Tuesday, Aug 20, 2019
National Association of Social Workers Recognizes Social Work Professor and Chair with Prestigious Award
The National Association of Social Workers selected A&M-Central Texas Associate Professor, Dr. Claudia Rappaport and Professor, Dr. Michael Daley, for the prestigious Social Work Pioneer Award for their exemplary contributions to the profession at their 25th Anniversary Celebration and 15th Annual Program and Luncheon upcoming this fall.
A&M-Central Texas Provost, Dr. Peg Gray-Vickrey, expressed delight after having been notified that not one – but two – members of the University’s social work program were receiving such a prestigious award simultaneously.
“In a day and age when the great needs that exist in our communities can be overwhelming, the profession of social work is there to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, especially those that are vulnerable, abused and/or suffering from economic inequality,” she noted.
“Dr. Rappaport has made her profession her life’s work, and she has inspired her students to serve the needs of these vulnerable populations. She has organized countless food and clothing drives, volunteered her time in service to the community, mentored her colleagues, and devoted herself to the preparation of the next generation of social workers. We offer our warmest congratulations on this news of her award and thank her for all she has done in service to the University and the communities in the Central Texas region.”
Dr. Daley, Social Work Professor and Chair, is best known for his advocacy of BSW education and his contributions to the field of rural social work. Editor of the Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, he has been successful in strengthening the literature that informs the profession and has made significant contributions to the knowledge base for all social workers. In 2015, he published Rural Social Work in the 21st Century, the first comprehensive book on their field of rural social work in over 30 years.
The A&M-Central Texas Social Work program has been serving the Central Texas region for more than 30 years after graduating its first students from American Technological University in December, 1986.
Throughout the years, as American Technological University became University of Central Texas, and, in 2009, A&M-Central Texas, hundreds of undergraduate degrees in social work have been awarded, and the program continues to grow. University officials confirmed that there are currently 127 students enrolled in the social work program for the Fall 2019 semester.
Kino Hickey, a 2018 A&M-Central Texas graduate, applauded the A&M-Central Texas Social Work program for its academic rigor and the devotion of the faculty, staff, and academic leadership.
“Everyone who has thought of being a social worker should explore the A&M-Central Texas social work program,” he said. “They’re dedicated to the profession and their students. I learned so much from all of them and from the entire program. It has made me what I am today.”
After completing his BSW at A&M-Central Texas, Hickey was accepted into the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University, completing his MSW and official licensure.
Recently offered a social work position with the Olin Teague VA Hospital in Temple, Texas, Hickey credits Rappaport and the other social work faculty and staff for their many contributions to the social work program and its students.
University President, Dr. Marc Nigliazzo, echoed praise for both Rappaport and Daley, pointing to the significance of the social work program on the Central Texas region.
“It’s to their credit that the program is as strong and successful as it is and that our former students perform so well in both graduate programs and in the workforce. Both Dr. Rappaport and Dr. Daley deserve this recognition for their scholarly contributions and their tireless advocacy and care for our communities.”
A&M-Central Texas Provost, Dr. Peg Gray-Vickrey, expressed delight after having been notified that not one – but two – members of the University’s social work program were receiving such a prestigious award simultaneously.
“In a day and age when the great needs that exist in our communities can be overwhelming, the profession of social work is there to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, especially those that are vulnerable, abused and/or suffering from economic inequality,” she noted.
“Dr. Rappaport has made her profession her life’s work, and she has inspired her students to serve the needs of these vulnerable populations. She has organized countless food and clothing drives, volunteered her time in service to the community, mentored her colleagues, and devoted herself to the preparation of the next generation of social workers. We offer our warmest congratulations on this news of her award and thank her for all she has done in service to the University and the communities in the Central Texas region.”
Dr. Daley, Social Work Professor and Chair, is best known for his advocacy of BSW education and his contributions to the field of rural social work. Editor of the Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, he has been successful in strengthening the literature that informs the profession and has made significant contributions to the knowledge base for all social workers. In 2015, he published Rural Social Work in the 21st Century, the first comprehensive book on their field of rural social work in over 30 years.
The A&M-Central Texas Social Work program has been serving the Central Texas region for more than 30 years after graduating its first students from American Technological University in December, 1986.
Throughout the years, as American Technological University became University of Central Texas, and, in 2009, A&M-Central Texas, hundreds of undergraduate degrees in social work have been awarded, and the program continues to grow. University officials confirmed that there are currently 127 students enrolled in the social work program for the Fall 2019 semester.
Kino Hickey, a 2018 A&M-Central Texas graduate, applauded the A&M-Central Texas Social Work program for its academic rigor and the devotion of the faculty, staff, and academic leadership.
“Everyone who has thought of being a social worker should explore the A&M-Central Texas social work program,” he said. “They’re dedicated to the profession and their students. I learned so much from all of them and from the entire program. It has made me what I am today.”
After completing his BSW at A&M-Central Texas, Hickey was accepted into the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University, completing his MSW and official licensure.
Recently offered a social work position with the Olin Teague VA Hospital in Temple, Texas, Hickey credits Rappaport and the other social work faculty and staff for their many contributions to the social work program and its students.
University President, Dr. Marc Nigliazzo, echoed praise for both Rappaport and Daley, pointing to the significance of the social work program on the Central Texas region.
“It’s to their credit that the program is as strong and successful as it is and that our former students perform so well in both graduate programs and in the workforce. Both Dr. Rappaport and Dr. Daley deserve this recognition for their scholarly contributions and their tireless advocacy and care for our communities.”