Dr. Jennifer Frank is an associate professor and the BASW program director in the Millersville University School of Social Work. Jennifer holds a PhD in Social Work from the Bryn Mawr College Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. Her dissertation was a qualitative study entitled "Making it work: Small town system building in homelessness services."  Her research, teaching, and practice interests are in poverty and homelessness. In 2022, Dr. Jennifer Frank was named Social Work Educator of the Year by NASW of Pennsylvania.  Further, in the Fall of 2023 she received an EPPIIC Award for her commitment to public mission, as demonstrated by her community work.

Dr. Frank is a licensed social worker in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Dr. Frank has extensive practice experience in the areas of poverty and homelessness. At the micro level, she has worked extensively with individuals experiencing homelessness in a variety of programs. At the mezzo and macro levels, she has worked in program development/implementation, program/staff supervision, as well as community work. Dr. Frank has a strong interest in homelessness and poverty and the lived experiences of marginalized populations.

Dr. Frank loves conducting and writing about research. Her research agenda includes inquiry around human connection, perceptions of poverty and homelessness, basic needs, as well as policy and advocacy.

In 2015, she began collaborative project, called Bridging the Gap Together, which started as an experiential learning event involving the development of social connections between students and participants in a local anti-poverty organization, has developed into a letter-writing project to address social isolation.  This project continued for almost a decade and produced a number of subsequent research studies and publications. She has presented her work on social isolation with Dr. Granruth on our local NPR program, Smart Talk.  In 2022, they received a PASSHE grant to implement a letter writing project between MSW students and individuals from local agencies that address poverty. The project, Stepping Stones, demonstrated a decrease in loneliness among letter writers and produced a recent publication, “Please Mr. Postman:” Exploring the Use of Letter Writing to Address Loneliness in the Journal of Evidenced-Based Social Work.

Dr. Frank is currently researching the needs and perceptions of unsheltered homelessness in Lancaster. Recently, she published a report called People & Places: Community need and the use of public space in Binns Park, with the findings of this study, which was referenced in the Lancaster Newspapers several times. Based on her research finding that those with the closest relationships with individuals experiencing homelessness have a “people” rather than a “place” as their primary focus, she established the Grassroots Advocacy Circle.  The Grassroots Advocacy Circle is a small group of community partners who collaborate on “people-focused” community advocacy regarding homelessness and the needs of our unsheltered neighbors.

In September of 2024, she was invited to provide expert testimony at a PA State Democratic Policy Committee hearing regarding the Grants Pass Decision of the Supreme Court which makes it illegal to sleep outside even when no shelter beds are available. Additionally, she was a panelist on the 2024 Policy Advocacy Webinar about this important topic regarding the criminalization of homelessness. Dr. Frank is working with Drs. Amanda Aykanian and Karin Eyrich-Garg on studies about student perceptions of homelessness and poverty as well as the workforce needs of those in homelessness services. Initial findings of the National Homelessness Workforce Study are available here. Most recently, Dr. Frank is collaborating with Lancaster General Hospital Street Medicine team to design and implement a study to explore the barriers and utilization patterns of unsheltered homeless individuals and medical care.

Dr. Frank is also working on a qualitative study of rural charitable food resources in Lancaster County. This study hopes to better understand disparate philosophies of charitable food resources which create barriers to access.  Similarly, Dr. Frank has worked with the Central PA Food Bank in designing and implementing a study of the ways in which unsheltered individuals access charitable food in Harrisburg.

Dr. Frank enjoys teaching across the curriculum. In the classroom, Dr. Frank enjoys creating an atmosphere of intense dialogue around pertinent and controversial issues of social welfare.  A proponent of social justice, she seeks to engage students in broad thinking around issues at the macro level to create an environment conducive to social action and change.   She created the school’s FYEX 100 course, Be the Change!, an elective about Poverty called SOWK 317 Perceptions of Poverty in the United States, and a revamp of the course SOWK 201 Social Welfare Policy and Economics.  Dr. Frank developed an MSW elective about homelessness in the United States called: From Hobohemia to Housing First: A Critical Reflection of Homelessness in the United States, which was highlighted by the National Center for Excellence in Homelessness Services.

Dr. Frank is active in the local community. She is an integral board member of The Loft Community Partnership, a grassroots collaborative that seeks to attend to poverty and food insecurity within the Penn Manor School District.  She is a former board member of the HUB which operates the Campus Cupboard, a food pantry for college students and the Campus Closet, a clothing resource for college students. Dr. Frank also serves as the faculty liaison the Food Recovery Network, a student club that seeks to attend to student hunger and eliminate food waste. Dr. Frank is a member of the Hunger Free Campus Task Force, which secured a $40,000 grant to help support the work of the HUB and eliminating food insecurity on our campus.  Additionally, she is a member of the Family Friendly Campus Task Force, that seeks to support student parents.

Dr. Frank is concerned with local issues of housing and poverty. She is a member of Put People First, PA, a local social advocacy coalition, and the Poor People’s Campaign.  Dr. Frank is a member of the Legislative Working Group on Homelessness, with Representative Smith-Wade-El’s Office and a member of HEAL-PA and the Poverty Reduction Action Team.

Recent Articles in Refereed Journals

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L.B., Girvin, H., Glazier, M., Leffler, B., Preibisch, R. & Watson, D. (2024). Stepping Stones: Using letter writing to build human connection, Relational Social Work, 2(2. 8 (2), 21-41), https://rsw.erickson.international/archivio/vol-n-9/02_frank_rsw_2-24/

Eyrich-Garg, K., Frank, J.M., Aykanian, A., Clemmons, V. (2024). Do you know where your students are? Uncovering bias about poverty and homelessness among social work students, Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 16-35,  https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2024.2433784

Frank, J.M. (2023). “A Foot in Both Worlds”: Overcoming barriers to systemization between secular and sectarian organizations in homelessness services, Social Work & Christianity. 50(4), https://swc.nacsw.org/index.php/SWC/article/view/322

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L.B., Preibisch, R., Watson, D., Leffler, B., & Glazier, M. (2023). “Please Mr. Postman:” Exploring the use of letter writing to address loneliness, Journal of Evidenced-Based Social Work, https://doi.org/10.1080/26408066.2023.2189894

Frank, J.M., Brierton Granruth, L., Rice, K., Walsh, K., & Watson, D. (2023). Professional socialization of social work students: addressing poverty perceptions with targeted curricula, Social Work Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2023.2179032

Frank, J.M., Rice, K., & Thomas, C. (2022). Beyond Academics: Assessing and understanding the food, housing and wellbeing needs of college students, Journal of Poverty. https://doi.org/10.1080/10875549.2022.2113592

Frank, J.M., Rice, K., & Granruth, L.B. (2022) “In someone else’s shoes:” Utilizing Reflection to Challenge Poverty Attitudes and Develop Critical Consciousness, The International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 19(3), 37-59, https://doi.org/10.55521/10-019-305

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L.B., Ogongi, W., & Nyce, K. (2022). Joining the conversation: Using technology to enhance policy practice, Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 42(1), 15-30, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08841233.2021.2010262?journalCode=wtsw20

Watson, D., Frank, J.M., & Graeff, J. (2022). “Two Sides of the Same Coin”: Homelessness as Environmental Injustice, Engage for Change Journal, https://issuu.com/revieweditor/docs/8402_libr_engage_for_change_journal_final_single/2

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L.B., Leffler, B., Preibisch, R. & Watson, D., Girvin, H., Glazier, M. (2021). Attuning to Need: Reconceptualizing “help” in poor rural communities, Journal of Contemporary Rural Social Work 13(1), 1-20, https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/crsw/vol13/iss1/5/

Frank, J.M. & Baumohl, J. (2021) “Making it Work”: Accommodation and Resistance to Federal policy in a homelessness continuum of care, Social Service Review, 95(3), 369-412. https://doi.org/10.1086/715928

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L.B., Girvin, H., & Leffler, B. (2021). Paper Trails: Using letter writing to understand social isolation and poverty in a rural community, Journal of Social Work, https://doi.org/10.1177/14680173211010399

Frank, J.M., Girvin, H., Granruth, L.B. & Leffler, B. (2020). Dinner Together: Using Experiential Learning to Build Human Connections in a Social Service Setting, Journal of Community Practice, 28(3),245-253. https://doi.org/10.1080/10705422.2020.1798834

Frank, J.M., Girvin, H., Granruth, L.B., & Van Buskirk, A. (2019) Bridging the Gap Together: Utilizing Experiential Pedagogy to teach Poverty and Empathy, Journal of Social Work Education, 56(4), 779-792. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2019.1661904

Frank, J.M., & Rice, K. (2017). Perceptions of poverty in America: using social empathy to reframe students’ attitudes, Social Work Education, 36(4), 391-402. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2017.1287261

Recent Reports and Proposals

Frank, J.M., Glazier, M., Graeff, J., Preibisch, R., & Watson, D. (2023). People and Places: Community need and the use of public space in Binns Park final report prepared on behalf of the Center for Public Scholarship and Social Change. https://www.millersville.edu/collegecenters/files/community-report-people-and-places-april-2023.pdf

Frank, J.M., Glazier, M., Graeff, J., Watson, D., & Leffler, B. (October, 2021). Hettie’s Hope Chest Program Evaluation. Program evaluation final report prepared for Hettie’s Hope Chest on behalf of the Center for Public Scholarship and Social Change.

Granruth, L.B., Frank, J.M., & Thomas, C. (February, 2020). Housing Development Corporation 2019 Resident Survey Analysis. Program evaluation final report prepared for the Housing Development Corporation on behalf of the Center for Public Scholarship and Social Change. https://www.millersville.edu/ccerp/files/reports/hdc-2019-residents-survey-analysis.pdf

Granruth, L.B., Frank, J.M., & Thomas, C. (June, 2019). The Road Home Training Initiative: Qualitative Program Evaluation.  Program evaluation final report prepared for the Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment Authority on behalf of the Center for Public Scholarship and Social Change. https://www.millersville.edu/ccerp/files/road-home-final-report-with-corrected-references.pdf

Recent Refereed Presentations

Local

Graeff, J., Frank, J.M., & Kloehr, A. How the Loft LEADs: Leveraging Education; Addressing Disparity: Poverty Education for Volunteer-Led Organizations.  Presented at the United Way Capacity Building Summit, February 9, 2024.

State

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L.B., & Watson, D. Stepping Stones: Using letter writing to address loneliness and social isolation, presented at the NASW-PA Annual Meeting, Pocono Mountain, PA, October 2022.

Frank, J.M., Watson, D., & Graeff, J. People & Places: A qualitative case student of unsheltered homelessness and the use of public space, presented at the NASW-PA Annual Meeting, Pocono Mountain, PA, October 2022.

Frank, J.M. , Granruth, L.B., Watson, D., & Graeff, J. Experiential learning and andragogy: Strategies to enhance community based research through collaboration with MSW students, presented at the NASW-PA Annual Meeting, Pocono Mountain, PA, October 2022.

Frank, J.M. & Granruth, L.B., Girvin, H., Glazier, M., Leffler, B., Preibisch, R., & Watson, D. Sharing Stories: Using creative letter writing to address social isolation, to be presented at the NASW-PA Annual Conference, online, October 2021. 

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L.B., Leffler, B., & Girvin, H. Paper Trails: Letter writing to create connections, diminish social isolation, and build empathy, presented at the NASW-PA Annual Conference, Pocono Mountain, PA, September 2019.

Frank, J.M. Creating Community as a Strategy to End Poverty, presented at the NASW-PA Annual Conference, Pocono Mountain, PA, September 2019.

National

Frank, J.M., Watson, D., & Preibisch, R. The Dehumanizing Trajectory of Hyperprofessionalism in Social work, presented at the Eastern Sociological Society Annual Conference, Washington D.C., February 2024.

Preibisch, R., Frank, J.M., & Watson, D., People & Places: Building a Community Response to Attend to Unsheltered Homelessness, presented at the Eastern Sociological Society Annual Conference, Washington D.C., February 2024.

Frank, J.M. (presenter), Watson, D. & Preibish, R. (contributors). People & Places: Community Need, Unsheltered Homelessness, and the Use of Public Space, presented at the 69^th Annual Program Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education, Atlanta, GA, October 2023.

Frank, J.M. (presenter). “Ready, Set, Go!”: Innovative Strategies to Promote Student Engagement in Policy Advocacy, presented at the 69^th Annual Program Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education, Atlanta, GA, October 2023.

Eyrich-Garg, K. & Clemmons, V. (presenters). Aykanian, A. & Frank, J.M. (contributors). Social Work Students’ Stigmatizing Attitudes Toward People who are Homeless or Living in Poverty, presented at the 69^th Annual Program Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education, Atlanta, GA, October 2023.

Rice, K., Girvin, H., Granruth, L., Foels, L., Strohman, H. (panelists), Buckwalter, B., DeJesus, B., Frank, J. M. & Parry, J. (contributors). Student Success Begins with Equity-Minded, Student-Centered Assessment, presented at the 69^th Annual Program Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education, Atlanta, GA, October 2023.

Frank, J.M., Preibisch, R., Watson, D., & Glazier, M., Stepping Stones: Using letter writing to enhance human connection and address loneliness, presented at the Eastern Sociological Society Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD, February 2023.

Frank, J.M., Watson, D., Preibisch, R., Graeff, J., & Glazier, M., People & Places: Exploring the complexities of unsheltered homelessness in a local community, presented at the Eastern Sociological Society Annual Conference, Baltimore, MD, February 2023.

 Frank, J.M. & Granruth, L.B., Stepping Stones: Using letter writing to support human connections, presented at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Meeting, California, November 2022.  (Contributors: Girvin, H., Glazier, M., Leffler, B., Preibisch, R., & Watson, D.)

Frank, J.M. & Granruth, L.B. More than a Zoom Room: Creating connection in a time of social distance, presented at the Social Work Distance Education Conference, April 2022.

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L.B., Girvin, H., Glazier, M., Leffler, B., Preibisch, R., & Watson, D. Attuning to Need: Conceptualizing need and services in rural communities, presented at the Eastern Sociology Society Annual Conference, Boston, MA, March 2022. 

Frank, J.M. Making it Work: Accommodation and resistance to federal policy in a homelessness continuum of care, presented at the Eastern Sociology Society Annual Conference, Boston, MA, March 2022. 

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L.B., & Ogongi, W. Joining the conversation: Using technology to enhance student engagement in policy practice, presented at the International Social Policy Conference, online, June 2021.

Frank, J.M., Girvin, H., Leffler, B. Paper Trails: Using Correspondence to create authentic community connections, presented at the Eastern Sociological Society’s Annual Conference, Philadelphia, PA, February 2020.

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L.B., & Ogongi, W. Joining the Conversations: Using Technology to Enhance Engagement in Policy Practice, presented at the Council on Social Work Education’s Annual Program Meeting, Denver, CO, October 2019.

International

Frank, J. & Watson, D. Stepping Stones: The use of letter writing groupwork to address loneliness and social isolation, presented at the International Association of Social Work Groups Annual Conference, Madrid, Spain, June 2024.

Frank, J. & Watson, D. Food Justice: An Exploration of Charitable Food Networks in a Rural Area (poster), presented at the International Association of Social Work Groups Annual Conference, Madrid, Spain, June 2024.

Frank, J. & Watson, D. People & Places: Positionality and Difference Among Groups of Community Stakeholders in Homelessness Services, presented at the International Association of Social Work Groups Annual Conference, Madrid, Spain, June 2024.

Frank, J.M., Preibisch, R., & Watson, D., People & Places: Exploring the complexities of unsheltered homelessness in a local community, presented at the Global Awareness Society International Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV, May 2023.

Frank, J.M. & Watson, D., Exploring access, barriers and connectedness of charitable food networks in a Pennsylvania county, presented at the Global Awareness Society International Annual Conference, Las Vegas, NV, May 2023.

Watson, D., Frank, J.M., Graeff, J. “Two Sides of the Same Coin: Homelessness as Environmental Injustice,” presented at the 10th Annual Global Well-Being and Social Change Conference, Lancaster, PA, April 2023.

Frank, J.M., “A Foot in Both Worlds”: Overcoming barriers to systemization between secular and sectarian organizations in homelessness services, presented at the Society for Social Work and Research Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ, January 2023 (accepted and scheduled for 1/15/23).

Rice, K., Osman, R., Hidalgo-Ahmed, C., Abdullah, N., McLaughlin, K., Frank, J., Jackson, S., & Seighworth, G. Ubuntu Leaders Fellows Program: Addressing the Global Goals through Community Based Projects, presented at the Global Awareness Society Annual Conference, Salamanca, Spain, May 2022.

Frank, J.M. Granruth, L.B., & Leffler, B. No internet required: Enhancing wellbeing in poor communities through letter writing, presented at the Global Awareness Society Annual Conference, Salamanca, Spain, May 2022.

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L.B., Girvin, H., Glazier, M., Leffler, B., and Preibisch, R. Using Letter Writing as a Research Methodology: Addressing Social Isolation in a Time of Social Distance, submitted to the 8^th Annual Global Well-Being and Social Change Conference, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, April 2021.

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L.B., Rice, K., Walsh, K., and Watson, D. “In someone else’s shoes”: Exploring the role of targeted, narrative-based, social work curricula to address poverty perceptions, submitted to the 8^th Annual Global Well-Being and Social Change Conference, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, April 2021.

Frank, J.M. & Girvin, H. Rediscovering Our Roots: Calling for a Return to Grassroots Poverty Work, presented at the 70^th Annual Convention of the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, Washington D.C., November 6, 2020.

Frank, J.M., Rice, K., Granruth, L.B., Gomez, A., Thomas, C. Addressing the Wellbeing Needs of Millersville University Students, presented at the 7^th Annual Global Well-Being and Social Change Conference, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, April 2020.

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L.B., Girvin, H., Leffler, B. Paper Trails: Using Correspondence to Create Authentic Community Connections and Attend to Social Isolation in a Rural Area, presented at the 7^th Annual Global Well-Being and Social Change Conference, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, April 2020.

Frank, J.M., Granruth, L., & Girvin, H. Paper Trails: Letter Writing to Create Connections, Diminish Social Isolation, and Build Empathy.  Presented at the 6^th Annual Global Well-Being and Social Change Conference, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, April 24-26, 2019.

Frank, J.M., Rice, K., Myers, B., & Feeser, L. Beyond Academics: Exploring the Food, Housing, and Wellbeing Needs of College Students.  Presented at the 6^th Annual Global Well-Being and Social Change Conference, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, April 24-26, 2019.

Recent Invited Presentations & Public Speaking

Frank, J.M. Learning Institute Webinar Panelist: Sleeping in Public September 18, 2024.

Frank, J.M. Serving the Homeless in the Wake of the Grants Pass Ruling, Democratic Policy Committee Hearing, Invited Expert Testimony, September 13, 2024 (Written testimony).

Frank, J. Issues in Affordable Housing, Presented by invitation to present to the Parish Resource Center, Lancaster, PA, May 2024

Graeff, J., & Frank, J.M. 717 Food Recovery Program.  Presented by invitation at the United Way Level Up and Launch Event, S. Dale High Leadership Center, Lancaster, PA, February 28, 2024.

Frank, J.M., Glazier, M., Graeff, J., Preibisch, R., & Watson, D. (2023). People and Places: Exploring the Complexities of Unsheltered Homelessness in a Local Community: Community Follow Up Discussion, Millersville, PA, June, 5, 2023.

Frank, J.M. (2023). Addressing Hunger in K-12 Settings. Moderated a panel discussion for the Zero Hunger – Fighting Food Insecurity Regionally Conference, Lancaster, PA, May 18, 2023.

Frank, J.M., Glazier, M., Graeff, J., Preibisch, R., & Watson, D. (2023). People and Places: Community need and the use of public space in Binns Park final report prepared on behalf of the Center for Public Scholarship and Social Change and presented to community partners, Millersville, PA, April 25, 2023.

Frank, J.M. Home is Here: Future of Affordable Housing. Invited panel speaker for the Global Shapers HUB, Lancaster, PA, July 9, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkzL8LpXVwc

Frank, J.M. & Leffler, B. Social isolation in rural areas: Exploring the use of letter writing to enhance human connections.  Lecture presented at the 1^st annual Social Justice Symposium of NASW-PA, February 2021.

Frank, J. & Granruth, L.B. Paper Trails: Letter writing as a research method. Presented at the Invited Roundtable of the 4^th Annual Conference on Poverty and Education, Millersville, PA, November 20, 2020

Frank, J.M. Access to Employment. Moderated a panel discussion for the Policy Advocacy Webinar Series for the Learning Institute, via Webinar, November 18, 2020.

Frank, J.M. and Granruth, L. Human Connection and Social Isolation. Lecture presented at the Inclusion Café of Shippensburg University School of Social Work, November 5, 2020.

Frank, J.M. and Granruth, L. Paper Trails and Social Isolation in Rural Areas. Live audio broadcast, presented on Smart Talk with Scott Lamar (NPR/WITF), on October 14, 2020.

Frank, J.M. Creating community as a strategy to address rural poverty: Implementation of a three-part framework. Presented by invitation for the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, via Webinar, April 27, 2020.

Frank, J.M. & Granruth, L. Paper Trails and Bridging the Gap Together: Decreasing the Social Distance Between Groups. Presented at the Invited Roundtable of the 3^rd Annual Conference on Poverty and Education, Millersville, PA, November 15, 2019.

Recent Grants & Funding

United Way Level Up & Launch Grant. To support the Loft Community Partnership, Lancaster, PA, May 2023.  Awarded: $30,000. (Assisted in proposal preparation).

Hunger Free Campus Initiative Grant Program. Proposal submitted by the MU Hunger Free Task Force November 2022.  Awarded: $40,000.

Community Aid Foundation: The Loft Community Partnership. Awarded: $25,000. (Assisted in proposal preparation).

Central Pennsylvania Food Bank Bold Goal Grant. The HUB Millersville/Campus Cupboard Location Project. Awarded: $25,000

Center for Public Scholarship and Social Change Community Engagement Grant.  Feeding the Poor: Exploring the Nature of Disconnection Among Charitable Food Resources in Rural Areas, April 2022. Awarded: $1800

Center for Public Scholarship and Social Change Community Engagement Grant.  People & Places: Finding sustainable and human rights-oriented approaches to Homelessness in Lancaster, June 2021. Awarded: $2000

PASSHE Faculty Professional Development Council Annual Grant Program (FPDC). Stepping Stones Pen Pal Project: Cultivating Human Connection to Address Social Isolation, April 2021. Awarded: $8000.

Compass Mark/Lancaster County Drug and Alcohol Commission Prevention Mini-Grant. Loft Community Partnership Case Management Pilot Program, December 2020.  Awarded: $7000.

Compass Mark/Lancaster County Drug and Alcohol Commission Prevention Mini-Grant. Enhancement of Community Resources through Connection and Collaboration (submitted with the Bridges Community Partnership), November 2019.  Awarded: $10,000.

Center for Public Scholarship and Social Change Community Engagement Grant.  Living the Best Life Possible—program evaluation for Housing Development Corporation (submitted with Dr. Laura Brierton Granruth), July 2019. Awarded: $2000

Center for Public Scholarship and Social Change Community Engagement Grant.  Healthy, Fresh, and Sustainable—community garden partnership with the Campus Cupboard (submitted with Dr. Laura Brierton Granruth, Dr. Karen Rice, and Christopher Thomas), July 2019. Awarded: $1835

Recent Awards

Millersville University EPPIIC Value Award for 2023: Awarded for Public Mission, President’s State of the Ville Address, September, 20223. https://www.millersville.edu/about/eppiic-values/eva/nominees.php

Pennsylvania Social Work Educator of the Year for 2022

Keystone Awards: Awarded by National Association of Social Workers-PA, October

2022

Recent Media Coverage & Honors

 

•  9/2024 One United Lancaster on Grants Pass Policy Hearing

 

•  9/2024 Lancaster Newspapers article about the Democratic Committee Policy

Hearing on the Grants Pass Decision where Dr. Jennifer Frank shared expert testimony

 

•  8/2024 Millersville University Blog about Grants Pass court case Follow Up

 

• 7/2024 Lancaster Newspapers Editorial

 

• 9/2023 Article in LNP quoting me in regard to homelessness in Lancaster  

and the associated challenges. References our People & Places Report. https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/lancaster-police-navigate-fine-line-in-dealing-with-homeless-others-in-public-spaces/article_16f3e056-4908-11ee-948a-bf35c8d721fb.html

 

• 9/2023 Article quoting me in regard to homelessness issue in Lancaster

County, nothing that no everyone is homeless who gathers in particular areas.  Reference to our People & Places Report. https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/solutions-in-place-to-help-people-in-need-though-not-everyone-on-the-streets-is/article_3ab2c478-477b-11ee-acd5-4b997743fa6c.html

 

• 9/2023 Article quoting me in regard to homelessness numbers in Lancaster

County. Reference to our People & Places Report. https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/2023-data-shows-homelessness-is-growing-in-lancaster-county-as-resources-get-tighter/article_e6e78280-4779-11ee-8322-97e9ae2462a1.html

 

• 5/2023 Article in the MU Blog about the release of the People & Places

Community Report on behalf of the Center for Public Scholarship and

Social Change, https://blogs.millersville.edu/news/2023/06/20/faculty-students-research-unhoused-people-in-lancaster-park/

 

• 1/2023 Article in the MU Blog about being named PA SOWK Educator of the

Year, https://blogs.millersville.edu/news/2023/01/04/dr-jennifer-frank-named-social-work-educator-of-the-year/

 

• 1/2023 Article in the Lancaster Newspapers about being named PA SOWK

Educator of the Year, https://lancasteronline.com/opinion/editorials/this-weeks-good-things-lancasters-lego-master-statewide-honor-for-educator-and-elizabethtowns-bowling-standout/article_f74775d8-9854-11ed-bf62-fb0498005716.html

 

• 2/2022 Article in the Lancaster Newspapers about the Stepping Stones Pen Pal

Project, ‘It’s like we have another friend in the house,’: MU Social Work

students study isolation with pen pal project, https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/it-s-like-we-have-another-friend-in-the-house-mu-social-work-students-study/article_28427594-9689-11ec-b18a-afbf18906b6f.html

 

• 9/2021 Article in the Advertiser about Loft Community Partnership Open House,

Opening Doors and Making Connections at the Loft, https://www.townlively.com/opening-doors-and-making-connections-at-the-loft/

 

• 8/2021 Article in the Advertiser about the Loft Community Partnership, Serving

Locals at Loft Community Partnership, https://www.townlively.com/serving-locals-at-loft-community-partnership/

 

• 8/2021 Article in the Advertiser about the Loft Community Partnership COVID-

19 Vaccination Clinic, Covid-19 Vaccination Clinic Planned, https://www.townlively.com/covid-19-vaccination-clinic-planned/

 

• 8/2021 National Center for Excellence in Homeless Services published a blog

about the development of a social work course on homelessness. https://nationalcenterforexcellenceinhomelessservices.wordpress.com/blog/

• 7/2021 Participated as an expert on affordable housing at the Global Shapers Hub

Event Home is Here: The Future of Affordable Housing on July 9, 2021.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkzL8LpXVwc

 

• 10/2020 Presented research findings about social isolation in an on-air interview

on Smart Talk with Scott Lamar on WITF/NPR on October 14, 2020.

https://www.witf.org/2020/10/13/smart-talk-wednesday-night-social-isolations-damaging-impact-and-the-surprising-importance-of-vitamin-d/

 

• 10/2020 Article in the Advertiser about the HUB at Millersville, food insecurity on

campus, and the roll out of our Breakfast Club. https://www.townlively.com/partnership-meets-mu-student-needs/

 

• 7/2020 Article in the Advertiser about the new location of the Loft Community

Partnership (formerly Bridges) and new 501c3 status of the organization. https://www.townlively.com/district-support-hub-finds-a-new-home/

 

• 11/2019 Co-coordinated a visit and round table discussion with MU students on

food insecurity and wellbeing at the Campus Cupboard with the Secretary

of the Department of Health and Human Services, Ms. Teresa Miller. https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/DHS_details.aspx?newsid=457

 

• 10/2019 Highlighted by Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) for Bridging the

Gap Together Project: https://www.millersville.edu/cae/other-pages/ips-october19.php

 

• 7/2019 Article in the Advertiser about the Bridges Community Partnership and

the breakfast event for September. https://www.townlively.com/breakfast-will-bring-helpers-together-to-meet-community-needs/

 Courses taught include: 

• FYEX 100 Be the Change!
• UNIV 103 The Professional Social Workers as a Social Justice Advocate
• SOWK 102 Modern Social Welfare Dilemmas
• SOWK 201 Social Welfare Policy & Economics
• SOWK 301 Social Work Practice I
• SOWK 317 Perspectives on Poverty in the United States
• SOWK 322 Writing for Social Work Practice
• SOWK 323 Human Behavior and the Social Environment II
• SOWK 403 Social Work Practice III
• SOWK 401-402 BSW Field Seminar
• SOWK 515 Foundation Social Welfare Policy
• SOWK 521 Foundation Social Work Macro Practice
• SOWK 525 Foundation Research Methods
• SOWK 530-531 Foundation Field Seminar
• SOWK 621 Advanced Macro Practice
• SOWK 624 From Hobohemia to Housing First: A Critical Reflection of Homelessness in the United States
• SOWK 774-775-777: Comprehensive Seminar