Spring 2022
Get Connected with Kent!
One of my favorite parts of my job is showcasing the great things happening at the Kent School. This newsletter is full of these accomplishments, and I hope you enjoy reading about my talented colleagues.  One larger news item since our last newsletter is the name of our school has changed. Our new name better reflects our unit’s diverse degree offerings to our students, the campus, and community partners. We are thrilled to now be known as the Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science. March is known as Social Work Month and the Kent School celebrated and honored the work of social workers in many ways including panels and events. One of our bigger events was our Champions for Change Awards and Recognition Event that took place a few weeks ago. Continue Reading.
KENT SCHOOL NEWS
Following the recommendation by Interim President Lori Stewart Gonzalez and approval by the UofL Board of Trustees, the name of the Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work has been changed. The new name change comes after a year of committee work... Read more.
The Kent School of Social Work and Family Science, Champions for Change Awards and Recognition event was held virtually this year. This event honors our community partners, alumni, donors, and scholarship recipients. An address was given by Dean David Jenkins..Read more.
Each year the University of Louisville recognizes the incredible work of faculty and staff with the annual Presidential Excellence Awards. The University honors faculty who bring distinction to the university through their commitment to the areas of service, teaching, and outstanding scholarship, research, and creative activity. This year the Kent School of Social Work and Family Science has three award winners: Dr. Sharon Moore, Edgardo Mansilla, and Connie Cox! Read more.
Dean Jenkins recently announced that he has accepted an offer to become Dean of the College of Social Work at Ohio State University. In his announcement to the Kent School faculty and staff Dean Jenkins stated, “I am excited about this new opportunity and believe it is a good move for my family and me. Please understand I did not make this decision lightly and it was one I made with mixed emotions. Read more.
When a patient visits a doctor of a similar race or ethnicity, the patient often experiences better outcomes. The same goes for education among teachers and students, therapists and patients, social workers and clients and so forth.
This significance of boosting minority..
The Kent School celebrated Social Work Month during the week of March 21 - 25, 2022. Thank you to those that were able to participate in the events! It was an honor to celebrate and highlight the Social Work profession. Learn about the Social Work Week events. Read more.
ALUMNI NEWS
Kent Alumni on the Move

Kent Alumni are actively working and involved in our community. Learn more about what fellow alumni are doing to make a difference, upcoming events and alumni news!
During his undergraduate years at Kentucky State University, Berrac Strode didn’t think a graduate education would be a part of his future. But, UofL’s HBCU Cardinal Express to Success program helped redefine his goals, and Strode went on to complete a Master of Science in Social Work in May 2021. Read more.
Ph.D. alumni, Dr. Daniel Boamah, selected to be part of the CSWE cohort of Scholars in Global & Intercultural Competence. The designation of CSWE Scholar in Global & Intercultural Competence is given in recognition of innovations in education to introduce social work students to a wealth of international perspectives on social problems and imaginative solutions in the context of cultural diversity and complex social and economic justice issues. Dr. Boamah was also selected to be a Principal Investigator for the KYNETIC Grant. Read more about the grant.
RESEARCH
Dr. Becky Antle won the Research Collaborator of the Year Award on March 29th at the inaugural award ceremony for the new University of Louisville Office of Research and Innovation EVPRI research awards. This award was one of six named awards.
“At the University of Louisville, we excel at addressing the needs of our ever-growing aging population,” said Interim President Lori Gonzalez. “People are living longer, and virtually every country in the world is seeing increases in both the number and percentage of citizens over age 60...Read more.
The Kent School of Social Work and Family Science is excited to announce a new grant-funded partnership with the Office of Gender-Based Violence at Arizona State University to expand Survivor Link through the Public Health AmeriCorps program! In the fall, the Kent School will be one of 14 universities across 11 states working to improve the public health response to intimate partner violence by building capacity among community agencies. Read more.
Kent Associate Professor and MSCFT Program Director, Dr. Laura Frey, co-authored an article that was published in the 2022 Decade in Review special issue of the Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, a national publication for couple, marriage, and family therapists. The issue is published once every decade....Read more
Research Bytes provide a brief summary of the results of recently published research conducted by Kent School faculty in specific topical areas in easily digestible “bytes.” Links to the articles on each journal’s website for those who wish to investigate further are available. Visit the website.
STUDENTS IN ACTION
Two years full time at Kent School. Part time job both years. On the job practicum the first year. And a macro practicum the second year with involvement with the State Legislature. How could anything be stressful? But Madeline gave her all for her education and especially in her practicum work. This was more than a practicum; she found her passion. Advocacy! Last year Madeline Dyer completed her practicum at EMW Women’s Clinic in Louisville. She was working with women who were facing abortion. Read more.
Javoughn Brown-Lewis, from Louisville, is in his third and final year of a MSSW and MSCFT dual degree program. Javoughn says he always dreamed of attending the Kent School and studying for his MSSW even prior to his enrollment in undergrad. “At the core of my being is service, community, and youth! It has always been my dream to be a mental health clinician, so an LCSW was the route I chose to take! The MSCFT program had fallen in my lap! Read More
Gilberto Maldonado was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He served more than 20 years in the United States Army and settled in the Pacific North West in 2015. He currently lives in Olympia Washington. Gilberto completed his MSSW from U of L in 2015, and is currently in the first year, second semester of the Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program. The doctoral student chose to study social work because he enjoys helping people. “I value ... Read more.
Ashley Logsdon, from Louisville, is in her second year of studies in the PhD program. Ashley is a first-generation college student and entered her undergraduate program with the intention of becoming a pediatric oncologist. However, after a few years as a biology student, and shadowing a few practitioners, she decided that she didn’t want to be a medical doctor. “I knew that I wanted a job that would allow me to help... Read more.
FACULTY
Kent faculty are actively involved in the community as well as the classroom and are often featured in the news media, speak at conferences, involved in community projects, receive awards and more. Dr. Karlynn BrintzenhofeSzoc was recently interviewed by UofL News... Read more.
Dr. Barbara Head worked for the University of Louisville for 20 years. She taught Death and Grief for 15 years at Kent and has served on dissertation committees for the remainder of the time. Dr. Head worked as both a nurse and social worker at a large hospice program in multiple roles before entering academics: home hospice nurse,...Read more.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
The University of Louisville plans to resume indoor, in-person commencement exercises Saturday, May 14, 2022 at 10:00 am and 3:00 pm at the KFC Yum! Center. This ceremony will celebrate May 2022 graduates. The ceremony will also be live streamed. Learn more.
Join us on May 4th at 1:30 pm ET outside Oppenheimer Hall for a celebration ceremony in honor of the colleges new name. The new sign in front of the building will be revealed and we will have a message from Dean David Jenkins, Dr. Laura Frey, and Alumni to commemorate this event. More info and registration here.
Are you graduating this Spring? Check out the list of upcoming events to celebrate graduation here.

Please contact the MSSW Advising Office for questions or assistance: msswhelp@louisville.edu
Send Kent School news, events and announcements for the next newsletter to the editor,
Diandre Glover-Thomas, MA, Director of School Marketing & Communications
University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work and Family Science www.louisville.edu/kent