Chris Wodicka recently passed his dissertation proposal defense. His research examines non-college-educated men, labor market shifts, the EITC, the minimum wage, and atypical work, offering insights for future social policy and anti-poverty strategies.

Fritz Graham, MPH, recently defended his dissertation on how recent residence in controlled environments relates to HIV sexual risk behaviors among women on probation and parole with histories of victimization or violence.

Jessica C. Kim, LCSW, recently passed her dissertation defense on how Korean American social workers interpret, navigate, and adapt trauma-informed care. Her study reveals limits of Western trauma models and calls for culturally situated frameworks that reflect KA histories, values, and realities.

PhD student Isabella Kim recently presented at Penn’s Psychiatry Research Day on work with Dr. Lauren White. Her study shows early threat sensitivity may predict later internalizing symptoms, especially depression, using long-term data from the PNC.

Last week, SP2 PhD candidate Codi Smith presented their dissertation proposal: "Board Capacity, Power, and Performance of Community Foundations." The study explores how board capacity and power dynamics shape outcomes in the nonprofit sector.

Congrats to Samaita Jana on passing her dissertation proposal defense! 🎉 Her research on the mental health of sex workers in Kolkata explores the challenges they face, from stigma to Covid-19 pressures, highlighting their resilience and fight for better mental health and support. We’re so proud!

Congrats to Joonhyeog Park, recipient of the 2025 Hal Levin Award! His research bridges technology & social services for older adults, demonstrating excellence in methodology & scholarship.

Congrats to Emily, for running the 2025 Tokyo Marathon—one of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors! 🏅 A huge milestone! 👏

Meet Ayana Colvin, a first-year SP2 PhD student with a background in education and a passion for social work and research. After eight years of teaching, she transitioned to social work to better support youth. At SP2, she’s exploring research on systemic inequities.

Congrats to Mira Philips on passing her Dissertation Proposal Defense! Her study examines how racialized immigrant women in Canada’s care economy navigate precarity as shaped by immigration, labor, & family responsibilities.

Tiana Marrese will start this fall as an assistant professor at the Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration with a focus on nonprofit research 🎊

PhD in Social Welfare current students, alumni and faculty met for dinner to celebrate the many ways SP2 contributed to SSWR.

SP2 scholars presented research on healthcare access, violence prevention, media technology, and social welfare policy at SSWR 2025 in Seattle.

Please join us for the Joint NIMH Center Seminar Series on Wednesday, January 29 at 12:00 pm Eastern. Ph.D. candidate Ari Gzesh, MSW will present "Understanding psychosocial and behavioral constructs related to PrEP interest among trans-masculine people assigned female at birth.”

Dr. @joelcaplan.bsky.social, SP2 PhD alumnus, has been named Senior Vice Chancellor for Research @rutgersuniversity.bsky.social . As co-creator of Risk Terrain Modeling, his work has supported crime prevention efforts, including a 60% reduction in Atlantic City.

Congrats to Melissa B. Skolnick-Noguera, PhD, MSW, for passing her dissertation on 'The Cultural Organizing Networks in Philadelphia'! Her work shows how artists shaped 2020’s discourse on cultural equity and racial justice policy, linking local movements to national social change @melib.bsky.social

Congrats to Alexander Bervik & Anna Ferris on their publication in the Int'l Journal of Social Welfare! Their work examines how U.S. immigration laws shape welfare access for forced migrants, revealing inequalities rooted in "deservingness." onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Congrats to Joonhyeog Park, 1st-year PhD student at @pennsp2.bsky.social, for presenting his poster, "Bridging the Digital Divide," at at Gerontological Society of America! His research explores eHealth use among homebound older adults during COVID-19. Excited for his future research!

New research by Abram Lyons & Chris Wodicka highlights inequities in EITC allocation across qualifying categories. Published in Journal of Policy Practice & Research. link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Julian Quiros’ essay, “Archive Capitalism,” is now on SSRC #JustTech platform. It explores the role of administrative data in child welfare & its impact on governance and inequality. Read here: just-tech.ssrc.org/articles/adm...

We’re on BlueSky! Follow us at @sp2phd.bsky.social to stay updated on program news, academic achievements, conference experiences, and more. Let’s connect and continue building our academic community in this new space!

📢 Reminder: The application deadline for Fall 2025 is December 15, 2024! Don't miss your chance to apply! ✨

PhD candidate Daniel Choi attended @CSocialWorkEd and presented his paper, “Social Workers as Social Entrepreneurs: Understanding Engagement.” His study explores how social entrepreneurship can meet complex needs, engage underserved communities, and boost social workers’ earning.

Congrats to @ChelseakBrown on defending her Dissertation Proposal! Her research advances trauma-informed palliative care, focusing on end-of-life outcomes & patient experiences. A step forward in innovating care for seriously ill patients.

Congrats to Abe Lyons for defending his dissertation proposal at @PennSP2! His research will examine the impact of the Indian Child Welfare Act on Indigenous and African American children in the child welfare system, exploring outcomes such as family placements and reunification.

Final reminder! Join us in person for the @PennSP2 PhD Program Information Session on 📅Saturday, October 19 from ⏰1:00 PM to 2:00 PM EST at 📍Caster Building, Room 309/310. Learn more about the program and meet our faculty. Register here:...

📢 Explore the SP2 PhD in Social Welfare! 🖥️ Virtual Info Session: Oct 8, 7-8 PM EST 🏢 In-Person: Oct 19, 1-2 PM EST, Caster Building 309/310 Join us to learn more! https://sp2.upenn.edu/admissions-events/

Congrats to PhD candidate Jung Ho Choi on being accepted to the 2024 Doctoral Scholars Institute! Last week, he attended the Forward Thinking Summit, themed “Hope in the Midst of Polycrisis: Social Work Leaders Pioneering Change.”

Congratulations to PhD Candidate Tiana Marrese for completing the prestigious Oxford-Penn Social Impact Doctoral Fellowship, a partnership between UPenn’s Center for Social Impact Strategy and Oxford’s Gradel Institute.

Throwing it back to Orientation, where our incredible faculty welcomed and inspired our PhD students. Their unwavering support continues to guide us every step of the way.

Congrats to Dr. Julian Quiros, 2024 PhD @PennSP2 , on being named a 2024-2025 Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow for Academic Diversity! His research studies data-driven governance in child welfare, revealing complexities in representation.

Join us for the Penn @PennSP2 PhD Information Session! Discover our program, meet our faculty, and explore exciting research opportunities. Don’t miss this chance to learn more and take the next step in your academic journey. See you there! https://sp2.upenn.edu/admissions-events/

Welcome Back to Our Returning PhD Scholars! 🌟 Here’s to another year of learning, growth, and making an impact at @PennSP2!

This Monday, we welcomed the next cohort of future leaders in social welfare to campus for orientation! 🎉 We are excited to see how they embark on their journey at @PennSP2.

@PennSP2 PhD Student Sandhya Rani Jha co-authored"Towards Just & Equitable Web3," which explores how Web3 impacts social norms. It highlights social workers' roles in promoting equity in AI, with actionable steps for diverse workforces and policies.

Incoming @PennSP2 PhD student Sebastian Prandoni testified before Congress on July 31st at a hearing co-hosted by Senators Padilla (D-CA) and Tillis (R-NC).The event focused on youth behavioral wellness and innovative policy solutions.

Julian Quiros defended his dissertation "Scenes of Measurement" on the historical use of administrative data in Philly Child Welfare from 1877-1923. A deep dive into data's role beyond numbers. Congrats Dr. Quiros! @PennSP2

Meet Mira, a 2nd-year PhD student in Social Welfare at SP2. Originally from Ontario, she's researching guaranteed income pilots and the experiences of migrant caregivers in Toronto. Outside school, she enjoys eating, drinking, and walking her way through Philly! @mirakphilips

Congrats to @beccapepe on defending her dissertation proposal "Water Insecurity Among Philadelphia Residents: Health Effects & Promise for Policy Intervention." Her research explores the impact of water shutoffs on health and the role of low-income customer support programs.

Meet Tiana Marrese, M.S., a third-year PhD student specializing in nonprofit scholarship. Tiana explores volunteerism and nonprofit employment, aiming to understand how individuals engage in these realms. Outside academia, she dedicates herself to West Philly's green spaces.

Congratulations to Anna Ferris for successfully defending her dissertation proposal, "Liminality of Forced Displacement." Her work focuses on how legal and geographic pathways shape the experiences of Syrian refugees and immigrants in the US.

Congratulations to all our graduates who walked the stage last week, completing years of hard work, research, and commitment to social change. We are incredibly proud of your accomplishments and are confident that you will continue to lead in your respective fields. #PennSP2 🎓

🎉 Hwiyoung Lee has been selected for @Penn IES Predoctoral Training Program in Interdisciplinary Methods for Field-based Research in Education. Through rigorous training and research collaborations, Hwiyoung will contribute to key educational and policy advancements.

Excited to welcome our new Ph.D. students this fall!  Joonhyeog focuses on digital inclusion & eHealth for seniors. Ayana transitions from educator to researcher, aiming to impact social policy. Anthony explores policy solutions for urban violence & health disparities.

Last week at the European Conference for Social Work Research in Vilnius, @beccapepe presented on "Data Dictionaries" to improve data use in municipal systems. Alex and @AnnaKateFerris1 discussed the impact of humanitarian statuses on welfare access.

New publication alert: "Psychosocial Distress Screening Among Interprofessional Palliative Care Teams: A Narrative Review," by PhD student @ChelseakBrown highlights the urgent need for standardized psychosocial screening tools to prevent disparities in palliative care.

Meet Chris Wodicka, a PhD student at SP2! Chris previously helped led projects at The Commonwealth Institute, making Virginia's Earned Income Tax Credit refundable—aiding thousands. At UPenn, he studies how tax credits interact with U.S. policies to boost family security

🎨 Art for Justice! Join us with Students for Criminal Justice Advocacy, People’s Paper Co-op, and Philly Community Bail Fund. 🗓 April 17th ⏰ 2-4 PM 📍 Caster Building Lobby, 3701 Locust Walk Open to all, bring ID.

Meet Joey Tan, 2rd-year PhD student @PennSP2 . Joey aims to better understand the risky health behaviors of Adolescent and Young Adult cancer survivors and eventually develop digital tools for them. Outside of academia, Joey enjoys knitting and walking with her dog. @JoeyCYTan

See 3rd year student Ari's Gzesh’s work in pediatric healthcare! One navigates the socio-political challenges faced by pediatric providers. The other calls for inclusive mental health practices for sexual and gender-diverse...