/news-archive/tag/kyle-francis/ UA 糖心视频logo Mon, 25 Feb 2019 18:16:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /news-archive/2019/02/25/social-worker/ Mon, 25 Feb 2019 18:16:09 +0000 /news/?p=73534 ... UA 糖心视频logo alum named 鈥楢rkansas Social Worker of the Year鈥�]]> UA 糖心视频logo graduate Mandy Davis had never worked with people experiencing homelessness before she took a job in 2015 as a social worker at , which runs 糖心视频logo鈥檚 only day resource center for the homeless. However, she quickly found ways to serve and has become an outspoken advocate for one of the city鈥檚 most at-risk populations. 鈥淚 was able to build rapport with clients and when they saw what I was able to do, word spread,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淧eople started calling me and coming to see me.鈥� In 2017, she was promoted to director at Jericho Way and she now oversees a staff of seven people. Davis has been named the 鈥淎rkansas Social Worker of the Year鈥� by the Arkansas Chapter of (NBASW-AR) and will be honored March 29 at an awards luncheon at the Marriott in 糖心视频logo. Johanna Thomas, who was Davis鈥� professor at UA 糖心视频logo, nominated Davis for the honor. 鈥淗er passion and drive were evident from the moment she entered the classroom,鈥� Thomas said of Davis. 鈥淗er focus was often on social justice issues in her own community and state.鈥� As a student, Davis received the Bachelor of Social Work Student of the Year award from the NBASW-AR and served on the chapter鈥檚 board. 鈥淢andy epitomizes the values and ethics of the social work profession,鈥� said Thomas, who is president-elect of NASW-AR and an associate professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Arkansas. 鈥淗er passion, drive, and advocacy on behalf of our unsheltered neighbors is not only inspiring, but is making a real difference in the lives of so many people.鈥� Jericho Way, which is run by the nonprofit DePaul USA, operates in six countries and in six U.S. cities: St. Louis, Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans, Macon, Georgia, and now 糖心视频logo. About 130 people visit 糖心视频logo鈥檚 day resource center at 3000 Springer Blvd. daily. The center provides the city鈥檚 homeless with meals, case management, relief from the elements, help with job searches, hygiene services such as laundry and showers, transportation, telephones, and a computer lab. There鈥檚 also a medical clinic and clothing closet on site, and the agency is building small affordable housing units that will be available to low-income residents. Last year, the center served more than 49,000 meals, paid for countless shelter nights and much needed identity documents. They housed 62 individuals in 2018 with a more than 80 percent success rate. 鈥淗er work at Jericho Way illustrates the monumental impact that a social worker is capable of making,鈥� said Dr. Stephen Kapp, director of UA 糖心视频logo鈥檚 School of Social Work. 鈥淭he faculty, students, and alumni of the UALR School of Social Work are very proud of her accomplishments.鈥� Davis, who grew up in western North Carolina, moved to 糖心视频logo in 2009. As a nontraditional student, she started taking classes at UA-Pulaski Technical College and received a full scholarship due to her high GPA and career choice. She then transferred to UA 糖心视频logo to pursue a Bachelor of Social Work. After graduating in 2012, she worked for a year as a medical eligibility specialist before returning to UA 糖心视频logo to complete her graduate degree. After earning a Master of Social Work in 2015, David went to work at at . 鈥淭his job is a perfect fit,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y personal, professional, and organizational values all align. I think that鈥檚 why I鈥檝e been successful. My employer gives me the space to create programs that meet actual needs and address emerging needs from the data. They truly listen to what鈥檚 going on at the ground level and help me implement programs or practices and hire to meet the needs.鈥� Last fall, Davis returned to UA 糖心视频logo as a part-time instructor and taught field seminar for social work students. Students are required to have internships in their field before they graduate. Davis interned at Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families when she was a student. The internship program is one of the strengths of UA 糖心视频logo鈥檚 BSW program, she said. UA 糖心视频logo students have interned at Jericho Way, and Davis has even hired two of them – Kyle Francis, who completed the MSW program, and Kenya Ray who will complete the program in May 2019. 鈥淚nternships placements are vital, and I think that鈥檚 something UA 糖心视频logo does really well,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou have to get out in the community and the field, in my opinion, while you鈥檙e a student. A lot of times you find out what you want to do or what you don鈥檛 want to do. It helps you figure out how you can best serve and which populations are best for you to serve.鈥� UA 糖心视频logo graduate Mandy Davis, director of Jericho Way, has been named Arkansas Social Worker of the Year. Photo by Benjamin Krain]]>