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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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Two Social Work Students Named 2023-24 Schweitzer Fellows
Two Loyola School of Social Work students were recently recognized by Health & Medicine Policy Research Group as 2023-24 Schweitzer Fellows. Fatima Rasoul and Jacque Leuken were both awarded the prestigious honor, which aims to empower emerging leaders in the field of social work to make a significant impact in the lives of underserved communities.
Rasoul and Leuken were selected from a pool of accomplished applicants based on their outstanding academic achievements, research proposals, and their dedication to improving the well-being of marginalized populations. The Schweitzer Fellowship will provide them with a unique opportunity to delve deeper into their research projects and translate their findings into tangible solutions for real-world problems.
"I’m a first-generation grad student and my parents are refugees from North Iraq, so the project I proposed is a support group for refugee and immigrant mothers," said Rasoul, who is pursuing a dual MSW/MA in Women's Studies. "I want to focus on the mental health of mothers because of how isolating the circumstances of being a refugee or an immigrant can be, and also the impact that mothering has on the mental health of women."
Leuken, an MSW student, also holds a personal connection to her project proposal.
"The proposal I've got and the project is weekly support groups focusing on a poulation of people who are caregivers and supporters of loved ones with cancer," Leuken said. "Both of my parents have been diagnosed with cancer so I've been in and out of the different levels of support they've needed."
Leuken holds an undergraduate degree in theater, which inspired her to incorporate music, theater, dance, or art into each of the group's sessions.
Two other Loyola University Chicago students, Simon Park and Karen Yuan, both of the Stritch School of Medicine, were recognized as Schweitzer Fellows. In addition to their service projects, Rasoul, Lueken, Park, Yuan, and the rest of the cohort will participate in a thirteen-month program that includes monthly meetings, trainings, and ongoing opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. The fellows will also receive support from a team of mentors from their schools, project sites, alumni network, and staff. More than 700 Schweitzer Fellows in Chicago have provided more than 120,000 hours of community service to 150 community groups over the course of the program’s 27-year history.
About the Schweitzer Fellowship
Using an interdisciplinary approach, the Schweitzer Fellowship exposes students to interprofessional collaborative care and aims to develop lifelong leaders in service. The 2023-24 Fellows include students from 11 schools and 11 different disciplines, ranging from nursing to urban planning and public health. The exceptional class of Fellows was selected from a pool of almost 100 applicants through a competitive process.
The Fellows for Life Program provides continuing leadership development and service opportunities for Schweitzer alumni. The Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellowship program is one of 13 nationwide and is administered by Health & Medicine Policy Research Group.
Health & Medicine Policy Research Group is an independent policy center that conducts research, educates, and collaborates with other groups to advocate policies and impact health systems to improve the health status of all people.