Reclaiming and Reimagining Macro Social Work Education: A Collective Biography

ABSTRACT

The authors focus on a collective biography of 12 women social work educators, all either tenured or in tenure lines, from five different universities at the time of the study. The participants represent several aspects of macro practice including administration, planning, community practice, and policy. Beginning with reflections about coming into macro practice, we highlight memories about first teaching experiences and examine cultural shifts discovered in our academic journeys. We feature students who inspired us and perceptions of challenges in curricular development affecting the preparation of students. This article includes comments that emphasize the themes and focus of our collective reflections. Finally, we place what we learned in the context of a report from the Association for Community Organization and Social Administration calling for the visibility of and advocacy for macro social work education.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

F. Ellen Netting

F. Ellen Netting is professor emerita, Mary Katherine O’Connor is professor emerita, Youngmi Kim is assistant professor, and Traci L. Wike is assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Portia L. Cole is senior health policy analyst at the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care in Richmond. Karen Hopkins is associate professor and Elizabeth A. Mulroy is professor emerita at University of Maryland. Jenny L. Jones is associate professor at Florida A&M University. Monica Leisey is assistant professor at Salem State University. Karen Smith Rotabi is associate professor at United Arab Emirates University. M. Lori Thomas is assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Marie O. Weil is professor at University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill.

Mary Katherine O’Connor

F. Ellen Netting is professor emerita, Mary Katherine O’Connor is professor emerita, Youngmi Kim is assistant professor, and Traci L. Wike is assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Portia L. Cole is senior health policy analyst at the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care in Richmond. Karen Hopkins is associate professor and Elizabeth A. Mulroy is professor emerita at University of Maryland. Jenny L. Jones is associate professor at Florida A&M University. Monica Leisey is assistant professor at Salem State University. Karen Smith Rotabi is associate professor at United Arab Emirates University. M. Lori Thomas is assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Marie O. Weil is professor at University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill.

Portia L. Cole

F. Ellen Netting is professor emerita, Mary Katherine O’Connor is professor emerita, Youngmi Kim is assistant professor, and Traci L. Wike is assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Portia L. Cole is senior health policy analyst at the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care in Richmond. Karen Hopkins is associate professor and Elizabeth A. Mulroy is professor emerita at University of Maryland. Jenny L. Jones is associate professor at Florida A&M University. Monica Leisey is assistant professor at Salem State University. Karen Smith Rotabi is associate professor at United Arab Emirates University. M. Lori Thomas is assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Marie O. Weil is professor at University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill.

Karen Hopkins

F. Ellen Netting is professor emerita, Mary Katherine O’Connor is professor emerita, Youngmi Kim is assistant professor, and Traci L. Wike is assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Portia L. Cole is senior health policy analyst at the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care in Richmond. Karen Hopkins is associate professor and Elizabeth A. Mulroy is professor emerita at University of Maryland. Jenny L. Jones is associate professor at Florida A&M University. Monica Leisey is assistant professor at Salem State University. Karen Smith Rotabi is associate professor at United Arab Emirates University. M. Lori Thomas is assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Marie O. Weil is professor at University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill.

Jenny L. Jones

F. Ellen Netting is professor emerita, Mary Katherine O’Connor is professor emerita, Youngmi Kim is assistant professor, and Traci L. Wike is assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Portia L. Cole is senior health policy analyst at the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care in Richmond. Karen Hopkins is associate professor and Elizabeth A. Mulroy is professor emerita at University of Maryland. Jenny L. Jones is associate professor at Florida A&M University. Monica Leisey is assistant professor at Salem State University. Karen Smith Rotabi is associate professor at United Arab Emirates University. M. Lori Thomas is assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Marie O. Weil is professor at University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill.

Youngmi Kim

F. Ellen Netting is professor emerita, Mary Katherine O’Connor is professor emerita, Youngmi Kim is assistant professor, and Traci L. Wike is assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Portia L. Cole is senior health policy analyst at the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care in Richmond. Karen Hopkins is associate professor and Elizabeth A. Mulroy is professor emerita at University of Maryland. Jenny L. Jones is associate professor at Florida A&M University. Monica Leisey is assistant professor at Salem State University. Karen Smith Rotabi is associate professor at United Arab Emirates University. M. Lori Thomas is assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Marie O. Weil is professor at University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill.

Monica Leisey

F. Ellen Netting is professor emerita, Mary Katherine O’Connor is professor emerita, Youngmi Kim is assistant professor, and Traci L. Wike is assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Portia L. Cole is senior health policy analyst at the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care in Richmond. Karen Hopkins is associate professor and Elizabeth A. Mulroy is professor emerita at University of Maryland. Jenny L. Jones is associate professor at Florida A&M University. Monica Leisey is assistant professor at Salem State University. Karen Smith Rotabi is associate professor at United Arab Emirates University. M. Lori Thomas is assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Marie O. Weil is professor at University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill.

Elizabeth A. Mulroy

F. Ellen Netting is professor emerita, Mary Katherine O’Connor is professor emerita, Youngmi Kim is assistant professor, and Traci L. Wike is assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Portia L. Cole is senior health policy analyst at the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care in Richmond. Karen Hopkins is associate professor and Elizabeth A. Mulroy is professor emerita at University of Maryland. Jenny L. Jones is associate professor at Florida A&M University. Monica Leisey is assistant professor at Salem State University. Karen Smith Rotabi is associate professor at United Arab Emirates University. M. Lori Thomas is assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Marie O. Weil is professor at University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill.

Karen Smith Rotabi

F. Ellen Netting is professor emerita, Mary Katherine O’Connor is professor emerita, Youngmi Kim is assistant professor, and Traci L. Wike is assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Portia L. Cole is senior health policy analyst at the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care in Richmond. Karen Hopkins is associate professor and Elizabeth A. Mulroy is professor emerita at University of Maryland. Jenny L. Jones is associate professor at Florida A&M University. Monica Leisey is assistant professor at Salem State University. Karen Smith Rotabi is associate professor at United Arab Emirates University. M. Lori Thomas is assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Marie O. Weil is professor at University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill.

M. Lori Thomas

F. Ellen Netting is professor emerita, Mary Katherine O’Connor is professor emerita, Youngmi Kim is assistant professor, and Traci L. Wike is assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Portia L. Cole is senior health policy analyst at the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care in Richmond. Karen Hopkins is associate professor and Elizabeth A. Mulroy is professor emerita at University of Maryland. Jenny L. Jones is associate professor at Florida A&M University. Monica Leisey is assistant professor at Salem State University. Karen Smith Rotabi is associate professor at United Arab Emirates University. M. Lori Thomas is assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Marie O. Weil is professor at University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill.

Marie O. Weil

F. Ellen Netting is professor emerita, Mary Katherine O’Connor is professor emerita, Youngmi Kim is assistant professor, and Traci L. Wike is assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Portia L. Cole is senior health policy analyst at the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care in Richmond. Karen Hopkins is associate professor and Elizabeth A. Mulroy is professor emerita at University of Maryland. Jenny L. Jones is associate professor at Florida A&M University. Monica Leisey is assistant professor at Salem State University. Karen Smith Rotabi is associate professor at United Arab Emirates University. M. Lori Thomas is assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Marie O. Weil is professor at University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill.

Traci L. Wike

F. Ellen Netting is professor emerita, Mary Katherine O’Connor is professor emerita, Youngmi Kim is assistant professor, and Traci L. Wike is assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Portia L. Cole is senior health policy analyst at the Virginia Joint Commission on Health Care in Richmond. Karen Hopkins is associate professor and Elizabeth A. Mulroy is professor emerita at University of Maryland. Jenny L. Jones is associate professor at Florida A&M University. Monica Leisey is assistant professor at Salem State University. Karen Smith Rotabi is associate professor at United Arab Emirates University. M. Lori Thomas is assistant professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Marie O. Weil is professor at University of North Carolina School of Social Work at Chapel Hill.