Caroline Rhude (MSW ’26), Edith M. Davis Award
The Davis Award recognizes the best paper focusing on a non-dominant racial or ethnic group or a person or persons of color. The award honors Professor Emerita Edith M. Davis, who was the founding director of the GSSW doctoral program. Caroline Rhude was recognized for her health intervention paper. Faculty readers of the paper stated, “This approach is the most intellectually rigorous of all the submissions. It critically examines the racial and ethnic limitations of the evidence supporting cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT). It highlights who was included and excluded in the studies that approved this therapy. This kind of analysis is exactly what the Davis Award aims to recognize.”
Catherine Helen Cossisick (MSW ’26), Ina Mae Denham Award
Created by the Colorado Society for Clinical Social Work, the Denham Award is presented annually to the graduating student who writes the best clinical paper describing and analyzing their own actual case practice, demonstrating knowledge and integration of clinical research and theory and reflective growth. Self-reflection includes discussion of challenges, learning, and insights related to ethics, professional standards of practice, bias, identity, cultural responsiveness, and/or systemic factors in the case. The award selection committee wrote that they were impressed with Catherine Cossisick’s case conceptualization paper, which “features a well-thought-out analysis of cultural factors across multiple domains and a thorough assessment of trauma and corresponding treatment.”
Liv Spikes (MSW ’26), Tommi Frank Memorial Award
The Frank Memorial Award is named for the late Tommi Frank, MSW ’64. It recognizes the student judged by faculty to have submitted the most creative and imaginative paper or project in social work or social welfare. The award particularly values the creation of new concepts and arrangements of concepts and/or new ways of relating knowledge to practice, profoundness of thinking, and the scholarly application of such thinking to the refinement of theory and/or practice and to applicability for use in practice. Liv Spikes was recognized for their “Attitudes Toward Suicide” paper for the Suicide Assessment and Intervention course. Faculty reviewers wrote that they were moved by the paper and the vulnerability it shared. They said the project “exemplifies the Frank/Tommi Frank Award by translating research into a genuinely imaginative, practice-relevant learning experience. The interactive microlearning format demonstrates a new arrangement of concepts, linking policy, systems, and practice implications in a way that is accessible, teachable, and immediately usable in social work education and training.”
Josephine Amick (MSW ’26), Dorothea C. Spellmann Award
The Spellmann Award honors a student whose paper or project best demonstrates understanding, creativity, and competence in work with groups or systems, including an understanding and appreciation of groups as a primary means of service with people. The award was named for Professor Emerita Dorothea Spellmann upon her retirement in 1972. Josephine Amick’s paper was selected for its rigorous examination of hyperincarceration — that is, the systemic overimprisonment of Black people compared to other population groups. The paper identified advocacy steps that the selection committee wrote were “well-thought out and grounded in the literature.” The committee lauded Amick’s analysis of macro-level factors to reduce hyperincarceration, including “policies that account for historical context and creating a rehabilitative rather than punitive-based criminal justice system nationwide.” Amick proposed that the first step toward reforming hyperincarceration should be to revive race discussions in the United States.
Matthew Mazza (MSW ’26), William Bartholomew Memorial Award
The William Bartholomew Memorial Award was established in 2018 to honor the late William Bartholomew, MSW ’04, who devoted his professional life to individuals becoming empowered, fulfilling their potential, and overcoming barriers posed by factors such as trauma, addiction, and oppression. The award honors students who embody principles of social justice, preservation of human dignity, and a commitment to facilitating healing of human suffering. The 2026 award recipient is Matthew Mazza, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and mental health care advocate. Bartholomew’s family shared their enthusiasm for Mazza’s nomination and future plans, saying, “One of Will’s greatest gifts was his ability to shine light on the hidden wounds veterans carry. Your abiding commitment to creating an environment where veterans are ‘recognized, valued, and empowered to thrive’ resonates fully with Will’s life work both as a veteran and as a social worker. Will would admire your dedication to this important work.”
Julia Conley (MSW ’26), Dean Catherine F. Alter Merit Award
Named for Dean Emerita Catherine F. Alter, GSSW dean from 1996–2006, this award recognizes a graduating student from GSSW’s Four Corners MSW Program who most closely epitomizes the best of professional social work: a keen intellect, a passionate dedication to empowering underserved populations, and a commitment to continuously improving practice. In their nomination of Julia Conley, Assistant Program Director Carla Hase and Associate Professor Stacey Freedenthal wrote that Conley “has consistently demonstrated the intellectual rigor, ethical commitment, and practice excellence that define the highest standards of professional social work. Academically, Julia is among the top students in the cohort, earning distinction in advanced coursework such as Suicide Assessment and Intervention. She exhibits a keen ability to integrate theory and evidence into clear, persuasive arguments and written work.” Faculty have consistently noted Conley’s commitment to deep self-reflection and capacity to conceptualize complex client systems, synthesize research, and propose thoughtful, culturally attuned interventions. In her field placements at Riversage Family Counseling and the Community Investment Alliance, Conley “translated classroom knowledge into exemplary practice. Supervisors report that she demonstrated clinical competence, sound ethical judgment, and leadership in multidisciplinary teams. Beyond academics and field work, Julia is deeply committed to social justice and community empowerment. Julia consistently models the profession’s values of dignity, respect, and client-centered advocacy,” communicating effectively with clients, colleagues, and community partners and articulating ideas with clarity, humility, and cultural sensitivity. Hase and Freedenthal added, “Julia exemplifies the best of professional social work: intellectual strength, passionate dedication to marginalized communities, and ongoing commitment to improving practice.”
Mya Wood (MSW ’26), MSW@Denver Merit Award
This award recognizes a student from the MSW@Denver program who most closely epitomizes the best of professional social work: a keen intellect, a passionate dedication to empowering underserved populations, and a commitment to continuously improving practice. Mya Wood is recognized for her work in the Community and Macro Social Work Theory and Practice course taught by Assistant Clinical Professor and MSW@Denver Program Director Garett Brownlee, who wrote, “I observed Mya consistently demonstrate strong intellectual engagement, ethical clarity, and a deep commitment to supporting communities impacted by structural inequities. She stood out among her peers for her advocacy for herself and for underserved populations, as well as for her ability to thoughtfully connect macro theory, policy, and community practice to real-world conditions. Her work reflects core social work values, including a commitment to social and economic justice, ethical and professional behavior, and an emerging capacity for policy and community-level practice consistent with the Council on Social Work Education competencies. Mya brings clarity of purpose and resilience to her professional development, drawing on challenging life experiences in ways that strengthen rather than limit her practice. She demonstrates comfort engaging with complexity, curiosity in her learning, and a commitment to continuous improvement. … Mya has articulated a clear professional goal of working with people experiencing homelessness, and her coursework already reflects the values, skills, and ethical grounding necessary for this work. She exemplifies the best of professional social work through her intellect, perseverance, and commitment to empowering underserved communities.”
Ember Zabe (MSW ’26), Dean Emil M. Sunley Award
The Sunley Merit Award was first presented in 1971 by Dean Emil M. Sunley, in whose honor the award was created. It recognizes a graduating Denver Campus MSW student for meritorious service to the school or the profession of social work. Nominated by Associate Professors Amy He and Erin Harrop, Professor Ramona Beltrán, and doctoral student and Adjunct Instructor Shikha Advani, Ember Zabe “exemplifies the intent and spirit of the Sunley Merit Award through sustained, values driven service to GSSW and the social work profession. While their leadership during a period of crisis impacting immigrant communities was extraordinary and exemplary, it is best understood as a singular expression of Ember’s consistent ethos of service, care, and accountability to social justice. During the ICE crisis in Minnesota, Ember worked with impacted communities in Minneapolis to develop and widely share trauma informed, accessible resources for students, faculty, and staff navigating rapidly unfolding immigration enforcement actions. They mobilized students to provide tangible support to immigrant communities, distributed ‘know your rights’ materials to neighbors and university staff, and spurred conversations at their field placement to increase safety for clients and workers. Their work strengthened GSSW’s collective capacity to respond ethically and with care. Ember also served as a public-facing interpreter of social work values, participating in media interviews to contextualize political realities for broader audiences. Widely regarded as a grounding presence and principled leader, Ember uses their privilege and reputation to help students reflect on and align their language, assumptions, and actions with social work’s commitment to justice and collective liberation.”
