The 50th anniversary of the School of Social Work is more than a tally of years. It also commemorates the countless lives the program has helped to raise out of economic and emotional hardship.
A celebration to mark the milestone took place on Tuesday, April 12, at Abromson Community Education Center in Portland. The guest list brought together students, faculty and staff from the school’s beginnings in 1971 to the present day.
“Our students are passionate and energized to improve the well-being of all people, and to advance causes that make the world a better, more just place,” said Dr. Jeanette Andonian, Associate Dean of the School of Social Work.
Andonian shared the podium with several speakers who took turns reflecting on the school’s legacy. They spoke in front of a row of placards showcasing notable alumni and their accomplishments. Rather than dollars, their success was more often measured by their work to help people overcome challenges like homelessness, substance use, and mental illness.
One of those featured graduates was Florence Young ’83. She began working with the homeless outreach organization Preble Street as a student intern and advanced quickly into a leadership role. When Preble Street opened a housing facility for chronically homeless women, it was named Florence House in Young’s honor.
Young now works as Director of Programs at the Center for Grieving Children, where she also serves as field supervisor for a current Social Work student. She has mentored many students over the years, and those ties brought her back to campus for the anniversary celebration.
“It’s a wonderful social work program that really looks at clinical and macro policy issues that impact the folks we serve,” Young said.
That tradition began in 1971 when the University of Southern Maine first established a bachelor of arts degree in Social Welfare and formed a department around it. As the course offerings grew, the department became a crucible for new ideas.
USM launched its first Women’s Studies course in 1974 under the Social Welfare umbrella. In 1978, the introduction of a course in LGBTQ Studies was a first for the entire state of Maine. Faculty had to stand up for the course against administrators who didn’t think it belonged in the classroom.
The current administration now sees the value of exploring diverse perspectives on race, sexuality, and gender identity. Dr. Jeannine Diddle Uzzi, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Students Affairs, put special emphasis on the school’s commitment to spreading a message of anti-racism.
“I’m tremendously proud to get to be the provost for this amazing program,” Uzzi said during her turn at the podium.
Some of those feelings could even been seen in writing on a sheet of paper that covered an entire table. Guests to the party were encouraged to jot down the word that best represents their experience at the school. For Chelsea Rose, a third-year student majoring in Social Work, that word was “self-awareness.”
“There’s just so much community here,” Rose said. “All of the Social Work professors I’ve had have been so warm, so inviting, so accommodating. And just knowing that we’re actually doing things to change the community is amazing.”
The spirit of collaboration rather than competition between students particularly impressed Dr. Joanne Williams, Dean of the College of Management and Human Service. She said that kind of generosity wasn’t always evident in her past work in the business world.
Once the official remarks wrapped up, old classmates and colleagues gathered in clumps around the room to catch up on their personal and professional lives. Hors d’oeuvres and drinks were near at hand, and a string duo filled the air with music.
Planning for the party was a joint effort with support from staff at the USM Foundation and Conference Services. Major contributors from the Social Work faculty included Drs. Rachel Casey, Paula Gerstenblatt, and Dorothea Ivey. The work of coordinating so many schedules fell to Administrative Specialist Kim Dominicus.
No amount of preparation could foresee the COVID-19 pandemic. The actual date of the school’s 50th anniversary passed in 2021 with little fanfare due to restrictions on social gatherings. The looser restrictions in 2022 allowed the party to proceed a year later.
In celebrating its past, the school also looked to the future. Andonian laid out a long list of goals such as pursuing more international connections for research partnerships, expanding available scholarship funds, and attracting more students from immigrant and refugee communities.
On a more personal level, third-year student Amelia Petrucci hopes her future holds a job as a school social worker.
“Ever since I’ve been here at USM, I’ve always felt like I belonged,” said Petrucci.
Her desire to use her skills in service to other people was a common theme for students past and present. Speaking about all of them, President Glenn Cummings said, “Unambiguously, they are doing the work that heals the world.”