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, 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 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, 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, 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
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
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
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
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
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
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, 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 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 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 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.
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 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 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, 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
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Leah K. Lazzaro, DSW
Social Work Educators’ Perceptions of their Leadership and Management Competencies (https://research.library.kutztown.edu/socialworkdissertations/10/)
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Diane J. Irish, DSW, LSW
Intervention Research for the Education and Empowerment of Families Experiencing Homelessness: Exploring Knowledge of Tenant Rights and Perceptions of Personal Empowerment (https://research.library.kutztown.edu/socialworkdissertations/8/)
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Lisa M. Lowrie, DSW
Exploring the relationships of Email Overload, Stress and Burnout in Social Workers (https://research.library.kutztown.edu/socialworkdissertations/9/)
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Darius Reed, DSW
Social Work’s Contribution to Research Regarding Suicide Among African Americans (https://research.library.kutztown.edu/socialworkdissertations/7/)
2018
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Hanif M. Bey, DSW
Exploring the Role of United States Legal Discourse in Creating, Sustaining, and Disrupting Vestiges of Slavery, (https://research.library.kutztown.edu/socialworkdissertations/3/)
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Sonia M. Brown, DSW
Intimate Partner Violence: A Narrative Analysis of the Jamaican Women Experience, (https://research.library.kutztown.edu/socialworkdissertations/6/)
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Kimberly L. Hardner, DSW
Understanding College Students with Physical Disabilities, (https://research.library.kutztown.edu/socialworkdissertations/5/)
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Karey J. Murphy, DSW
A Workable Balance: Maternity Leave and Female success in the Workplace in Finland and the United States (https://research.library.kutztown.edu/socialworkdissertations/4/)
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Sandy Anhai Ramirez Sanchez, DSW
Hispanic Parent/Caregiver Health Literacy: Examining Effect on Pediatric Emergency Department Utilization, (https://research.library.kutztown.edu/socialworkdissertations/2/)
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Amy Corwin Sagen, DSW
Academic Preparedness of Social Workers for Interprofessional Education/Collaborative Practice (IPECP), (https://research.library.kutztown.edu/socialworkdissertations/1/)