DSW Graduates
2023
Dr. Aliesha Y. Clark
A Megaphone for Black Mothers: Exploring Factors that Shape the Content and Style of Black Parenting
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Heather Girvin Dissertation Committee Members: Drs. Bertha Saldana-DeJesus & Wanja Ogongi
Dr. Hilary Cobb
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Laura Brierton Granruth Dissertation Committee Members: Drs. Oliver Dreon & A. Nicole Pffannestiel
Dr. Kelli Fox
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Karen Rice Dissertation Committee Members: Drs. Cayleigh Minter & Shelley Cohen Konrad
Dr. Michelle Palmieri
COVID-19 and Mental Health: Exploring the Impact of a Digital Application
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Karen Rice Dissertation Committee Members: Drs. Marc Felizzi & Eva Szigethy
Dr. Linda Timme
Social Workers' Perspectives of the Effectiveness of EMDR in Telehealth for PTSD Patients
Dissertation Chair: Drs. Bertha DeJesus & Karen Rice Dissertation Committee Members: Marcelle Giovannetti & Dr. Jessica Weiss-Ford
2022
Dr. Christina Helfrick
Champions for Teens Pilot Intervention: Increasing the Social Capital of Homeless Youth
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Karen Rice
Dissertation Committee Members: Drs. Ann Guadino & Jennifer Frank
Dr. Solomon Hill
What are Students' Perceptions of Online Social Work Education, Specifically MSW Programs?
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Karen Rice
Dissertation Committee Members: Drs. Leonora Foels & Steve Stoeffler
Dr. Erica Maloney
It's Complicated: Exploring Labor Union Attitudes, Experiences, and Perceptions Among Social Workers
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Jennifer Frank
Dissertation Committee Members: Drs. Laura Brierton Granruth & Pamela Twiss
Dr. Bridgette Montgomery
Digital Immigrants Raising Digital Natives Perception of Social Media's Influence on Youth's Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Development
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Karen Rice Dissertation Committee Members: Drs. Andrew Bland, Bertha Saldana DeJesus, and Mary Glazier
Dr. Janice Nuss
The Impact of Global Learning on Social Work Student Values
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Karen Rice
Dissertation Committee Members: Drs. Wanja Ogongi & Jason Petula
Dr. Carrie Snyder
#Say the Word: Is Disability Included in Diversity Training for Social Work Educators?
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Laura Brierton Granruth
Dissertation Committee Members: Drs. Karen Rice & Thomas Neuville
Dr. Abigail Wilson
Social Workers and Child Welfare: Perceptions and Factors of Career Trajectory after Graduation
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Heather Girvin
Dissertation Committee Members: Drs. Karen Rice & Jennifer Frank
Dr. Shin Yun
Social Work Awareness of Hospice Referral Barriers in the Veterans Health Administration
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Curtis Proctor
Dissertation Committee Members: Drs. Joyous Bethel and Samuel Benbow
2021
Dr. Paula Ugochukwu Ude
Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders Among African Diaspora Living in the United States: Knowledge & Help-Seeking Behaviors
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Wanja Ogongi
Dissertation Committee Members: Drs. Juliana Svistova & Barth Yeboah
Dr. Gina Daniel
Family Secrets: Exploring Unexpected Paternity Through Direct-to-Consumer DNA Ancestry Tests
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Laura Brierton Granruth
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Karen Rice & Dr. Juliana Svistova
Dr. Amanda Musser
Social Work Leadership and the Needs of Pediatric Cancer Patients in Schools: Providing Education and Support to Teachers and Administration on the Front Line
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Heather Girvin
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Karen Rice & Dr. Laura Granruth
2020
Dr. Sylvia Bekele
Professional Identity Development in Graduate Level Social Work Students: An Efficacy Test of the Social Work Identity Workshop
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Karen Rice
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Wanja Ogongi & Dr. Barth Yeboah
Dr. Heidi Kimmel
Utilizing Trauma-informed Supervision to Address Compassion
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Marc Felizzi
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Heather Girvin & Dr. Karen Rice
Dr. Kevin Lally
The Relationship Between Disability, Psychological Distress, and Opioid Use
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Alex Redcay
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Marc Felizzi & Dr. Sharon Lyter
Dr. Bradley Schaffer
A Qualitative Study of Rural Veterans Treatment Court: Participant Lived Experiences and Perspectives
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Karen Rice
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Heather Girvin & Dr. Edward Hanna
Dr. Dee Stalnecker
Revisiting the Visiting Teacher: A Historical Analysis of School Social Work Identity
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Leonora Foels
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Lesley Colabucci (Early, Middle, & Exceptional Education) & Dr. Jennifer Frank & Dr. Karen Rice
2019
Dr. Micah Beaston
Perceptions Of The Impact Of Community School Model On Well-Being And Resilience Of Students: A Case Study Utilizing Photo Elicitation
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Karen Rice
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Heather Girvin & Dr. Tiffany Wright (Educational Foundations)
Dr. Amy L. Freeman
Complex Organizational Trauma: Development Of A Measurement Tool
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Alex Redcay
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. John Conahan (Kutztown University) & Dr. Marc Felizzi
Dr. Allison Gosch
Teacher And Administrator Perspectives Of School Climate In A Rural School District
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Marc Felizzi
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Laura B. Granruth & Dr. Wanja Ogongi
Dr. Tammy Hendrix
When Change Comes: Mixed Methods Exploration Of The Perceived Effect Of Permanency Roundtables On The Decision Making Ecology Of Pennsylvania Child Welfare Caseworkers
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Heather Girvin
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Karen Rice & Dr. Jennifer Frank
Dr. Tami J. Micsky
The Community Of Inquiry Framework And Distance Education In Social Work
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Leonora Foels
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Joyous Bethel & Dr. Curtis Proctor
Dr. Alexandria Patrick
Participant's Perceptions Of An Urban After-School Employment Program: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Marc Felizzi
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Heather Girvin & Dr. Julian Svistova (Kutztown University)
Dr. Amy Roth
Adventure-Based Experiential Learning Components Essential For Teaching Social Skills: A Systematic Review
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Leonora Foels
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Karen Rice & Dr. Joyous Bethel
2018
Dr. Bertha DeJesus
Does Experiential Training Received By Field Instructors Affect The Supervision Students Received In Field Settings?
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Karen Rice
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Jennifer Frank & Dr. Kathleen Walsh
Dr. Ling Dinse
Barriers To Exiting And Factors Contributing To The Cycle Of Enter/Exit/Re-entering Commercial Sex Work
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Karen Rice
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Marc Felizzi and Dr. Wanja Ogongi
Dr. Ethan L. Haymovitz
Minority Stress, Gender Nonconformity, And Disparities In Young Men's Mental Health
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Curtis Proctor
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Karen Rice & Dr. Heather Girvin
Dr. Pia K. Houseal-Allport
Making Meaning Of Place: Facilitating Ecological Place-Based Experiences With Youth
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Heather Girvin
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Marc Felizzi & Dr. Juliana Svistova (Kutztown University)
Dr. Meredith E. Moore
Vantage Points: Variables Which Influence Female Ascent To Veterans Administration Leadership
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Heather Girvin
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Marc Felizzi & Dr. Laura Granruth
Dr. Karen E. Polite
An Exploration Of Culture As An Agent Of African American Male Persistence At A Community College
Dissertation Chair: Dr. Karen Rice
Dissertation Committee Members: Dr. Leonora Foels & Dr. Kimberly Mahaffy (Sociology/Anthropology)