work and Research Conference 2026. Find out when and where you can see them.
Building Bridges Through Bilingual Social Work
Loyola University Chicago’s Online Bilingual Master of Social Work (MSW) program is preparing a new generation of compassionate, culturally responsive social workers capable of navigating systemic barriers and providing critical care in both English and Spanish.
Dr. Abha Rai Named Top 2% Scientist
Assistant Professor Abha Rai, Ph.D., MSW was recently named to the prestigious Stanford/Elsevier Top 2% Scientist List for 2025, a global ranking that honors the world's most influential researchers.
CADC Grant Renewed
The School of Social Work is excited to announce a $452,000 grant for the Certificate in Alcohol and Other Drug Counseling (CADC) Workforce Expansion Program. The grant was renewed for the third year by the Illinois Certification Board and the Illinois Department of Human Services/Division of Substance Use Prevention and recovery.
Serving Those Who Served: A Day in the Life of a VA Social Worker
Join us November 5 for our panel discussion collaboration with Military Veteran Student Services and the Jesse Brown Veterans Association.
Loyola University Chicago’s School of Social Work celebrated the grand opening of its new Behavioral Health Simulation Lab on Friday, October 17, marking a major milestone in the University’s commitment to advancing behavioral health education and training.
Maribel Lopez, Ed.D. Recognized with President's Volunteer Service Award
Professor Maribel Lopez was recognized with the prestigious award in May for her impressive volunteer work
Goutham M. Menon, PhD, Appointed Dean of the School of Social Work
Goutham M. Menon, PhD, has been appointed as the dean of the School of Social Work. He will join Loyola on July 1 from the University of Nevada-Reno, where he serves as director of the School of Social Work.
Awards
Benjamin Marton: Empowering youth to be advocates for change
Marton, who is one of this year's President's Medallion recipients, is studying for his master’s degree in social work, serves as a graduate and research assistant for two professors, is the president of the School of Social Work Student Organization, and works several days a week as an intern at Loyola Community and Family Services.
Active alumni presented with Damen Award
Licensed social worker Daniel Kill is a long-time advocate for mental health
"Social work education is the future of all academic teaching, even if most academicians don’t know it yet. It mixes training in social theory with mandatory hours of work in the field, putting those theories decidedly into practice -- something that most students clamor for."
SSW Alum and Adjunct Faculty Member Honored as Emerging Leader of the Year
In celebration of Social Work Month, Loyola SSW's very own Sarah Buino has been honored as the Emerging Leader of Year by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW)-Illinois Chapter for her exceptional work as a clinician and leadership in promoting social justice and social change.
Loyola Faculty, Staff, Students and Alumni Present at the Society for Social Work and Research Annual Meeting
Join us during the SSWR 23rd Annual Conference in San Francisco, CA from January 16 - 20, 2019. Attend to our faculty, students and alumni talks. We have included a copy of the presentations. On January 18, our school will be hosting a reception and we hope to see you there.
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Goutham Menon, Ph.D. Named Social Work Pioneer
Professor and former Dean of Loyola University Chicago School of Social Work Goutham Menon, Ph.D. has been named an NASW Social Work Pioneer by the National Association for Social Workers Foundation.
Menon has been recognized for his leadership as an innovator in the way social workers use information and communication technologies to provide social services, as well as a disruptor in social work education. His scholarship focuses on e-therapy, electronic advocacy, social work education, technology, and international social work. Menon has published six edited books, is currently editor in chief of Best Practices in Mental Health, and has received more than $3.2 million in federal and foundation grants for training social work students in behavioral health. He is also currently CEO of the Network for Social Work Management (NSWM), an international organization focused on strengthening and advancing social work management and leadership. NSWM is currently operationally hosted at Loyola University Chicago through a grant.
"I strongly believe in the adage 'Innovation cannot happen without taking calculated risks'," Menon said. "This is especially true in higher education, where 'tradition' often supersedes the critical need for change to meet the needs of our students in this post-pandemic ecosystem. I view my role as an innovator/disruptor in this space as someone who can highlight to stakeholders the myriad dots we can connect to refresh and renew our offerings based on data. For that to be accepted, people around the table must be comfortable with change and have a vision to positively impact our communities of practice. And it has been a blessing that I have been fortunate to work at places, like Loyola, where mission counts."
While dean at Â鶹´«Ã½'s School of Social Work, Menon oversaw the lowering of credit hours to achieve an MSW from the traditional 60 to 49, increasing affordability and accessibility for students and thus, lowering the barrier to achieve an advanced social work degree. This two-year process included rebuilding the entire MSW curriculum with a student focus and has been lauded by CSWE. NASW says this model has set new standards for excellence in the field and has inspired many other programs to follow suit. Menon also lead faculty in the creation of the first online bilingual MSW program in the mainland U.S. with the goal of increasing access to social services for disadvantaged communities.
At University of Nevada, Reno, Menon conceptualized and launched the first online MSW program with differential tuition, enabling students to earn a graduate degree with lower student debt primarily from rural and frontier locations in Nevada and across the country.
"Dr. Menon is a highly valued member of the Loyola School of Social Work, renowned in the profession for leveraging technology and communications to enhance access to services and education for vulnerable individuals and families," said Dean Patricia Findley. "In my brief tenure at the school as the new dean, I've witnessed his dedication to students, the school, and the communities it serves. This recognition highlights Dr. Menon's significant contributions to social work and the Loyola community. Congratulations, Dr. Menon!"
Since its launch in 1994, the Social Work Pioneer program has inducted more than 900 accomplished individuals to its rolls. The 2024 class of pioneers will be honored at the NASW Social Work Pioneers 18th Annual Celebration on October 19th, 2024.