Department of Social Work

2020 Social Work Honors and Awards Recognition
While we are saddened that we are unable to celebrate the accomplishments of our Social Work students and faculty in person, we still want to hold space to recognize these accomplishments. On this page, we celebrate our 2020 Social Work Student Awards, 2020 Faculty of the Year Awards, Phi Alpha Honor Society Members, MSW Program Capstone Project Award Winners, Departmental Scholarship Recipients, and Workforce Development Stipend Scholars. We encourage you to read more about these accomplishments and honors in the sections below.
Contents:
- Student Awards
- Faculty of the Year Awards
- Phi Alpha Honor Society
- Capstone Project Awards
- Departmental Scholarship Recipients
- Stipend Scholar Recognition
Student Awards
Each spring, the Department of Social Work recognizes three Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) students and three Master of Social Work (MSW) Program students with the Social Justice Advocate Awards, Social Work Leadership Awards, and Social Work Scholar Awards. Students are nominated for these awards by faculty and fellow students, with decisions made by a committee of departmental faculty and staff.
The Social Justice Advocate Award recognizes a student who has made a significant contribution in the advancement of human rights, peace, justice, or equality within the university, local or global communities. This award acknowledges students’ contributions towards the alleviation of social inequalities for marginalized communities, particularly based on race, class, sexuality, gender, ability status, and nationality. Each year, one award will be granted to a BSSW student and one award will be granted to an MSW student.
The Social Work Leadership Award recognizes a student who has made a significant contribution to the Department of Social Work, as well as potentially, to the college, university, and/or local or global communities. Each year, one award will be granted to a BSSW student and one award will be granted to an MSW student.
The Social Work Leadership Award recognizes a student who demonstrates excellence in research and writing. Each year, one award will be granted to a BSSW student and one award will be granted to an MSW student.
Faculty of the Year Awards
Each spring, the Department of Social Work recognizes six faculty, three who teach in the Bachelor of Science in Social Work (BSSW) Program and three who teach in the Master of Social Work (MSW) Program, for their excellence in teaching and guiding our students. Faculty are nominated by students in the program and the awards are facilitated by the Phi Alpha Honor Society.
Phi Alpha Honor Society
The purpose of the Phi Alpha Honor Society is to provide a closer bond among students of social work and promot humanitarian goals and ideas. The Phi Alpha Honor Society Epsilon Lambda Chapter is the MSU Denver chapter of the national social work honor society.
Capstone Project Awards
The MSW Program Capstone course gives students the opportunity to integrate and apply foundational social work knowledge and skills by proposing and then conducting a meaningful field-based evaluation project. The criteria for selection of our Spring 2020 MSW Program Capstone Project Contest winners were the submission of either the Executive Summary found in the final report assignment or a "TED Talk" style presentation. One winner was selected for each submission type (Best Overall Project for submitted Executive Summaries and Best Overall Presentation for submitted "TED Talk" style presentations) and runner-ups were also selected for both categories.
Departmental Scholarship Recipients
Each academic year, the Department of Social Work awards two Diversity Scholarships, two Gerontology Scholarships, and one Bilingual/Bicultural Scholarship to MSW Program students.
Workforce Development Stipend Scholars
The Department of Social Work is proud to offer several workforce development stipend programs available to BSSW Program and MSW Program students. Designed with intention, these programs address critical workforce needs across the state of Colorado in child welfare, behavioral health, and health care social work. Scholars receive stipend funding to support their education goals and specialized training to support their work in the field post-graduation.
Through a statewide partnership between the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS), Colorado county departments of human services, Metropolitan State University of Denver, and three additional Colorado-based universities (Colorado State University Pueblo, Colorado State Universtiy Fort Collins, and University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work) the Child Welfare Stipend Program aims to support and grow a well-prepared workforce for child welfare in Colorado. The Child Welfare Stipend Program is designed for BSSW and MSW students interested in pursuing a career as a Colorado county child welfare caseworker or supervisor.
Social Work Health Care Education and Leadership Scholars (HEALS) was created to develop the next generation of health care social work leaders who will stand ready to lead efforts to address system-level changes, to heighten awareness of prevention and wellness, and to address the issues of structural racism that are embedded in social institutions. MSU Denver selected four students annually (two BSSW Program and two MSW Program) to become Social Work HEALS Scholars.
The HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training for Professionals Project (BHWET) General Integrative Care Stipend Program is designed to prepare students to provide behavioral healthcare services to populations across the lifespan, including in rural and medically underserved areas. Students receive specialized behavioral health training and build a network of professionals and agencies that collaborate in providing interprofessional services to vulnerable, at-risk, medically underserved, and/or rural populations and their families.
The HRSA Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training for Professionals Project (BHWET) SUD/OUD/MAT Integrative Care Stipend Program is designed to prepare students to provide behavioral healthcare services focused on opioid and other substance abuse treatment. Students complete their field placement at a partnering health care agency serving populations across the lifespan, receive specialized behavioral health training, and build a network of professionals and agencies that collaborate in providing interprofessional services to vulnerable, at-risk, medically underserved, and/or rural populations and their families.
Contact Information
Main Office Phone:
303-615-0555
Location:
Main Office
Central Classroom Suite 201
Office of Field Education
Central Classroom Suite 202
Office of Social Work Student Services
Central Classroom Suite 206
Mailing Address:
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Department of Social Work
PO Box 173362 CB 70
Denver, CO 80217-3362
Accreditation
Our MSW and BSSW Programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education - the sole accrediting body for social work education.