Social Work Students Take First Place in National Conference
Four senior social work students presented at a national conference for their discipline and two of the four received first-place honors for their work.
By Suzanne McInroy, director of communications
May 22, 2019 | 1:30 p.m.
Bethel senior social work students presented their research at a conference in Florida along with Eydie Shypulski, assistant professor and chair of the social work department.
This spring, four students in Bethel’s social work program presented their research during the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Directors conference in Jacksonville, Florida, with two receiving first-place honors. This was the first time students in the social work department have presented at a national conference and competed against students from universities across the country.
Madeline Hoffert ’19 and Christabella Morse ’19 presented, "Seeking Refuge: An Examination of the Refugee Crisis," in which they addressed the current refugee crisis at the southern U.S. border. Katie Cudo-Barton ’19 and Alyssa Knight ’19 presented "Empty Red Dresses: Symbols of Systemic Violence Against Indigenous Women" to draw attention to little-known jurisdictional issues to try to create change. Cudo-Barton and Knight took first place for their presentations.
“We are so proud of all four of our seniors—Katie, Alyssa, Madeline, and Christabella—who represented the Bethel social work department so well,” says Eydie Shypulski, assistant professor and chair of the social work department. “They went above and beyond to create powerful work that impacted all who were able to experience it.”
Study social work at Bethel.
Bethel’s Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (B.S.W.) program prepares students to work compassionately with clients to understand their strengths, assess their needs, and provide intervention and resources. But at Bethel, training goes beyond just meeting physical needs. The program is built on a deeply-rooted Christian perspective that considers social justice, reconciliation, ethical practices, and human rights—honoring the dignity and worth of all persons.