To view this newsletter in its entirety, please click the view entire message link at the bottom of this page. | | SSW Update - October 19, 2026 | | | |
Student Services Team Shows Seawolves Pride in Homecoming Door Contest
As part of SBU’s Homecoming Week festivities, SSW’s Student Services team joined 27 schools and departments campus-wide in a friendly door-decorating contest, showcasing Seawolves pride and homecoming excitement.
The team’s entry, “School of Social Wolfare,” was a group effort, from brainstorming creative themes to designing and assembling the display. In keeping with the contest’s emphasis on sustainability, the door was created primarily with paper and reusable materials. The playful title and eye-catching Wolfie design brought the team’s creativity and Seawolves spirit to life!
The project was a fun opportunity to collaborate, showcase team spirit, and join colleagues across campus in celebrating Homecoming!
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Calling all Social Workers:
Are You Ready for the Midterm Elections?
Midterm elections shape the policies and decisions that affect our profession, our communities, and the people we serve. As social workers, understanding the electoral process and staying engaged in civic life are important parts of advocacy and social justice.
Social Workers for Justice invites you to join them virtually on Tuesday, October 20, from 6 to 7 pm.
This may be the most important election of your life! The outcome will affect the social work profession and the communities you serve. Learn why it is important for all social workers to care about elections and how you can get involved.
Click here to register.
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Midterm Elections:
Cross-Disciplinary Panel Breaks Down What’s at Stake
With the election rapidly approaching, a panel of Stony Brook experts, including Assistant Professor Kristen Brock-Petroshius, PhD, MSW, gathered in the Student Activities Center Ballroom on October 5 to break down democracy’s current threats through the lenses of political science, social welfare, journalism, and public health.
The far-reaching discussion examined how polarization, nationalized elections, and weakened public research institutions affect journalism, democracy, and public health.
"This panel allowed for a robust discussion of the upcoming midterm elections, the health of US democracy, and the importance of civic engagement by considering research and insights across the disciplines of public health, social welfare, political science, and communication science”, said Brock-Petroshius.
Click here to read the full story.
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A3 to Host AAPI Roleplay Event
Explore Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) experiences through interactive roleplay and learn more about AAPI social work this Monday, October 19, at 7 pm on Zoom!
Click here to join the Zoom meeting.
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Lunch & Learn
Monday, October 19
12:30 to 1:30 pm
Health Sciences, Level 3, Galleria
Guanyu Huang, interim director of Office of Health Equity and Climate Medicine Research (HECMR), will be leading a conversation about how to work collaboratively with the community on research projects and how HECMR can support these sorts of collaborations.
There is still time to sign up and reserve your seat here.
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Film Screening & Panel
Learn the truth behind orphanage voluntourism
Monday, October 26
5 to 7 pm
SBU Student Union Auditorium
The SBU Study Abroad department is hosting a screening and panel presentation of the film Volunteers Needed, which exposes the hidden dangers of Orphanage Voluntourism and its link to child trafficking. The film will be followed by a Q and A with the film's director Barak Laub and socioecologist Dr. Kate Thompson.
Click here to register.
| | | Community Connect Events this Week! | |
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- 10/19: Spotting the Red Flags in Social Work Practice
- 10/19: Is Consent Sexy? Embracing the Vulnerability in Conversations About Consent
- 10/20: Interprofessional Community Health Fair
- 10/20: MSW Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor Informational
- 10/21: SSW Survival Guide Series: See, It’s Not SO Scary: Navigating Your BSW/MSW Program
- 10/26: Road to Practicum Series: Interview Skills 101
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Plan ahead! View the calendar for more information
and upcoming Community Connect events!
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Click here to register for upcoming workshops.
Zoom links for virtual workshops are emailed to registered participants on the day of the event.
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Interprofessional Community Health Fair
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
1 to 5 pm
Health Sciences, Level 3, Galleria
This event is designed to bring together students, faculty, and staff across health-related disciplines to foster interprofessional collaboration, increase understanding of diverse professional roles, and strengthen team-based, patient-centered care.
Through interactive booths, brief presentations, and case-based discussions, participants will engage directly with representatives from across the health sciences. There will be raffles and giveaways!
For more information, click here.
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Distance MSW Students:
This Event Is for You!
Tea & Talk with Dr. Michele Smith
Conversation. Connection. Community.
After Midterms: How Are We Doing?
Monday, November 2
6 to 7:30 pm on Zoom
Join Dr. Smith, Distance MSW Program coordinator, for a relaxed, informal gathering.
Tea & Talk is a space to connect with Dr. Smith and fellow Distance MSW students, ask questions, share your experiences, and learn about SSW and university resources, all in a supportive and welcoming environment.
For our first gathering, let's reconnect after midterms and fall break, check in about your experiences, and kick off this new gathering space together.
- Drop in. Stay for ten minutes or the whole time.
- Bring your tea or dinner. Come as you are.
- Cameras on or off. Your comfort matters.
- Kids and fur babies are welcome. Parenting and life don't have to stop because we're gathering.
No formal presentation. No preparation. Just conversation, connection, and community.
Join Tea & Talk on Zoom.
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LGBTQ* History Month Event
Wednesday, October 28
11 am to 2:45 pm
Student Activities Center (SAC): Shore Club and SAC Ballroom B.
You are invited to SBU’s Second Annual LGBTQ* History Month Celebration, a vibrant campus event honoring queer stories, creativity, and community. This year, they welcome Gabby Rivera, a Bronx‑born queer Puerto Rican writer, acclaimed author of Juliet Takes a Breath, and the first Latina to write for Marvel Comics.
The celebration begins at the Shore Club with opening remarks and a meet‑and‑greet with Gabby, a book signing, and free copies of Juliet Takes a Breath. Lunch and Gabby’s keynote address begin at 1 pm, followed by an America Chavez Cosplay competition inspired by her groundbreaking Marvel series.
To participate in the competition, email lgbtqservices@stonybrook.edu. Space is limited to 12 contestants. The day concludes with Gabby Rivera’s Creative Writing Workshop, offering students a chance to explore storytelling, identity, and creative expression in a supportive, empowering space.
Click here to register on SB Engaged.
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Hispanic Heritage Month Closing Event
The Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM) Committee at SBU cordially invites the Seawolves community to the 37th Annual Closing Celebration on Wednesday, October 28, from 5 pm to 8 pm at the Student Activities Center, Ballroom A.
This celebration will include the presentation of awards and scholarships, performances, a dinner featuring a Latin American-inspired menu, and a basket raffle fundraiser, as well as the featured Fireside Chat with Guest Speaker Gabby Rivera.
Click here to register on SB Engaged.
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Social Work is Happening in
Long Island Libraries
Did you know that libraries throughout Long Island are providing practicum placements for SSW students who help patrons connect with vital resources and support?
Quick chat with MSW student Isabella Quiñones, library social work intern at Mattituck-Laurel Library and Rogers Memorial Library:
What do you like about your internship?
What I enjoy most about my internship is the opportunity to connect and work in collaboration with community members in addressing their needs. The library is such a unique place to practice social work, and the natural comfort people feel within this type of space/setting helps foster moments of incredible growth and connection that aren't always possible in more clinical spaces.
What are you learning?
I find that I’ve learned a lot about addressing individual and community needs on a micro, mezzo, and macro level.
What surprises you?
What surprises me most about my placement is the overlap between the skill sets and values of social workers and librarians; together, the shared knowledge and experience make for really impactful collaboration.
What challenges you?
I find working with such diverse populations with varying needs to be challenging. Because the placement doesn’t work with more specific clientele needs or populations, it's been difficult to find the best courses of action or resources for such varied needs and circumstances.
| | ADJUNCT FACULTY SPOTLIGHT | | |
This semester, we are excited to highlight our outstanding adjunct faculty who play an essential role in the School of Social Welfare community. Through this series, we will celebrate their expertise, dedication to teaching, and meaningful contributions to student learning and professional development.
We look forward to sharing their stories and recognizing the vital impact they have
on SSW!
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Courtney Kidd, LCSW, MSc,
PhD Student
Areas of specialization: Mental Health and direct practice, Policy advocacy, Research, Emerging Technologies
Favorite part about being in the classroom: My favorite part about being in the classroom is the energy of a class where ideas are flowing. I love the unexpected questions, lively debates, and anything that challenges assumptions, turning learning into an experience where we all walk away better for it. The best moments are in laughing and learning together.
Words of Wisdom: Be curious enough to question Wonderland, brave enough to challenge the Capitol, and confident enough to believe in the journey before destination.
How I spend time when not teaching: As a PhD student, my life looks like my own students' lives. But when I'm not stuck behind a screen, I dance, attend Broadway shows, concerts, and follow the whims of my highly opinionated corgi and research assistant, Dougal Mackenzie.
Educational Background: I earned a BA in Psychology, an MSW from Stony Brook, an MSc in Science & Technology Studies from the University of Edinburgh, and graduate courses in History from Rutgers University. I am also a third-year PhD student here in the School of Social Welfare, where I study human-robot interactions in pediatric oncology.
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LGBThrift Event
Tuesday, October 20 | 12 to 3 pm
SAC, Ballroom B
Want to expand your wardrobe? Shop at our event and
find your next fit!
If you have any gently used clothes and/or accessories
you wish to donate before the event, drop them off at
the LGBTQ* Center!
All proceeds will go towards the LGBTQ* Center Fund for Excellence.
For more information, please contact lgbtqservices@stonybrook.edu.
| | | | SSW Ambassadors Tips and Resources | |
Each week, we will share tips for studying, self-care, and resources from our
SSW Ambassadors!
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Lya Trinidad
Treating your PHYSICAL planner as an all-in-one system by logging the small details alongside major exams and assignment deadlines.
Writing down offhand notes from professors, events, emails you need to send, and daily goals/to do lists, so nothing slips through the cracks. I like especially to write my to do lists every day even if I have to repeat it, just so it sticks in my head.
If you work outside of the program, blocking out your work shifts in the same planner is a game changer and it just gives you a realistic view of your week and makes it much easier to schedule study time around your job.
In terms of time management, something that helped me out a lot besides the planner, as a procrastinator, just mental checking in with myself. At the end of the day, check in with all my tasks and I would just give myself grace because it can all get really overwhelming and it's important to be nice to ourselves.
Recommended resource:
A physical planner, I use a tiny one but I have heard that a big one is nice to see everything more spaced out.
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Nediva McCrae
Avoid playing your favorite songs while studying; it can become a distraction.
It is important that you take Laurel's APA Citation workshop. APA might seem easy, but there are minor details many people may miss.
If you're using ChatGPT for all of your assignments and to participate in class, you're cheating your future clients.
If you're easily distracted, avoid studying next to windows.
If you have already taken Laurel's APA Citation workshop, take it again. It's worth it.
Do a 10-minute clean-up before studying; it's like a productivity warm-up. You'll feel more ready to start the assignment, and you've done a few chores.
Set up short breaks allowing yourself to doom-scroll, text, game, walk the dog, etc., when doing an intense assignment or studying.
If you like "to-do" lists, you may want to create a reminder to check them.
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Graduate Career Series Workshop
Graduate Career Series: Preparing for Job Fairs
Monday, November 16, 2026,
7 to 8 pm | Registration Link
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"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can."
- Arthur Ashe
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