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[Episode 128] Today's episode of the Social Work Podcast is a conversation with Dr. Holly Oxhandler. Dr. Jonathan Singer speaks with Holly about the definitions of religion and spirituality, similarities and differences in religious and spiritual affiliation between social work professionals and their clients, how to address religion and spirituality in practice, and her experience as the co-host of the CXMH podcast.

In November 2017, Kristen Tekell Boyd stands in the pulpit of Truett Seminary’s chapel in Waco, Texas, and preaches, taking Ezekiel chapter 37 as her text. As she describes the valley with the prophet Ezekiel coming upon the dry bones, she reads a key question from the Scripture: “Can these bones live?” This question might have been asked 20 years before when Carver School of Church Social Work closed in 1997, an event that seemed like a death to many of its alumni.

As individuals and institutions across the country consider necessary changes to effectively fight racism, two terms are gaining familiarity: cultural humility and antiracism. Kerri Fisher, LCSW, an expert in cultural humility training and lecturer in Baylor University’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, defines those terms and shares five tips to help people cultivate cultural humility and antiracism in their personal and corporate lives. “We are all impacted by the supremacist cultures that socialize us,” Fisher said, “so while we are not responsible for our first thought, we are responsible for our second thought and our first action. This means we must be brave enough to admit when our brain, body and behaviors are exhibiting racist reactions.”

I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory (Psalm 63:2 NIV). Nature calms me and reminds me in times of doubt and feeling disconnected from God that the Creator truly is. I find assurance in the creativity of each leaf, tumbling stream, dipping valley, rolling wave, bird song and even the blade of grass surviving against all odds in the crack of the sidewalk. The minute details of nature act like a balm to my weary soul. They remind me with a fierceness something has been here creating and is still here creating. Remembering this brings me to God’s sanctuary. Sanctuary is a word too often equated with a building. It actually means “refuge” or safety.” It means God’s very presence. Read the full article here.

The uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 public health crisis has placed added focus on mental health. Dr. Holly Oxhandler, Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development and Assistant Professor in Baylor’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, is a recognized expert on the intersection of faith and mental health. In this Baylor Connections, she shares how individuals can prioritize their own mental wellbeing through both immediate and long-term practices, and discusses the role of an individual’s faith in their mental health.

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kevin Pranoto. Thanks for sharing your story with us Kevin. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there. I grew up in Houston, Texas, in the most diverse county in America. Growing up, I was most fascinated by my Social Studies classes, especially when we discussed the sections on human and civil rights movements. For college, I attended Baylor University, where I received my Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences and was pre-med. The sciences was not a fulfilling track for me, and I quickly found out that I was meant to do something different. Shortly after working at MD Anderson Cancer Center as a nutritionist, I switched tracks and went back to Baylor to attend graduate school, where I received a Master of Divinity (MDiv) and Master of Social Work (MSW). My first MSW internship was working with homeless and unaccompanied youth in the Waco Independent School District. I primarily worked with high school students, many of whom had been kicked out of the house and were living in foster care or in group homes. Read the full article here.

Recently, I had the privilege of hearing from our Black social work students in a Listening Session hosted by our departmental administration. The students were vulnerable and raw and brave. They expressed exhaustion and hope and disappointment. They pointed out ways in which the Garland School of Social Work could be better, Baylor could be better, and our curriculum could be more inclusive and supportive. Many of our Black, Indigenous, and Students of Color have likely felt this for many years, but they finally had the collective voice and platform to express this hurt. I am thankful for them and to them. I will be honest, some of it was hard to hear. My thoughts raced, and I found myself internally defending a program I have worked hard to help develop, a program that I attended as a student. I was uncomfortable. I was sad, and I was even more saddened when I realized I was making it all about me. You see, my discomfort is one small insight into the discomfort I imagine that BIPOC feel in so many spaces. And, I also realized it is time for me (as a White person) to also be uncomfortable. Racial justice work takes deep inner work. As Ronda V. Magee writes in her recent book, The Inner Work of Racial Justice, “Racial literacy requires emotional awareness. If you are like most people, you will feel strong emotions in reaction to what others share about race and – you will also feel emotional when you reflect deeply on your own experiences.” This means that I have to sit with the discomfort I feel and examine the places I have been the perpetrator of racism and privileged by racist structures. All of this introspection requires a willingness to dig into the discomfort, to be wrong, to apologize, to make reparations and to try again. Read full article here.

Laine Scales at Baylor University believes the history of a school that ceased to exist 23 years ago is worth telling because of what it reveals about changing Southern Baptist attitudes toward gender roles and social ministries. Laine Scales Scales, a professor in Baylor’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, and co-author Melody Maxwell, associate professor of church history at Acadia Divinity College in Nova Scotia, Canada, wrote Doing the Word: Southern Baptists’ Carver School of Social Work and Its Predecessors, 1907-1997. Scales and Maxwell trace the history of the school through its various iterations—the Woman’s Missionary Union Training School for Christian Workers, the Carver School of Missions and Social Work and finally the Carver School of Church Social Work at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. In spite of “twists and turns” along the way, Scales sees one constant: “It’s never a predictable or boring story.” Read the full article here.

The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship has awarded Baylor University’s Dr. Stephanie Boddie a grant of nearly $18,000 to support ethnographic study of ways to create worship practices that integrate traditional theology, Negro Spirituals, storytelling and social history. Amid increasing racial tensions and a decline in church attendance by millennials, Boddie’s research project focuses on establishing worship practices that help African American churches reconnect spirituality with the social justice legacy of the African American Church. The research will also examine how corporate worship practices, coupled with individual spirituality, creates transformative church experiences and communities.

When someone like me—a community practice social worker—begins work with a new group, organization or community, I ask questions like: “What is the lived experience for this group or community? What systems are impacting them? What systems are they impacting? What are the strengths of this group or community? Who do we need to listen to? What resources already are available to serve this group or community best?” As states re-open and congregations create their plans in response to COVID-19 for returning to corporate gatherings, the questions at hand may look very similar for church leaders: “How do we move forward? What do we need to consider or listen to? Who needs our care? How will our worship, fellowship and service look different going forward? What resources already exist in our community?”

According to study after study, college students suffer food insecurity at alarming rates. Many face the reality of having no idea where their next meal will come from. Houston MSW student Joyelle Gaines hopes, however, to make this a thing of the past with a new venture called the Joy Store. The Joy Store is a student food pantry that opened this semester on our Houston Campus thanks to Joyelle’s advocacy, and she hopes it will help students just like her.

WACO, Texas (May 5, 2020) – Twelve Baylor University professors have been honored with Outstanding Faculty Awards for teaching, scholarship and contributions to the academic community for the 2019-2020 academic year. The Outstanding Faculty Awards recognize the best all-around professors – including non-tenure track, tenured and tenure-track faculty – based on teaching capabilities, research achievement, time spent with students and church and community service.

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind to say the least, shaking us to the very core, evoking mixed emotions from deep within namely: sorrow, grief, anger, frustration, fear, worry, depression, anxiety, confusion, tranquility, calmness, empathy, love, and gratitude. Everyday activities have come to a standstill as we are forced to stay at home; in a flash, life has turned upside down with death and destruction of people’s livelihood across a large number of nations. Suddenly, we are faced with a stressor called uncertainty, the fear of the unknown not just to us as individuals, but to us as citizens of this world. This monumental problem of COVID-19 has forced us into a crisis-mode, with great devastation caused by something only visible under the microscope; coming to us like a thief in the night confronting our very existence.

With continued social distancing and shelter-in-place mandates in the wake of COVID-19, mental health is at the forefront of the national discussion. Dr. Helen Harris, a professor in the School of Social Work at Baylor, urges students to remember that although we may be physically distant from one another, we do not have to be emotionally distant – a common misconception surrounding the term ‘social distancing.’ “It’s really important to connect with other people who matter to us and to whom we matter,” Harris said.

In the evolving dynamic of COVID-19, we have witnessed our world turn upside-down. The normal routines of life, work and play look completely different than they did a few weeks ago. As followers of Christ, our way of worship and of gathering together in a sanctuary space has shifted. As businesses close down and events get cancelled left and right, congregations are doing their best to press forward. They are restructuring their way of fellowship, teaching and outreach. While our congregations may be closing their doors physically, I am deeply moved by how they are opening their hearts, arms and minds to new ways to reach their members and their neighbors.

Grief can present itself in a number of different ways. It can manifest as anxiety or depression, or even depression and anxiety at the same time. We may notice changes in our own behavior we can’t explain, or maybe changes we don’t notice, but others do. That’s all the more reason to be patient with our loved ones, friends, strangers, and perhaps most importantly, ourselves. The first step to approach and manage the condition of grief is to recognize and claim our feelings about what we’re experiencing. A lot of people aren’t accustomed to this, or it may make them uncomfortable, but almost the whole world is experiencing a collective grief right now, and if we can name and claim these feelings we’re having and talk about them with each other, we can begin to cope. Once we’ve identified it, how do we process and cope with grief?

Baylor’s focus on offering a distinctly Christian educational environment includes cultivating thought leaders who can help congregations answer the call of societal challenges. Dr. Stephanie Boddie, an assistant professor of church and community ministries at Baylor, is one of those leading the way. Boddie is known nationally for her research on congregation-based social services and trends in faith-based initiatives. Over the years, much of that research has been through the lens of the black church, with a focus on the social and entrepreneurial approaches these institutions have used to address disparities in wealth, health and food insecurity in their communities.

Maundy Thursday didn’t come naturally to me. Growing up Southern Baptist, we didn’t celebrate Holy Week, or much of anything from the church calendar, except for Christmas and Easter. In seminary, I remember being asked how you get to Easter if you don’t recognize Good Friday or Maundy Thursday. More Baptist churches practice these now, more than ever before. In my church, Maundy Thursday is what I refer to as the foot-washing service. It’s my least favorite church meeting of the year! The celebration of Passover and the Last Supper are part of it too, but I can’t get past the dirty feet (you can start praying for me now). This year, Holy Week services in our churches are particularly complicated, but pastors are being particularly creative. Maundy Thursday included—it’s hard to wash feet while #socialdistancing, don’t you know.

Can you experience grounded, present, awareness? So much is changing around us. How are you handling it? Higher education has been in flux for many years with financial and technological upheavals changing so much of what we as faculty and staff understand about ourselves in our institutions of teaching and learning. To this, the crisis of Coronavirus is completely overwhelming. Financial burdens are even more significant. Our dependence on technology is all-encompassing. Students struggle with the anxiety of it all and we are hardly prepared to respond given our own anxieties. Anxiety, however, is exactly what we are supposed to feel in a situation like this. It is absolutely to be expected that we experience fear, uncertainty, and doubts about all that is happening around us, and to us. We cannot do anything to control it. We cannot make sense of it intellectually. Our feelings seem to overwhelm us. We can all expect to experience anxiety in a situation like this. Click the headline above to read the full story.

From business closures to high levels of unemployment, the impact of the coronavirus is wide ranging. So how do you talk to friends that have been affected? Dr. Helen Harris with Baylor University's School of Social Work has some tips. Read the full article here.

Humility, curiosity and leadership. These three characteristics have been used to describe senior Colorado Springs native and 2020 Garland School of Social Work (GSSW) BSW Outstanding Student recipient Megan (Meg) Peck. Though she didn’t know what social work was at the beginning of her freshman year, this posture of open-mindedness is perhaps what led Peck to listen to the many voices repeatedly telling her it would be a good fit.

These are disorienting times. Due to COVID-19, our professional, relational and recreational routines as American Christians have been disrupted by quarantines and social distancing. In our typically fast-paced world, it feels strange when things suddenly come to a halt. But what if God is using our disorientation for reorientation? What if, amid the coronavirus pandemic that now envelops us, we can rediscover the importance of Sabbath?

WACO, Texas (March 26, 2020) – For the week ending March 21, a record 3.28 million workers applied for unemployment benefits, a result of the sweeping economic consequences of COVID-19, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Labor. In the proverbial “blink of an eye,” many find their neighbors, friends, family – and even themselves – out of jobs that only a few weeks ago seemed safe and secure. The jobless are grieving. What’s our role? How do we help? How do we engage?

On Sunday I watched the news – until I couldn’t watch it any longer. I doubt I learned anything new during those three hours. I confess that I’ve never been much of a Sabbath observer, but I can say with confidence that there was nothing about Sunday that felt like a day of rest (except sleeping in and tuning into our church’s online worship service while still in my pajamas). On Sunday I needed rest. I sat around all day, but it wasn’t rest. A big chunk of the day was spent consuming news that wasn’t new, except for the God-awful, rising number of COVID-19 cases and casualties, which only further prevented any sense of rest. Watching the news only fed fear and anxiety, doubt and disbelief. Read the full story here.

WACO, Texas (March 25, 2020) – In a difficult and ever-changing time of crisis surrounding the spread of coronavirus, the basic needs of health and safety come first. But as these basic physiological needs are met, the more advanced care for spiritual and mental health can remain overlooked or ignored altogether. Baylor University’s Holly Oxhandler, Ph.D., LMSW., associate dean for research and faculty development and assistant professor the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, is an expert on mental health, primarily anxiety and depression, as well as religion and spirituality in clinical practice.

WACO, Texas (March 17, 2020) – The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced that older adults and people who have serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease are at a high risk for the coronavirus. The virus hit hard in late January at a nursing facility in the state of Washington, where a number of residents died. As a result, the CDC has recommended strong restrictions on visitors to long-term care facilities, and the health organization continues to preach limited physical contact and “social distancing” – creating intentional space of six feet or more between each person – to stem the spread of the virus.

I’ve always considered myself an “outgoing introvert,” meaning I like people but prefer to be alone. It’s almost a week into social distancing, and I’m already starting to question if I’m actually a full-blown extrovert. I find myself craving human interaction, and my house is feeling a little smaller than normal. My ongoing inner refrain has become, “This is what caring for your neighbor looks like,” and I’ve worked it into mindfulness exercises during these last few days.

What a difference a few weeks make in the way the world operates. Widespread limits on social interaction, closing of restaurants and other gathering places, and the moving of worship services to online-only experiences are just a few of the ways the world is a different place today. Political leaders insist the changes are both necessary and temporary. The importance of “flattening the curve” to reduce the rate of Coronavirus infection escalation is essential to protecting the most vulnerable among us. Limiting the size of crowds, elbow bumps instead of hugs, and three to six feet of space between us are some of the operationalizations of social distancing. Others include canceling sporting events and meeting for worship and education on-line. The physical separations are intended to protect our physical health. However, the two of us and many of our colleagues in mental health think the unintended emotional and relational consequences of all of this “social distancing” will be much deeper and wider unless we recognize the risk and take action. It appears that the social, emotional, and spiritual toll this is taking on individuals and communities is largely unseen by the mainstream media and in many cases by public health professionals alike. Read the full article here.

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Feb. 1 marks the beginning of Black History Month – an annual celebration to learn, honor and remember the accomplishments and central role of black men and women throughout history. The GSSW looks forward to embracing history, enriching our knowledge, and encouraging us to celebrate diversity through events for Black History Month. Since its beginnings as Negro History Week in 1926, Black History Month has been given annual themes. The theme for 2020, African Americans and the Vote, reflects the 100th anniversary of the 19th amendment (women's suffrage), the 150th anniversary of the 15th amendment (giving black men the ballot), and a landmark election year for voting rights. Giving special attention to the struggle for voting rights among black men and women, this theme reminds us of the journey and sacrifices made to achieve voting equality, and the unfinished work that still persists today. Check out the event schedule.

It’s that time of the year again, where we sing about what a wonderful time of the year it is. Hot cocoa, warm fireplaces, Friendsgiving’s and family gatherings galore make this time of year such a special and beautiful time for so many people. Although this season is full of love and giving, this year is hard for me because it is my first year without my sister. Last year on December 5th I lost someone very dear to me, my big sister, Kimberly. She was 28-years old and died from a 10-year battle with diabetes. To read the full article, click here.

Danielle E. Parrish, PhD, has been named editor-in-chief of the Journal of Social Work Education (JSWE). She takes over from Dr. Joanne Yaffe, whose term ended in December 2019. Parrish will serve a 3-year term, 2020–2022, during which time she also will head the JSWE Editorial Advisory Board and serve as an ex-officio member of the CSWE Council on Publications. Read full article here.

The Family Health Center of Waco won an award from the Texas Academy of Family Physicians for its model of integrating behavioral health care into doctor visits in its 16 McLennan County clinics. The Behavioral Health Integration Innovators Competition awarded three Texas clinics for their models of behavioral health integration into existing primary care settings, with a $10,000 prize. [...] The health center offers eight weeks of apprentice-style training for licensed clinical social workers with Kelley and Dr. Becky Scott with Baylor University’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, who has been a partner from the beginning of the project. Read full article here.

Dr. Alan Keith-Lucas (Keith) is one of the earliest and most influential leaders of the North American Association of Christians in Social Work (NACSW) and a seminal thinker and writer on the integration of Christian faith and social work practice. Many who knew him were both inspired by his understanding of faith and human behavior and energized by his practice wisdom as he valued every human being. Read full article here

Tia Khachitphet, MSW ’15, is making a difference with her passion for helping youth when they are most vulnerable. She grew up in a mental health conscious household, where her mother worked as a psychiatric nurse practitioner, and her sister is a licensed marriage and family therapist. Tia’s interest in mental health was sparked when she learned her cousin, who had seemed to be on a path for success, had gotten into legal trouble. She became curious about the influences someone encounters, which lead them to make the choices of committing a crime. Tia learned how someone’s life can be drastically affected by an adverse decision, which motivated her to get involved. Read full article here.

Bonni Goodwin, a recent recipient of the Oklahoma NASW’s Emerging Leader in Social Work award, stumbled upon a passion she is now pursuing in the form of a PhD through the Garland School of Social Work (GSSW). Goodwin studied Family and Human Services at John Brown University, received her MSW at Washburn University and now holds a position in the Center for Child Welfare Training and Simulation at the University of Oklahoma while she completes her PhD in social work. Read full article here

WASHINGTON, DC (September 17, 2019) – New research by Ana O’Quin (Baylor University ‘20) and faculty advisor Dr. Stephanie Boddie was published today by the Center for Public Justice (CPJ), a Christian civic education and public policy research organization based in Washington, D.C. Now in its second year, The Hatfield Prize (previously called the Student-Faculty Research Prize) honors the late Senator Mark O. Hatfield, a U.S. Senator from Oregon known for integrating his Christian faith and his public policy commitments. The Hatfield Prize is made possible through the generous support of the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and the Annie E. Casey Foundation. O’Quin’s research focused on food insecurity among the teen population in Waco, Texas. In particular, the report focuses on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and makes recommendations for the ways that government and civil society institutions can respond to teen food insecurity. O’Quin completed her research during her junior year at Baylor University and is majoring in social work, with a minor in poverty and social justice. Boddie serves as assistant professor of Church and Community Ministries with affiliations at the Garland School of Social Work, Truett Theological Seminary, and the School of Education at Baylor University. Read the full article here

At 72 Beaver Dam Road in Bellport, New York, about 70 miles from Manhattan, a modest home on a lush, tree-lined street is tucked somewhat anonymously into a residential area surrounded by industrial warehouses, paving companies, trucking lots, and construction supply facilities. Crystal Brown, 36, was born in the Village of Patcogue on the Great South Bay of Long Island, 20 miles from that home, the second of five children, to parents, George, a custodian, and mother, Lucille, a homemaker. And she remembers a moment on the front lawn of that home where she played with her siblings. Her cousin, Kim, was visiting. And she had news. That memory – almost three decades ago – stayed with her throughout the years. “In that moment, I remember wanting more,” she said. “Kim was letting the family know that she was going to law school, and it inspired me to set goals like that for myself.” Read the full article here.

First responders do exactly what their name implies. They are the first to arrive on the scene of incidents as mild as a senior adult seeking assistance or as tragic as a violent death. They work days and nights separated from the comfort of their own homes, missing milestones within their own families and maintaining odd schedules to provide comfort to crying mothers, distraught fathers and lost children who pass in and out of their lives. It’s all part of just another day’s work. Why, then, is there so little effort being made to meet the needs of these individuals who are an integral part of our communities? A recent survey conducted by the University of Phoenix reveals the current nature of mental health within the first responder community in the United States. As of April 2017, a reported “85 percent of first responders have experienced symptoms related to mental health issues”. Of this 85 percent, only 34 percent have received a formal mental health disorder diagnosis, which indicates a significantly smaller number, or one-third, of individuals who are seeking help for the symptoms they are experiencing. To put this in perspective, of the estimated 2.8 million first responders in the U.S., only an approximate 400,000 of them are not experiencing symptoms related to mental health. There still are more than 2 million first responders facing mental health symptoms: 2 million first responders whose families are affected by their loved one’s work, 2 million first responders who deserve just as much concern as the people they serve every day. Read the full article here.

“Our church is a place where no questions are asked and we follow the pastor with our whole heart.” “Our morning service is typically around an hour and a half and is filled with exuberant worship. We clap and lift our hands, sing aloud and offer sincere expressions of worship, including laying hands on you to pray over you.” “We fill up quickly, so get here early! We keep the sanctuary lights dimmed, so it’s hard to see where the open seats are.” Proverbs 15:3, “The eyes of the LORD are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” Did any of these statements make your heart race a little faster, make your stomach a little queasy or just make you a little uncomfortable? “Traumatic events can range from one-time physical traumas, such as a car wreck or an assault, to long-term poverty or abuse.” These are examples of statements, situations and scripture verses printed in church bulletins, preached from the pulpit or published on a church website. While most likely well-intended, these and similar sentiments have something in common that may surprise many Christians and congregational leaders: they can be triggering and re-traumatizing, causing harm to persons who have experienced trauma. Read the full story here.

DECATUR, Ga.—A Missouri senior pastor and young leader deeply invested in CBF life is the nominee to become the next Moderator-Elect for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship at the 2019 General Assembly in Birmingham, Ala. The CBF Nominating Committee has selected Carol McEntyre to serve as Moderator-Elect in 2019-2020. McEntyre has served as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, Columbia, Mo., since 2012. She previously was community minister at First Baptist Church, Knoxville, Tenn. (2005-2012) and Christian education minister at Church of the Holy Comforter in Augusta, Ga. (2004-2005). McEntyre is a graduate of George W. Truett Theological Seminary and the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University, where she earned her Master of Divinity and Master of Social Work in 2003. While in seminary, McEntyre served as ministerial assistant at Lake Shore Baptist Church in Waco, Texas, from 2001-2003. She was ordained in 2002 at Lake Shore Baptist. A Tennessee native, McEntyre is a graduate of Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, Tenn., earning her bachelor of arts in human services and psychology. She also has a doctor of ministry from Drew University in Madison, N.J. McEntyre has received numerous honors and awards that recognize her passion for congregational ministry and her commitment to Cooperative Baptist life. She received CBF’s Young Baptist Award in 2015 and Carson-Newman College’s Outstanding Young Alumna Award in 2010. McEntyre also completed the Center for Congregational Health’s Young Leader’s Program and is a graduate of the inaugural class of CBF Fellows (2012-2015). She has served on the Leadership Team for Baptist Women in Ministry (2015-2018) and is currently a member of the CBF Governing Board. Read full story here.

WACO, Texas (May 20, 2019) — Two Baylor University professors are equipped to conduct research they hope will result in two new books after being named 2019 Baylor Centennial Professors by the Centennial Faculty Development Review Committee. Created by the Baylor Centennial Class of 1945, the award supports faculty development by providing a $5,000 grant for a project that will help professors contribute to Baylor’s academic growth. This year’s recipients are Laine Scales, Ph.D., professor and Master Teacher in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, and Sarah Gilbreath Ford, Ph.D., professor of English in the College of Arts & Sciences and director of the Beall Poetry Festival. Scales and Ford were selected from 15 applicants this year. Centennial Professor projects can include international or domestic travel for study or research, the development of innovative teaching materials or other professional development activities. “It’s an honor that the Class of 1945 looked ahead and determined we need to make opportunities for professors to do research that will impact the classroom,” Scales said. “The foresight people had to set aside money and look to the future is wonderful. I think the Centennial Award complements teaching and research together, and at this important time at Baylor as we strive toward becoming a ‘Research One’ university, we need as many opportunities as we can find to tie together research and teaching so that both move forward together, along with our Christian commitments.” Scales will use the research funding to produce a biography of Jewell Legett Daniel, a Texas native, Baylor graduate and missionary to China from 1909-1926. Daniel served in Pingtu, where she operated a school for Chinese girls under the supervision of Lottie Moon, a Southern Baptist missionary who served nearly 40 years in China with the Foreign Mission Board. Scales will conduct her research in the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives in Nashville, Tennessee, and at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, which will provide access to Daniel’s records and letters she wrote to the Foreign Mission Board. In 2016, Scales started a non-profit in Waco called Good Neighbor Settlement House, modeled after the experiences of Daniel and other Southern Baptist women. Read full article here.

KILLEEN, TX — A Temple veteran, who struggled in school, went off to push boundaries in his higher education. Kino Hickey was working at the VA sterilizing medical equipment when he dreamed of a job where he could help people battling mental illnesses. But this plan would require him to pursue a degree. Before working at the VA, 10 years ago, he was failing out of school and later dropped out. Now, he's older and chose to further his education. However, he knew that he would likely be in classrooms with much younger students. He also has dyslexia, which would be an added challenge in the traditional classroom setting. It would be a tough road to fulfill his goals. Hickey's wife inspired him to give education another try. He enrolled in Central Texas College where he doubled his former GPA with a 3.8. He continued his success at Texas A&M Central Texas before going on to get his master’s in social work from Baylor University. See the full story here.

MARLIN, Texas (KWTX) History was made in Falls County Tuesday night--twice. Carolyn Lofton made history when she was sworn-in Tuesday night as the new Mayor for the City of Marlin. (Photo by Rissa Shaw) The City of Marlin not only now has it's first female black Mayor, Carolyn Lofton is the first black person who has ever held the office, according to city officials. It was made official during the swearing-in ceremony at Tuesday night's regularly scheduled council meeting where well over one-hundred supporters packed Marlin City Hall to celebrate the milestones for minorities. According to 2018 U.S. census data, more than 41 percent of Marlin's nearly 6,000 people were black or African American. "My goal is to unite the citizens of Marlin around issues that need to be corrected here in Marlin, work together as a team to get these things corrected and let's make Marlin a great place to live again," said Lofton. See the full story here.

WACO, Texas (May 2019) — The Spencer Foundation recently awarded Baylor University’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work (GSSW) a $50,000 grant to study if and how accredited Master of Social Work (MSW) programs incorporate curricula around religion and spirituality (RS) into social work education as well as assessing faculty views around the topic and how universities’ religious affiliations impact MSW education. Read the full article here.

Gaynor I. Yancey, D.S.W., professor of social work, Master Teacher and director of the Center for Church and Community Impact at Baylor University’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, was honored April 12 during the annual Academic Honors Convocation as the 2019 Cornelia Marschall Smith Professor of the Year. Click here to access the full article.

One of the principles of a Baylor education is the integration of faith and academics according to the Baylor mission statement. The Baylor School of Social Work highlights this combination as one of its core values, and strives to provide its students with the tools to achieve an ethical, faith-based social work practice. The application of this, however, looks different for every student. The School of Social Work’s website sites the integration of faith and academics as a unique characteristic of a social work education at Baylor. Click here to read the full article.

Dr. Edward C. Polson and Kelsey Miller, MSW '17, have collaborated and published a research article entitled "exploring the social justice beliefs of Baptist Christians." To access the full article, click here.

Concerned residents from throughout the nation and elected officials in Maine gathered in Augusta on March 29 to testify in favor of a bill that would criminalize clergy sexual abuse among adults. The bill, LD 913: “An Act To Protect the Public from Clergy Sexual Abuse,” if passed, would make it illegal for clergy members use their positions of power to have sexual relations with adults. ... David Pooler of Baylor University in Waco, Texas, helped find the “perfect language” to execute the bill. Language pulls from legislation in Texas and Arkansas, two of the states where the clergy sexual abuse bills have been approved. Where the previous bill was thought to be too broad, the new language narrows down its scope. Click here to read the full article.

Survivors of clergy sexual abuse and experts from across the country traveled to Maine March 29 to support legislation making it a crime for clergy members to abuse their positions of trust to have sexual relations with adults. An Act To Protect the Public from Clergy Sexual Abuse, LD 913, would make it a crime punishable by five years’ imprisonment and up to a $5,000 fine for a member of clergy in any religious denomination “in a position of trust or authority” over another person to cause that individual “to submit to or participate in [a] sexual act by exploiting the person’s emotional dependency.” Thirteen states and the District of Columbia have similar laws already on the books. “Every state needs to criminalize clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse,” David Pooler, a professor of social work at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, testified before the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee in the Maine Legislature. Click here to read the full article.

A character in Gaudy Night—a novel by Dorothy L. Sayers—heard the prayer of a well-meaning but incoherent curate and never forgot it: “Lord, teach us to take our hearts and look them in the face, however difficult it may be.” ... The words “take our hearts and look them in the face” call us to action. The example of Jesus, throughout his earthly ministry, was one of calling people—especially religious leaders—to look at their heart issues. I can think of many examples that would prompt us to “take our hearts and look them in the face.” Click here to access the full article.

Dr. Clay Polson and GSSW alumna, Rachel Gillespie, collaborated to explore the impact of racial/ethnic diversity on the bridging activity of religious congregations. Click here to check out the full article.

Experts say 50 percent of mental health problems are established by age 14. The Sherman Independent School District has added two new counselor positions to help its students. There is now a counselor of student support and a behavioral specialist for both the middle and high schools. Click here to read the article and view the clip, featuring GSSW alumna, Amelia Vierstra.

Dr. Holly Oxhandler talks with Kelsey Moffatt, a Garland School of Social Work student (now alumna), about her story, why she thinks integrating faith into therapy is important, being real with God in hard times, and more. Click here to listen to the podcast!

Methodist Children’s Home residents are enjoying a new “escape room” activity challenge at the MCH Boys Ranch designed with clues that reinforce MCH Life Skills in an entertaining way. Maegan Molnar, home life manager at the Boys Ranch, and Sarah Pitman, social work graduate intern from Baylor University, have been working since January to convert the Fern Cone building at the Ranch into the intricate escape room game consisting of Western props, activities and riddles that youth must work together to solve. To access the full article, click here

Join our "Women Empowerment Series: Learning to Boldly Equip and Empower Women and Girls", hosted by the SERVE team at the Garland School of Social Work and sponsored by the Grant Me The Wisdom Foundation. CEUs are provided for conference attendance. We have several great guest speakers lined up, and our SERVE team members will be on a Q&A panel. Topics include: empowering women and girls in areas of mental health, leadership and mentorship, and congregations. Thursday evening, we will welcome keynote speaker Anna Coffey, Chief Executive Officer of The Women’s Home. Ms. Coffey has a background in social work, public health and law. She has served women in a wide range of roles from working with rural women in West Africa to helping women make smart decisions about health care. RSVP HERE: Conference registration for March 28-29. The SERVE Project is a grant-funded, research-based project seeking to Support, Encourage, Respect, Value, and Empower women and girls: SERVE Project Website.

WACO, Texas (March 12, 2019) – Baylor University graduate programs were among those nationally ranked in the 2020 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings, released today. The latest rankings in law, business, nursing and health disciplines, education, engineering, the sciences and social sciences and humanities are published online at www.usnews.com/grad. [...] Social Work graduate programs in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work moved up nine places to No. 59.

Baylor Master of Social Work student Juliana Hale has been inspired by her work with many different populations, to earn her graduate degree. We were able to sit down with Juliana and ask her about her decision to pursue a career in the field of social work, why she chose to attend Baylor University, and her experiences within the program. Click here to read the full article.

March is Women's History Month, and Baylor has several fun and informative events lined up for you! Check out our featured events, and be on the lookout as more are planned.

The board elected Bethany Molinar Rivera, youth and families program director of Ciudad Nueva, as its new president. The realignment at the network reflects natural changes and a desire to use the strengths of all of the people involved, said Molinar Rivera, a graduate of Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary and Diana R. Garland School of Social Work. To access the full article, click here

(RNS) — A “Safe Churches and Ministers” video features a woman recalling how, from the first day she worked as an interim youth minister, the senior pastor of a prestigious Baptist church began making inappropriate sexual advances. “Is her story familiar?” asks a narrator after the woman describes too-long hugs, inappropriate conversations and an offer to share a hotel room at a denominational meeting. Read full article here.

Unfortunately, and tragically, the news released earlier this month about sexual violence in Baptist life was not surprising. My mentor and our social work school’s namesake, Diana Garland, was telling these stories at least a decade ago. Yet, the news was still heartbreaking. It provoked anger – in my house, in my church and in my school. It re-surfaced trauma and reminded us of so much pain lived and experienced, still, by far too many in our immediate circle of friends and family. Read the full article here.

Baylor University today announced a gift of $2 million to create an endowed Chair in Global Leadership within Baylor’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work. The gift, which was made by Baylor parents from California, will support the School’s nationally renowned Global Mission Leadership (GML) program, whose purpose is to contribute to Christ-centered international development through culturally informed education. In addition to providing programmatic funding for the GML program, the gift also will support a full-time faculty member to lead the program and help grow its outreach and curriculum to equip not only GML students, but also Garland School students interested in serving globally. Read the full article here.

Did you know that 43.8 million adults experience some form of mental illness in a given year? Within that 43.8 million, nearly 1 in 25 adults (roughly 10 million) are living with a severe mental illness. Social workers are in a unique position to offer hope and healing to those suffering from mental illness. Read on to learn about the need for experienced and competent mental health social workers and how a master’s in social work degree best prepares these professionals to meet the need of this growing population. To read the full story, click here.

At the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, we celebrate and honor Black History Month by providing education regarding Black History Month, featuring faculty who are engaging in events promoting Black History Month, and providing information about local events celebrating Black History Month. Click here for our resources and information.

"I recently interviewed someone for research who said, 'You know, there are scars that have healed, and then there are scars that are still open.' I have thought about those insightful words a lot." Hear from Master Teacher Dr. Gaynor Yancey on scars...from the Civil Rights Movement to childhood experiences, and being people who help "the scars heal."

Dr. Brianna Lemmons recently published a new article: "Game Changers: A Critical Race Theory Analysis of the Economic, Social, and Political Factors Impacting Black Fatherhood and Family Formation." To access the full article, click here.

Dr. Jennifer S. Dickey, lecturer and director of the GML program, treated California Baptist University students to a lecture on the influence of perceptions. She spoke as part of CBU's Culture and Justice Lecture Series. Click here to access the full article.

Give Light is a $1.1 billion comprehensive philanthropic campaign for the future of Baylor. This campaign, which officially launched in November, supports Illuminate, Baylor's academic strategic plan, and will impact every aspect of campus life - academics, athletics, student life and service learning, while also bolstering financial support for students and the campus community. In conjunction with this campaign, and in honor of the role faith has played in our master's program, friends created a matching gift for the W.O. Carver Endowed Scholarship acknowledging the legacy of the Carver School where Diana Garland served and that influenced so much of who we are today. To access the full story, click here.

MSW Student Joyelle Gaines explains why she chose to pursue her MSW and tells about the community she has found at our Houston Campus. To access this story, click here.

Congratulations are in order for Dr. Danielle Parrish, who was invited to join the 2019 class of Fellows of Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR). SSWR Fellows are members who have served with distinction to advance the mission of the Society -- to advance, disseminate, and translate research that addresses issues of social work practice and policy and promotes a diverse, equitable and just society. For more information, click here.

The Center for Public Justice has named the recipients of the 2019 Shared Justice Student-Faculty Research Prize, a semester-long research project in which students will write a comprehensive policy report on a social safety net program and its impact in their local community. Ana O’Quin (Baylor University, ‘20), advised by Dr. Stephanie Boddie, will research teenagers’ access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Waco, Texas.