News Archive
Alumni
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Marion Sanders knows what it’s like to face adversity. Her dedication to supporting the homeless is a product of her own childhood trauma, which included being separated from her mother, who has experienced homelessness herself.
Unfortunately, Sanders’ mother is not alone.
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As a young girl, Brunilda Chavez, MSW ’80, never thought she would have the chance to pursue a graduate degree. She was from a traditional Mexican-American family, and girls were expected to work and turn over their paychecks to the family. There was no money for college.
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Recently elected member of the California Democratic Party executive board, JC Cruz, MSW ‘16, is applying his social work training to improve communities throughout California’s Assembly District 51.
Passionate about applying a macro-level focus to social policy and politics, Juan Carlos “JC” Cruz, MSW ‘16, is dedicated to working for the betterment of local communities and underrepresented populations.
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Lots of people talk about gratitude during the holiday season. But to be grateful for traffic? That was a new one to Brandee Sosa, MSW ’18.
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Meet Maria Ruelas, EdD ‘18, MSW ‘13, whose leadership has been instrumental in expanding mental health care and social services within the Lawndale Elementary School District.
Each year, the California Association of School Social Workers (CASSW) recognizes a social worker who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to serve their community. At its annual state conference in Lakewood, California, on Nov. 9, CASSW named Maria Ruelas, EdD ‘18, MSW ‘13, as School Social Worker of the Year.
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Ramona Merchan, alumna of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, was recently honored for her enduring service to both the USC community and children in need throughout the Los Angeles area.
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As one of the first nursing alumni of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Akila Aisner, MSN ’18, will soon become a family nurse practitioner.
A few years ago, he was working at a hospital in Marina Del Rey, California, as a registered nurse (RN). As he developed relationships with his patients, he was often frustrated that he did not have the knowledge base―or professional stature―to treat them within the medical model. He decided to pursue a master’s degree so he could care for his patients in the way he thought they needed.
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June Simmons, MSW ’70, was inducted Oct. 27 into the California Social Work Hall of Distinction, a program within the California Social Welfare Archives (CSWA) that ensures the advances and lessons of the profession remain available to future practitioners and researchers.
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In their tenure with the LAVC, Lisa Anderson and Maggie Cutler have developed innovative new solutions to increase access to career assistance services for veterans in Los Angeles County.
California is home to the nation’s largest veteran population. Each year, as service members transition out of the military, approximately 12,000 veterans settle in Los Angeles County, joining the rich and diverse veteran population that currently resides here.
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Simone Webster, MSW ‘18, is leveraging her social work skills and her passion for indigenous cultures to provide mental health care to South Dakota’s Lakota Sioux youth population.
“When I began my MSW, I didn’t have any experience working on the ground with vulnerable populations,” said Simone Webster, MSW ‘18. “Because I was used to approaching issues from a research standpoint, I struggled to see myself as a social worker.”