The newly constituted Student Advisory Board will formalize social work doctoral students’ engagement with the Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE) and will bring their voice more directly into its activities.
October 10, 2023: GADE is pleased to announce the launch of its Student Advisory Board (SAB). The 10-member board comprises PhD and DSW students from member institutions. The SAB will advance GADE’s mission by joining the Board of Directors in developing initiatives that are responsive to student interests and concerns.
“Congratulations to the ten members of our inaugural Student Advisory Board,” said GADE President Dr. Denise Burnette. “We are delighted to welcome these stellar student leaders, who bring a wealth of experience to our work as an organization. They will provide an important student perspective on social work doctoral education.”
In response to student interest, the GADE Board of Directors appointed a task force to explore how to strengthen doctoral student engagement with the organization. The task force recommended the creation of a Student Advisory Board to enable student leaders to share ideas and concerns with the Board of Directors and to participate in planning and carrying out activities with a student focus.
The Board of Directors will appoint SAB members to a two-year term. The current SAB has selected its leadership team; we extend our warmest congratulations to co-chairs Alice Fischer and Javier Segovia and to Amee Ramsey, who will serve as secretary.
GADE’s mission is to “promote excellence and equity in social work doctoral education through networking, capacity building, and stewardship of the profession.” This inaugural SAB is a fantastic group of doctoral students who are ready to bring their ideas and energy to support this mission and to enhance the education of all social work doctoral students,” said SAB Faculty Advisor Dr. Tova Walsh (University of Wisconsin- Madison). “The Board of Directors looks forward to listening and learning from the ideas and perspectives they bring forward.”
Student Advisory Board members began their terms June 1, 2023. The members are:
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Alice Fischer, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
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Javier Segovia, Our Lady of the Lake University
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Amee Ramsey, Spalding University
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Christopher Essem Baidoo, Boston College
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Irene Routté, University of Michigan
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Kennesha Smith, Louisiana State University
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Quinn Hafen, Colorado State University
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Cherra Mathis, Arizona State University
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Gabriela (Gaby) Mohr, University of Houston
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Durrell Washington, The University of Chicago
Dr. Burnette added, “On behalf of the board, I want to express our deep gratitude to Drs. Lawrence Farmer (Fordham University), Julia Henly (The University of Chicago), and Anne Williford (Colorado State University) for their steadfast commitment and hard work in developing the Student Advisory Board. We appreciate their service on the Board of Directors and their advocacy for meaningful student engagement in GADE.”
To learn more about the GADE Student Advisory Board of Directors, please visit gadesocialwork.org
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The Group for the Advancement of Doctoral Education in Social Work (GADE) is an organization of more than 100 social work doctoral program directors from member institutions. Founded in 1977, our mission is to promote excellence and equity in social work doctoral education through networking, capacity building, and stewardship of the profession. Toward that end, members share knowledge and resources that support innovation and excellence in doctoral education for developing and existing programs; promote the development of doctoral students in all their diversity and publicly recognize their achievements and contributions to the profession; and represent and promote the interests and concerns of social work and social welfare doctoral programs in the larger profession. Since 1992, GADE has strived to codify and unify these goals and principles in its Quality Guidelines for PhD Programs in Social Work. gadesocialwork.org