Social work faculty, students participate in conference

ECU was well represented at the annual National Association of Bachelor Social Work Program Directors meeting in March. (Contributed photo)

Eight East Carolina University students and two faculty members in the School of Social Work recently attended the annual National Association of Bachelor Social Work Program Directors meeting in Kansas City, Missouri.

ECU students Tracey Leonard, Trevor Blue, Andrew Bracken, Kirby Elmore, Charon Hudson, Gabrielle Karl, Tracy Meaux and Christopher Williams were selected by the national organization to serve as conference volunteers at registration, as assistant moderators and other activities. The students, all members of the Bachelors of Social Work Student Association, participated in workshops on professional development and topics such as current advocacy practice trends, political activism and GLBT issues in practice and policy.

“Being able to meet other social work students from around the country has been one of the best things about this this trip,” Leonard said.

Williams was invited to present his findings from a study of treatment needs of parents suffering from addiction issues in child welfare. The students also met with graduate school recruiters from around the country. The closing plenary emphasized the role that social work has in civil rights and liberties with featured speakers involved in the events at Ferguson, Missouri, a St. Louis suburb and the site of ongoing protests after an unarmed black teenager was shot and killed by a white police officer.

Dr. Brenda Eastman, associate professor of social work, and Dr. Kelley Reinsmith-Jones, assistant professor of social work, traveled with the students more than 2,400 round-trip miles in a van through winter weather to attend the conference, held March 3-9.