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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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Rambler Rally Raises More than $23,000 For School of Social Work
On March 18, Loyola University Chicago held its annual Rambler Rally, an annual 24-hour fundraising event where alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends of Loyola are welcome and encouraged to donate. The goal is to engage our community to advance the mission of the University while raising critical funding to ensure we continue to build upon our foundations to provide big opportunities for our students.
Though donation numbers are still being finalized, the School of Social Work met all of its challenges in this year's campaign, raising more than $23,000 across two donation categories: the school's Pay4Placement fund and a scholarship fund.
"The School of Social Work is deeply grateful for the generous support from the Rambler Rally, which advances our mission of fostering social justice, empowering communities, and preparing future social work leaders through funded scholarships," said Dean Patricia Findley, DrPH, MSW, LCSW.
The school would like to extend special thanks to alumnus Tom Larson (MSW '84), who gave $10,000 after SSW received 15 donations, and alumnus Barnard Straus (MSW '99), who matched the first $2,000 of donations made. You can still make a donation to the School of Social Work . All gifts are tax-deductible.
Pay4Placements
is a nationwide movement aimed at earning compensation for all social work interns for their work during their degree-internships. Many interns perform essential duties at their organizations and are often unpaid. The prospect of juggling an unpaid internship alongside the rest of their academic duties, financial obligations, and family life can dissuade many people from enrolling in a social work education. Paying interns makes a social work education more accessible and inclusive.
Donations made to Â鶹´«Ã½'s Pay4Placements fund will directly assist Â鶹´«Ã½'s social work students.
Rambler Rally
Â鶹´«Ã½'s 2025 Rambler Rally was a success across the university, raising $1,038,542 from 3,044 donors. That makes this year the most successful Rambler Rally yet.