2024 Staff & Faculty Awards
Author(s)
GSSW
Communication Team
Social work staff and faculty are honored for exceptional teaching, scholarship and service
University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) staff and faculty live the school’s mission to advance justice through social work education, research and practice. This year, the school has recognized several staff and faculty members for their outstanding contributions to social work education and research:
Staff Appreciation Award
Grants and Projects Administrator Patty Schroeder
Grants and Projects Administrator Patty Schroeder has served the University for nearly 20 years. In her role, she works closely with faculty on securing and administering grants. “She brings tremendous leadership, dedication, detail and the highest quality work to these efforts,” said Professor and outgoing Interim Dean Lisa Reyes Mason at the May 29 award ceremony. “Faculty, staff and students who have worked firsthand with Patty know how invaluable she has been to GSSW over the years.”
Staff Appreciation Award
MSW & PhD Program Coordinator Freyja Hofler
Freyja Hofler joined GSSW two years ago as the MSW and PhD program coordinator, and according to Reyes Mason, they have gone above and beyond in supporting the school’s culture and climate, especially through the intersection of art and wellness. A higher education doctoral student in the Morgridge College of Education, Hofler created GSSW’s Art Pod; carried out a 4D grant and project that integrated art, identity and wellness; and has regularly shared ideas for improved workplace practices at GSSW and in higher education.
Award for Excellence in Teaching — Adjunct Faculty
Adjunct Instructor Laura Heitman
Adjunct Instructor Laura Heitman was nominated by students, who described her as an “outstanding educator and human being,” someone who “I aspire and dream to be in my future career” and as a professor who “incorporates compassion, intentionality and curiosity into the classroom in a manner I’ve never experienced before.” According to another student, Heitman “curates space for meaningful and honest discussion by incorporating joy, authenticity and connection.”
Award for Excellence in Teaching — Appointed Faculty
Associate Professor Anamika Barman Adhikari
Students nominated Associate Professor Anamika Barman Adhikari for being “an amazing teacher and scholar” who empowers students via her teaching. One student shared that Barman Adhikari “taught in one of the most engaging ways I have ever experienced and consistently took the time to check in and follow up with each of us.”
Award for Excellence in Mentoring Doctoral Students
Associate Professor Miriam Valdovinos
Associate Professor Miriam Valdovinos was nominated by students as an “excellent mentor who embodies her praxis.” One student said Valdovinos was “such a good role model in how dedicated she is to her work but also how she maintains her integrity of life and living as a full human being.” Another said, “She went above and beyond by mentoring me on the importance of self-care, boundaries and warm professionalism … more mentors like Dr. Valdovinos are needed in academic spaces.”
Clinical Master Teacher Award
Clinical Associate Professor Kerry Causey
GSSW alumni established the Clinical Master Teacher Award in 2019 to recognize faculty whose teaching and training impacts the careers of future clinicians and mental health practitioners. Clinical Associate Professor Kerry Causey is recognized for being a dedicated teacher of cognitive behavioral therapy, trauma-informed practice and social work leadership. According to Reyes Mason, “She shows up with great care and intentionality in the classroom and has dedicated herself to training our online students — from all around the country — with passion and great commitment.”
Jeffrey Jenson Endowed Annual Research Award
Associate Professor Amy He
Philip and Eleanor Winn Endowed Professor Emeritus Jeffrey Jenson established the Endowed Annual Research Award to recognize a tenure-line or research faculty member whose research has impacted a social issue of importance to the field. Reyes Mason noted that Associate Professor Amy He has made unique and significant contributions in the areas of child welfare and workplace burnout and weaves public impact throughout her scholarship and into her integration of research and teaching. “Her focus on storytelling and lived experiences have had tremendous impact on these fields and the well-being of workers.”
Kay M. Stevenson Faculty Citizenship Award
Professor of the Practice Stephanie George
The Kay M. Stevenson Faculty Citizenship Award is given annually to recognize outstanding service to the school by an appointed faculty member. This year’s recipient is Professor of the Practice and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Stephanie George. Reyes Mason stated that for four years, George led GSSW’s MSW@Denver online MSW program “tirelessly, with tremendous care, attention and dedication to our online students and their learning and educational experience.” George became the associate dean a year ago and is leading the rollout of the school’s transition from concentrations to pathways while also working toward GSSW’s next accreditation reaffirmation.
