Grace Howell ’22. Photo by Ferrum College student Ryann Tyree.

10/5/2021

On Thursday, October 7, Ferrum College senior Grace Howell presented during the 2021 virtual session of Virginia Social Work Education Consortium’s (VSWEC) Student Rally in the Valley conference. Howell’s presentation focused on the intersecting barriers that women of various sexual orientations face in terms of sexual abuse and violence.

“The conference shed a lot of light on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the field of social work,” said Howell. “I think my research contributed well to the theme of the day. I am glad I had this opportunity!”

Held each fall, Rally in the Valley brings together students within Virginia’s accredited college and university social work programs to focus on current issues. Students choose the theme of the conference, its speakers, and activities. This fall’s partnership is between Ferrum College, George Mason University, and Radford University. 

“Grace is an exceptional student and well-respected by her peers,” said Professor of Social Work Martha Haley-Bowling. “She is an excellent presentation choice for Rally in the Valley.”

Howell is from Keysville, VA. She is majoring in social work and currently interns with Child Trust in Roanoke, VA. She also serves as captain of Ferrum’s equestrian team and is the vice president of programming for Delta Phi Epsilon.

Learn more about Ferrum College’s social work program here. 

Learn more about the Virginia chapter of the National Association for Social Workers here. 

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Director of the Social Work program Martha Haley-Bowling stands with Madison Brown ’21 outside Beckham Hall.

Ferrum College senior and Franklin County native Madison Brown ’21 has become the first Ferrum student to enroll in the University of Pikeville’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program as a result of a partnership forged in July 2020 between Ferrum and UPIKE.  

“I learned about this opportunity by reading Ferrum’s website,” said Brown. “I’d never actually heard of UPIKE before but the information on Ferrum’s site encouraged me to apply. I found out I was accepted on February 12.”  

The agreement between the two institutions states that UPIKE will reserve one seat in its MSW program each academic year for a Ferrum student who meets all early admissions requirements. UPIKE’s offer of admission is open to Ferrum students who have earned a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), as well as those who have earned a bachelor’s degree in any other field, provided that those students have 21 credit hours in liberal studies.

After her graduation from Ferrum College this upcoming May, Brown will enroll in UPIKE’s 30-hour advanced standing online MSW program for students who hold a BSW. UPIKE also offers a 60-hour program for students who have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than social work. Brown has also accepted a position as a family services specialist with the local Franklin County Social Services Department and will begin her new job on May 12.

Brown’s academic advisor at Ferrum, Assistant Professor and Director of the Social Work program Martha Haley-Bowling, is proud of Brown’s acceptance. “Maddie is a diligent student with a strong work ethic that will help her excel in graduate school,” said Haley-Bowling.

“I love the social work program at Ferrum,” said Brown. “I knew I wanted to help other people. Ferrum has given me a wide variety of experiences that really made me feel prepared for my future.”

Learn more about Ferrum College’s BSW program here.

Learn more about the agreement between Ferrum and UPIKE here.

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UPIKE President Burton Webb, UPIKE Provost Lori Werth, Ferrum College Provost & Vice President for Academic Affairs Aimé Sposato, and Ferrum College President David Johns.

In July 2020, Ferrum College and the University of Pikeville (UPIKE) entered into an agreement to provide access to a Master of Social Work degree to Ferrum students. 

“Those who make social work a career are special individuals, and knowing that our partnership will play a part in helping those students further their education with a graduate degree is very fulfilling,” said Ferrum College President David Johns.

This agreement is the second in Ferrum and UPIKE’s history together. The two institutions began their initial partnership in September 2019, when UPIKE pledged to reserve one seat each academic year in its Doctor of Optometry program for a Ferrum College student who meets all early admissions criteria.

For UPIKE’s Master of Social Work program, the university has again agreed to reserve one seat each academic year for a Ferrum College student who meets all early admissions requirements. UPIKE’s offer of admission is open to Ferrum students who have earned a Bachelor of Social Work, as well as those who have earned a bachelor’s degree in any other field of study, provided that those students have 21 credit hours in liberal studies. 

“We are fortunate to have such great partners at the University of Pikeville,” Johns continued, “and we are pleased to collaborate with them again to provide new opportunities for our students. This pandemic has highlighted the important role social workers play in holding together the fabric of our society. I am grateful we will be working together to prepare our students for this critical career.”

“Ferrum College and the University of Pikeville are committed to finding additional ways to grow our partnership,” said Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Aimé Sposato. “Our memorandum of understanding regarding the Master of Social Work program at UPIKE will build yet another pathway for Ferrum College students to excel in their purpose.”

UPIKE’s Master of Social Work program is delivered online with courses offered year-round so that students may continue to work while obtaining their degree. The masters program offers a 30-hour advanced standing option for students who hold a bachelor’s degree in social work, and a 60-hour program for students who have a bachelor’s degree in a field other than social work, or who completed a social work degree in a non-accredited program. All accepted students are required to have at least a 3.0 GPA. 

“Our agreement with the University of Pikeville will help Ferrum College graduates press forward in their education to live out our College’s motto, Not Self, But Others,” said Dean of Health Professions and Social Sciences Angie Dahl. “There is a great need for social workers across our region, so we are thrilled to continue building our strong partnership with UPIKE to make these opportunities available to our students.”

“We are very excited by this opportunity to formally connect with UPIKE’s Master of Social Work program,” said Associate Professor of Social Work Martha Haley-Bowling. “Students will have the opportunity to attend a top notch MSW program to further their educational and career goals.”

Learn more about Ferrum College’s social work program here.

Learn more about UPIKE’s Master of Social Work program here.

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Ferrum College is making a bold “Ferrum Promise”: beginning in fall 2020, students who transfer from a Virginia community college with an appropriate associate’s degree will be able to graduate within two years of transfer, or they will receive free tuition for the remaining coursework.

“Today, nearly forty percent of students who graduate from a Virginia community college need three or more additional years to finish a bachelor’s degree because their new college will not accept many of their credits. This is not what they expected–it’s frustrating, time-consuming, and expensive,” said Ferrum College President David Johns.

The College already guarantees admission from all 23 community colleges in Virginia. The “Ferrum Promise” is the College’s next step to become even more transfer friendly and applies to all students who are enrolled full-time, enter with an appropriate associate’s degree from a Virginia community college, and meet certain academic requirements.

This promise encompasses many majors offered by Ferrum College, including its signature programs:

• agriculture
• business
• criminal justice
• ecotourism
• environmental science
• recreation leadership
• social work
• teacher education

“We are excited to offer transfer students a seamless transition to Ferrum College where they will receive individualized course mapping with our faculty,” said Provost Aimé Sposato.

“Ferrum College is student-centered and future-focused, and because of this, we are making a promise to our transfer students that will dramatically impact their future,” said Johns. “We support a vision of making college affordable, accessible, and even a little more predictable, and we promise to make this a reality for students who transfer to Ferrum College.”

Visit here to learn more about the “Ferrum Promise” and transferring to Ferrum College.

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Monday’s gathering included two Ferrum College alumnae who obtained their Bachelor of Social Work degrees at the College, and have gone on to also earn Master of Social Work degrees: Lakita Goins ’10 and Jame’E Gunter Hairston ’12. Goins is currently employed at Youth Connect in Rocky Mount, VA, and Hairston works at Piedmont Community Services, also located in Rocky Mount.

“It brings me so much joy to see our students learn and grow into these amazing social workers in our community,” said Haley-Bowling. “I have so much respect for them and their journeys that watching them interact with our students always brings me this sense of gratitude. They live Ferrum College’s motto – Not Self, But Others – daily.”

Read more about Ferrum College’s social work program here.

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Dr. Martha Haley-Bowling

The taskforce, comprised of approximately 100 members, will meet in Alexandria, Virginia in April, and will release the substance use guide prior to the annual CSWE program meeting in October 2019 in Denver, Colorado.

“Working with substance users has been a passion of mine since college,” remarked Haley-Bowling. “In the field of social work, we are seeing families affected by this more and more. This guide will help social work students develop skills needed to provide assistance.”

CSWE is a national association comprised of over 750 accredited bachelor’s and master’s degree social work programs with a mission to ensure the quality of social work education. According to the CSWE website, “CSWE pursues this mission in higher education by setting and maintaining national accreditation standards…by promoting faculty development, by engaging in interprofessional and international collaborations, and by advocating for social work education and research.”

“I am honored and excited to be chosen to be part of this committee,” said Haley-Bowling. “I hope to make Ferrum College proud in this endeavor.”

Read about Ferrum College’s social work program here.

Read more about CSWE here.

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