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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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Important Update - Fall 2020 Semester
Dear (Student, Applicant, etc.)
I am writing to let you know that the School of Social Work will be offering all social work courses online for the fall 2020 semester. This includes all social work classes in the BSW, MSW, and PhD programs. Please note that this decision does not reflect what other Loyola University Chicago schools and departments may be planning for the fall. If your plan of study involves courses outside of the School of Social Work, you will need to wait to hear what that specific school or department has planned. If you are a BSW student, there may be the opportunity to take some non-social work courses on campus in the fall.
There are several reasons the School of Social Work reached this decision. First and foremost, we wanted to attend to the health and safety of our students. Social Work students who are in field internships in the fall may have an increased chance of exposure to COVID-19, even with the required use of personal protective equipment and following all public health guidelines. Exposure to high risk situations is common in this profession. For this reason, it made sense to keep our students out of the classroom at this time while different areas of the city, state, and nation continue to recover from the pandemic.
Second, the university, should it be allowed to offer face to face instruction come August, will need the additional classroom space to allow undergraduates to take classes with proper physical distancing requirements in place. Such physical distancing restrictions will also apply to elevators, common areas, and the like. By having social work students online in the fall, we can support our university community by making it easier for undergraduates to have a safer experience on campus.
Finally, the School of Social Work has the experience and expertise to offer a rigorous and pedagogically sound curriculum online in the fall. Whether you plan to relocate to the Chicago area, or take courses from home, we are confident our courses will meet your expectations.
If this decision impacts your decision to relocate to the Chicago area, please know that this will not impact your ability to begin your field internship. Our field staff will work closely with you to ensure you can begin your internship wherever you are located. And while we look forward to welcoming any and all students back to campus for the spring, we will work with you to make a plan so you will not have to disrupt your internship.
We look forward to supporting your journey as an emerging member of the social work profession.
Sincerely,
Goutham Menon
Dean and Professor
