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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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SSW Sponsors Families Through Loyola Gives
Service is the first ethical principle listed in the National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics. Loyola University Chicago’s School of Social Work embraced that tenet this month through the Loyola Gives program.
Loyola Gives asks departments, offices, and groups at Loyola to contribute money to purchase essential items for local families in need. In partnership with Catholic Charities’ Sponsor-A-Family program, SSW was matched with two eight-member families to help support this Christmas season.
Once donations were collected, it was time to put that money to use. SSW employees Jennifer Bernecker, Marquitta Dorsey, and Abha Rai volunteered to do the shopping and make the most of the money raised by the school. They said Loyola Gives was a great chance to reconnect with their colleagues and support a good cause.
“To be able to do something with them for someone else, it was fun and it was great to do something that made a tangible difference,” said Dorsey.
“This was a great way to bring everyone together,” said Rai. “Our school came together as one unit to support two families around the holidays – that was the beautiful part of this whole thing.”
But even more important than that sense of camaraderie was the impact these donations will make in supporting families during the holiday season.
The shoppers were provided lists of the families’ holiday needs. Winter items like coats, hats, and gloves were a common ask. One family had babies, so baby wipes and diapers were on their list. One of the families asked for dinnerware, so the shoppers allocated some of the funds to purchase a set of dishes.
“It gave me perspective that there are families that can get so much out of a little extra money,” said Rai. “It was nice and profound to see how much you can do with that money. And to know we were actively making someone’s Christmas better was really nice.”
Though the essentials were the focus, the shoppers did have enough money to purchase some toys for the kids, as well as some gift cards for the parents to pick out some items with the remaining funds.
Participating in Loyola Gives was certainly an enriching experience for the shoppers and the entire School of Social Work, as well as a reminder of the importance of taking direct action to serve others.
“We raised this money together as a community for families,” Dorsey added. “That is very much in line with our mission to be engaged with communities and do something that directly impacts them.”