In 2025, federal funding and policy changes posed significant challenges to U.S. higher education. Yet, the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) remains true to social work’s core values and the school’s mission to promote social justice by advancing social work scholarship, education, practice and community engagement.
According to GSSW Dean Henrika McCoy, “Although the past year brough unanticipated challenges, we have reaffirmed GSSW’s commitment towards accomplishing equity and social justice. I am proud of the work we have accomplished and our plans for the coming year.”
In 2025, the school created inaugural Board of Advisors and Dean’s Circle philanthropic advocacy groups to guide the school’s fundraising and engagement footprint in the community. Following is a list of other significant milestones from the past year.
Alumna Jana Edwards (MSW ’78) and her husband, Rick Poppe, made a $500,000 bequest to the GSSW Clinical Chair Fund.
We buoyed student scholarship support, faculty innovation and operational needs through the generous support of the Schramm Foundation and a commitment in honor of a legendary social worker, Marie Catherine Smith.
Over the past two decades, more than 200 students have been mentored by GSSW’s Institute for Human–Animal Connection, often as conference presenters and co-authors on peer-reviewed manuscripts.
GSSW alumna and Clinical Associate Professor Julianne Mitchell (MSW ’02) received GSSW’s 2025 Clinical Master Teacher Award, which recognizes outstanding faculty whose teaching and training impacts the careers of future clinicians.
Community-Engaged and Embedded Research and Scholarship
We hired Professor Colleen Fisher as GSSW’s associate dean for social and structural well-being. She brings international expertise in anti-oppressive and anti-extractive research methods.
GSSW Professors Kimberly Bender and Johnny Kim, retired Professor Eugene Walls, and Professor Emeritus Jeffrey Jenson were included in the Stanford University/Elsevier list of the world’s top 2% of scientists.
GSSW installed the African American Experience Timeline in its building to continue bringing visibility to those who have been historically marginalized and oppressed.
Institute for Human–Animal Connection (IHAC) Executive Director, American Humane Endowed Chair, and Research Professor Kevin Morris and his wife, Kristin Des Marais, made a $1-million matching gift to the institute. IHAC celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025, and the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals ranked it as the nation’s leader in human-animal connection and animal welfare.
The Barbara Kreisman Community Impact Fund awarded an inaugural gift to GSSW’s Institute for Human–Animal Connection. This gift supports faculty work to generate new knowledge, deepen community partnerships and advance courageous ideas and actions that unlock human potential, promote equity and foster thriving, sustainable communities.
Eight GSSW faculty and staff members are included on the list of the University of Denver’s top 36 principal investigators based on FY ’25 expenditures:
Executive director of the Institute for Human–Animal Connection, American Humane Endowed Chair, and Research Professor Kevin Morris ($400,000+)
Research Associate Professor and Butler Institute Senior Research Analyst Shauna Rienks ($400,000+)
Innovative Science- and Community-Informed Practice
GSSW launched the Center for Equity Research (C4ER; formerly known as Equity Labs), which will collaborate with communities to understand what equity looks like in practice and use that insight to shape policies and systems that create lasting change. We welcomed Associate Professor Shetal Vohra-Gupta as executive director of C4ER.
Associate Professor Kaipeng Wang received the Jeffrey Jenson Endowed Annual Research Award. Wang’s research examines social determinants of health and mental health disparities among older adults to inform the development, evaluation and implementation of culturally sensitive interventions to improve their mental health outcomes.
GSSW co-hosted the Black Health Summit, which provided attendees with information about accessible and affordable health care choices and a space designed to foster dialogue, share insights and develop actionable strategies for a healthier future.
Associate Professor Jennifer Greenfield was named a 2025 Fellow of the Gerontological Society of America. Fellows are recognized for their contributions across research, teaching, administration, public service and practice.
Assistant Professor Tyrone Hamler was named vice-chair of the Minority Issues in Gerontology Advisory Panel of the Gerontological Society of America. The organization is internationally recognized as “the driving force behind advancing innovation in aging.” Read a recent article about his research on harnessing social connections to treat disease.
At the Society for Social Work and Research 29th Annual Conference, “Strengthening Social Impact through Collaborative Research,” Associate Professor of the Practice Rachel Forbes received a “Best Scholarly Book Published” Honorable Mention for Ecosocial Work: Environmental Practice and Advocacy(NASW Press, 2023), which she co-edited.
Your gift to GSSW supports social work research, education and practice that advances justice.
