News Archive
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When five USC health sciences schools were brought together under one umbrella, part of the university’s Transforming Health Sciences moonshot, a principal goal was to create a new, integrated and interprofessional approach to the education and practice of health care.
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When you are a former foster youth, you have spent most of your childhood trying to beat the odds stacked against you. Those who are lucky enough to find the support of caring adults can be inspired to pay that forward to the next generation. Such is the experience of two alumnae of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work classmates and members of the Trojan Guardian Scholars, whose childhood trajectories followed a similar path and led to their career choice working with children.
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Exercise and team sports have been proven to provide clear mental health benefits according to numerous studies. For some athletes who reach an elite level, sports can also be an opportunity to gain an educational scholarship and degree, or help lift their families out of poverty. Yet, despite these benefits, elite collegiate athletes display higher risk for anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation than their peers.
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The Homelessness Policy Research Institute (HPRI) has appointed Ben Henwood as its new director, effective July 1, 2024. HPRI is a collaborative of over one hundred researchers, policymakers, service providers, and experts with lived experience of homelessness dedicated to accelerating equitable and culturally-informed solutions to homelessness in Los Angeles County.
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Since her transition in the late 1980s, Christina Munguia, MSW ’21, lived very privately as a transgender woman. When she decided to apply to the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, the admissions requirements included the composition of an essay on why she wanted to become a social worker. In that moment, she decided to speak openly about who she was for the first time — a woman of transgender experience and refugee of war from El Salvador.
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Tracie Kirkland, associate teaching professor in the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) program at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work has been selected for induction into the Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP). Kirkland receives this prestigious honor on June 27 at the 2024 AANP National Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.
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The Asian-American population is often referred to as the “model minority” – well-educated, healthy, self-sufficient and problem-free. The work of Yuri Jang, professor at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, has uncovered a very different scenario, particularly among aging Asian Americans.
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In September 2023, nine weeks before he was due to complete the requirements for a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at USC, Benjamin Roach, MSW ’24, lost his father. Over the previous four years, his father had been living with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a rare, Parkinson-plus syndrome that affects body movements such as walking, balance and eye function. In 2019, Roach and his older sister became the medical and financial power of attorney for their father.
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Since she was 15 years old, Mayra Zaragoza, MSW ’24, has been helping youth find connection and a sense of belonging. Born and raised in the North San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, where gang life was prevalent within her community and in her own family, she is now a graduate of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.
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The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work is committed to upholding the values of compassion, empathy and respect for all individuals, regardless of background, belief or circumstance. Recent debates and discussions across university campuses, including those related to freedom of speech, have highlighted the complex issues our society faces today. We recognize the impact these broader discussions may have on our students, faculty and staff.