Doctor of Social Work Dissertations

Dissertation Announcement
2023

Liberating Self: An Autoethnographic Inquiry Into Black Male Mental Health

The Department of Social Work announces Phillip J. Roundtree, Sr., LCSW, MS, defended his dissertation "Liberating Self: An Autoethnographic Inquiry Into Black Male Mental Health"  at 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 28. Chaired by Dr. Stephen Stoeffler.

“We’re Not Thriving, But We’re Trying.” Exploring Undergraduate Students’ Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Department of Social Work announces Kelly Smith, MSW, LCSW, defended her dissertation "We’re Not Thriving, But We’re Trying.” Exploring Undergraduate Students’ Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic at 3 p.m. Monday, March 27. Chaired by Dr. Mary Rita Weller.

Julie Barry

Julie Barry, MSW, LSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Julie Barry, MSW, LSW

Self-Reported Secondary Trauma of Black Social Workers

Wednesday, March 23, 2023, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Edward Hanna

Committee Members:   Dr. FangHsun Wei

Dr. Sharon Lyter

Morgan Daugherty

Morgan A Daugherty, LCSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Morgan A Daugherty, LCSW

Social Work Supervision Education: Pennsylvania Social Workers Reflect on Education and Supervisory Competence

Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 10 am-12 noon
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr Janice Gasker

Committee Members:   Dr. Edward Hanna

Dr. Alex Redcay

Bailey Higgins

Bailey Higgins, LSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Bailey Higgins, LSW

Without a Village: Motherhood, Child Care, and COVID-19

Thursday, March 2, 2023, 10 am-12 noon
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr Sharon Lyter

Committee Members:   Dr. Yasoda Sharma

Dr. Janice Gasker

2022
Krista King

Krista King, MSW, LSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Krista King, MSW, LSW

Social Determinants of Health: Examining Effect on Medicaid Recipients’ Emergency Department Utilization

Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 1-3 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. John Vafeas,

Committee Members:   Dr. Yasoda Sharma

Dr. Kathleen Stanfa

Megan Tritt, LCSW

Megan Tritt, LCSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Megan Tritt, LCSW

The Social Work Experience of Moral Distress Amit Covid-19

Friday, April 1, 2022 2-4 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Juliana Svistova

Committee Members: Dr. Edward Hanna

                                       Dr. Yoon Mi Kim

Tia White, LCSW

Tia White, LCSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Tia White

The Development of the Police Department Wellness Survey

    Thursday, March 24 10 a.m.-12 noon

Committee Chair: Dr. Barth Yeboah, DSW

Committee Members: Dr. Yasoda Sharma

                                       Dr. Jonathan Kremser

Tammy Ann Shay

Tammy Ann Shay

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Tammy Ann Shay

Herstory: Women and Drugs

Women in the Environment Using Meta-Ethnography

Thursday, March 24, 2022 9-11 a.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Sharon Lyter

Committee Members: Dr. Janice Gasker

                                       Dr. Kim Shively

Michelle Alison Townsend, LCSW

Michelle Alison Townsend, LCSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Michelle Alison Townsend, LCSW

African-American Pastors' Mental Health Literacy, Leadership, and Counsel: A Systematic Review

Thursday, March 10, 2022 1-3 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Stephen W. Stoeffler

Committee Members: Dr. James Jackson

                                       Dr. Sharon Lyter

Brendan P. Young

Brendan P. Young

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Brendan P. Young

Human Behavior in the Political Environment: A Content Analysis of Political Content in HBSW Textbooks

Thursday, March 3, 2022 9-11 a.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Stephen W. Stoeffler

Committee Members: Dr. Steve Lem

                                       Dr. Laura Granruth

2021
Jen Marshall, LSW

Jennifer Marshall, LSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Jennifer Marshall

Awareness of and Value Placed on School Social Work: A Study of Pennsylvania's Public School Administrators

Wednesday, April 21, 1-3 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. John Vafeas

Committee Members: Dr. Julie Lewelyn

                                       Dr. George Ioannidis

Alicia Chico

Alicia Chico, LSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Alicia Chico

School Social Workers and Threat Assessment Teams: Exploring roles, perceptions, and outcomes

Thursday, April 15, 2021; 1-3 PM

Committee Chair: Dr. Janice Gasker

Committee Members: Dr. John Vafeas

                                       Dr. Jonathan Kremser

Michael Hassler

Michael William Hassler, MSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Michael William Hassler, MSW

A Qualitative Exploration of Social Work Identity

Thursday, April 1, 2021

1 pm – 3 pm

Committee Chair: Stephen W. Stoeffler, Ph.D.
Committee Members: Juliana Svistova, Ph.D. and Heather L. Girvin, Ph.D. (Millersville)

Mindy McCormick

Mindy L. McCormick, MSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Mindy L. McCormick, MSW

Effectiveness of a Social Work Informed Casework Training Curriculum for Paraprofessionals in Non-Profit Social Service Agencies

Monday, March 22, 2021

12:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Committee Chair: Dr. Janice Gasker
Committee Members: Dr. John Vafeas and Dr. Gregory Shelley

2020
Bonnie Marsh

Bonnie Christian Marsh, MSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Bonnie Christian Marsh, DSW

CASEWORKER TURNOVER: WHY DO CHILD WELFARE CASEWORKERS WANT TO LEAVE THEIR JOBS AND WHAT MAKES THEM STAY?

July 20, 2020, 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Yoon Mi Kim, Ph.D.

Committee Members: Dr. Stephen Stoeffler, MSW, Ph.D. 

                                       Dr. Julian Svistova, Ph.D.

Nikki Snyder

Nicki Snyder, MSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Nikki Snyder, DSW

School Social Work: A Curriculum Analysis

April 6, 2020, 2-4 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Mary Rita Weller, LSW, Ph.D.

Committee Members: Dr. John Vafeas, LSW, DSW

                                       Dr. Sharon Lyter, LCSW, MSW, Ph.D.

Amy Downes

Amy B Downes, LCSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Amy B. Downes, LCSW, DSW

The Perceived Impact of Basic Need Insecurity on Social Work Student Success 

March 30, 2020, 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Juliana Svistova 

Committee Members: Dr. Janice Gasker 

                                       Dr. Heather Girvin

Barbe Fogarty

Barbe A Fogarty, MSW, MEd

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Barbe A. Fogarty, DSW

"We Are Forgotten." Framing Disaster via Twitter in the Aftermath of Hurrican Maria: Implications for Social Work Policy Practice 

March 25, 2020, 1:15-3:15 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Juliana Svistova, PhD

Committee Members: Dr. Janice Gasker, DSW

Rachel Bernini

Rachel Bernini, MSW, LSW

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Rachel Bernini

Understanding Effective Supervision and the Relationship Between Supervision Effectiveness and Education

Friday, March 20, 2020, 3:30-5:30 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. John Conahan

Committee Members: Dr. Juliana Svistova 

                                       Dr. FangHsun Wei

2019
2018