The School of Social Work

January 2025 Newsletter

The mission of the School of Social Work is to promote

 social justice through quality professional education, advocacy, community partnerships, and the development and dissemination of knowledge through enquiry.

This is our first newsletter of 2025!

We hope you have a successful and enjoyable year ahead!

"Lunar New Year Through My Eyes"

By Tracy Lee, MSW/JD Student

"Lunar New Year is a time of love, happiness, and family, celebrated by many Asian countries such as China, South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, and Singapore. It follows the lunar calendar, so the date changes each year. This year, it falls on January 29th, 2025. For my Chinese family, it’s more than just a holiday—it’s a time to honour traditions, embrace new beginnings, and connect with loved ones.

Preparations begin days before the new year. Our family cleans every corner of the house, decluttering and reorganizing to sweep away bad luck and make space for good fortune. My mom ensures we wash our hair the night before, as washing it on New Year’s Day is believed to wash away good fortune. We sleep in fresh pyjamas, ready for the celebrations ahead.

Everything we do on New Year’s Day sets the tone for the year. My brother and I dress in traditional attire—a cheongsam for me and a Tang suit for him. We bow to our parents, wish them luck, and receive red pockets filled with cash, symbolizing good fortune. The excitement of opening those red pockets and whispering with cousins about how much we got is unforgettable.

Afterward, we make sweet treats to bring in sweet moments for the year. Then, we visit our grandparents to give blessings and help prepare symbolic dishes. Dumplings represent prosperity, noodles signify long life, and sticky rice cake symbolizes growth. These dishes carry the stories and love of generations.

Lunar New Year is more than a celebration; it’s a reminder of the traditions and love that bind my family together, no matter how much time passes."

International Holocaust Remembrance Day

On January 27th, we recognized the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. We remember the victims of the Holocaust and the brutality of anti-Semitism. For more information on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, please visit:

Holocaust Remembrance Day - Canada.ca

Supports for students can be found at Student Support | University of Windsor

We are here to support you!

Raising of the Black History, Black Futures Month flag on Friday, January 31st

The University raised the Black History, Black Futures Month flag on Friday, January 31st outside of Chrysler Hall Tower. Photos from the event, including Dr. Festus Moasun drumming, are included below.

For more information on the event, please find the Daily News story below:

Community gathers to welcome Black History, Black Futures Month | DailyNews

For important events and resources, kindly visit February is Black History Month | Leddy Library

For an event calendar please visit Event Calendar | Office of the Vice-President, People, Equity, and Inclusion

School of Social Work Events

Newcomer Youth Resilience Project

Sharing Session

On Thursday, January 23rd, Drs. Jayshree Mohanty, Dr. Wansoo Park, and Dr. Jane Ku presented their research finds on newcomer youth. This event had excellent attendance by UWindsor faculty, staff, students, and the broader Windsor community.

A message from our faculty researchers:

We were excited to share the findings from SSHRC-funded research on resilience of newcomer youth. This research-sharing session explored immigrant and newcomer youth resilience and mental health with research findings from in-depth interviews and survey data and gather feedback from the community and interested members, and other researchers. 

This project is undertaken by the University of Windsor researchers Dr. Jayashree Mohanty (PI), and Jane Ku (Sociology/WGST) and Wansoo Park (social work) with the support of several member agencies of Windsor Essex Local Immigration Partnership. It is funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Development Grant. We are grateful to HESI and WELIP for supporting the information session. 

Read more about this event in the Daily News: Mental health key in welcoming newcomer youth: study | DailyNews

Attention: Social Work Students!

You are invited to an upcoming free event:

Discussion Forum

Presented by the School of Social Work EDID Committee

Date: Friday, February 7, 2025

Time: 11:30am to 2:30pm EST

Venue: Windsor Hall, Rooms 110 & 116

Light refreshments will be provided

Please join us for critical discussions on EDID.

• Share your thoughts
• Give your suggestions
• Share your experiences
• Get support

Proudly sponsored by: Office of the Vice President, People, Equity, and Inclusion

Please scan the QR code to register, in the poster attached.

The School of Social Work recently held the "Ask an Academic Session for Students". It was very well received by our students!

Students learned about faculty research and research opportunities

Friday, January 31^st at

6-7:30pm online via Teams

Faculty that were at this event:

Dr. Kristina Nikolova

Dr. Mike Bennett

Dr. Nazim Habibov

Dr. Siham Elkassem

The University of Windsor Health Research Centre for the Study of Violence Against Women (HRC-VAW) invites you to:

Please join us on February 28 at

10am-12pm for “Participatory Visual Methods: A Research Workshop”.

Hybrid offering: 

In person: Room 2223 Education Building

On-line: Zoom

Register online at https://www.uwindsor.ca/hrcvaw/ParticipatoryVisualMethodsWorkshop

Light refreshments available for those in-person (please bring your own re-usable water bottle).

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Faculty News

Dr. Elizabeth Donnelly

Dr. Elizabeth Donnelly presented at Parliament in support of Bill C-321, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (assaults against persons who provide health services and first responders). She attended Senate along with her colleagues to support the Bill.

To view Dr. Donnelly's presentation at Senate, please visit: SenVu

Dr. Donnelly's work and advocacy for paramedic's health and safety is profound. By bringing awareness to the community, we will hopefully begin to see a decrease in number of incidents in the future.

Meetings #129 - Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs (44th Parliament, 1st Session)

Witnesses

• Denise Waurynchuk, Acting Executive Councilor(BC Nurses' Union)
• Elizabeth Anne Donnelly, Professor, School of Social Work, University of Windsor(As an Individual)
• Chad Drover, Chairperson of the Board(Paramedic Association of Canada)
• Adriane Gear, President(BC Nurses' Union)
• Justin Mausz, Clinician-Scientist, Peel Regional Paramedic Services, Adjunct Faculty, Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto(As an Individual)
• Natasha Poirier, Former Moncton Hospital Nurse(As an Individual)

Meeting with interpretation and transcription

Dr. Elizabeth Donnelly is an Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Windsor. She holds a PhD in Social Work as well as a Master of Social Work (MSW) and Master of Public Health (MPH). Dr. Donnelly is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and a Fellow of the Academy of EMS (FAEMS) with the National Association of EMS Physicians.

Dr. Donnelly’s primary research interest is in workforce health issues, with a focus on mental health, in paramedicine.

In addition to her academic work, Dr. Donnelly has significant front-line expertise; she has maintained certification as Nationally Registered Emergency Medical Technician (NREMT) since 1999, working on the front line in both ALS and BLS capacities.

Please visit Dr. Elizabeth Donnelly's personal website at Elizabeth Donnelly PhD | research

Student News

Nicole Canzoneri, MSW/JD Student

Congratulations to Nicole Canzoneri, recipient of the 2024 UWindsor OHREA Accessibility Award.

"The Accessibility Award is given to those who have contributed to increasing accessibility on campus or in the community. Accessibility can be enhanced by improvements to physical space, customer service, accessible education, training and awareness, accessible employment, and information & communication".

Nicole's award was presented by Cherie Gagnon, Accessibility Specialist in OHREA. Cherie notes "Nicole is a hardworking, team player who uses her leadership skills, creativity, innovation, and communication skills to be an advocate for youth with and without disabilities and the disability community. For more information on Nicole's award, please visit:

2024_ohrea_awards_program.pdf

Nicole graduated from the UWindsor Disability Studies program and minored in Political Science. She is currently in her first year of the MSW/JD program in the School of Social Work with an interest in social policy as well as disability advocacy and inclusion in law.

Outside of school she works as a Respite Worker and Personal Support Worker. She has been on the Board of Directors for Community Living Ontario since 2022 and facilitates presentations across Ontario about leadership for youth with and without disabilities, inclusion, and history of institutionalization in Canada.

Nicole worked on an online curriculum called Truths of Institutionalization with Community Living Ontario and Inclusion Canada.

At the University she worked as the Accessibility Building Assessor and as the Accessible Initiatives Coordinator. She also sat on the University’s Accessible Built Environment Committee for the University as their student representative since 2021.

She a member on the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Accessibility Awareness Days planning committee and helped with the events each year.

Tori Lewis,

PhD Student

Tori presented at the December 2024 UWindsor #IAmSahraBulle Conference, along with her colleagues. Please see further information below.

#IAmSahraBulle Conference | Office of the Vice-President, People, Equity, and Inclusion

"Scheduled on December 4, 2024, the #IAmSahraBulle Conference is a collaborative effort between the Sahra Bulle Foundation and the Office of the Vice-President of People, Equity, and Inclusion. This hybrid event is dedicated to fostering dialogue, education, and actionable steps against gender-based violence against women and girls, aligning with Canada’s 2024 theme for the 16-Days of Activism, "Come Together, Act Now" Through insightful sessions and engaging discussions, the conference aims to unite advocates, survivors, and change-makers to propel tangible steps in dismantling systemic barriers and promoting gender equality and respect. It's a pivotal moment to empower change and create a more equitable society for all."

Tori presented with her colleagues:

Research Presentation: The Link Between GBV and Health Outcomes

Presenters: Tori Lewis, Kylie Pazner, Amilia Noftall, Kylee Madison, Ananya Sood, and Dr. Kendall Soucie

Focus: This research-driven presentation explores the concepts and relationships between GBV, trauma, and health-related impacts, providing foundational insights.

To view the conference, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGnGTQXBVOY

Updates from Sharon Munro, Social Work Librarian

Leddy Library tours

Leddy Library tours will be taking place in January. The tours are tailored to the subject backgrounds/interests of the participants. Tours begin in the main lobby of the Leddy Library and are an excellent way to become oriented to the library and its services and resources. Tours will take place on:

·       Tuesday, January 14^th – 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

·       Wednesday, January 15^th – 12 noon to 12:30 p.m.

·       Monday, January 20^th – 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

·       Thursday, January 23^rd – 12 noon to 12:30 p.m.

·       Friday, January 24^th – 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

·       Monday, January 27^th – 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Leddy Library workshops in January

The following Leddy Library workshops are taking place in January:

·       Cite smarter: organize and integrate your sources with ease using Zotero

o  Tuesday, January 21^st – 1:30 p.m. to 2:15 p.m.

o  Thursday, January 23^rd – 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m.

For more information about and to register for these workshops and other upcoming workshops, see: Library Events  

Writing Support Desk workshops

The Writing Support Desk is offering writing support workshops during the Winter term. See: Writing Workshops for more information.

Leddy Library guides for Social Work

Just a reminder about some of the Leddy Library guides for Social Work:

·       Social Work Subject Page – main gateway to Leddy Library resources and services for Social Work

·       Resources for Social Work Research – provides access to a wide array of resources for Social Work

·       Research Methods in Social Work – includes search tips and strategies for the Social Work databases

·       Social Work Journal Evaluation & Citation Analysis

·       Social Work Statistics

Indigenous Studies resources at Leddy Library

Jennifer Soutter, the Leddy Library’s Indigenous Outreach Librarian, has put some very useful resources together including:

·        Indigenous Studies web page – gateway to a wide array of resources

·        First Peoples Research Guide – covers significant dates; Indigenous Voices; Indigenous activism and select news/media; and information about Indigenous communities and organizations

·        First Peoples: for Faculty and Administrators – includes information about local communities; student voices; administrators’ experiences, contexts and challenges; conducting research; on curriculum; decolonizing and Indigenizing the Academy; and a selection of University reports on Indigenization 

·        #IndigenousActivism – includes information about significant dates; activists; campaigns, movements, Indigenous organizations; earlier resistance; and values

We acknowledge that The University of Windsor sits on the traditional territory of the Three Fires Confederacy of First Nations, comprised of the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomi. We respect the longstanding relationships with First Nations People in this place in the 100-mile Windsor-Essex Peninsula and the straits - les détroits of Detroit.