FACULTY DEVELOPMENT
Geriatric Social Work Initiative: Faculty Development
1999-present The second component of the Geriatric Social Work Initiative was created to increase the number of social work faculty members committed to research and teaching about the needs of older adults.
The Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholars program provided financial and career support for talented junior faculty members. To cultivate outstanding social work students to pursue an academic career in gerontology, the Hartford Doctoral Fellows in Geriatric Social Work program provided dissertation support and professional development opportunities to social work doctoral students.
All of the 125 Faculty Scholars remain in geriatric social work faculty positions, and 96 percent of those eligible for tenure were promoted. Over 10 percent of Faculty Scholars became deans, associate deans, or chairs of social work programs. Collectively the scholars have obtained over $75 million in additional research funds and have taught over 7,300 students.
Ninety-six percent of the 104 Doctoral Fellows completed their dissertation, compared to 71 percent of doctoral candidates not participating. As of 2010, 47 percent of the fellows held a tenure-track position, compared to 27 percent of the candidates who applied but were not selected.
“The faculty members we select and promote are incredible scholars. They are dedicated to gerontology, and they disseminate their knowledge to the practice and policy arenas. They are tremendous role models for future generations of gerontological social workers.” Barbara J. Berkman, DSW/PhDHelen Rehr/Ruth Fizdale Professor Emerita of Health and Mental Health
Director, Hartford Faculty Scholars Program School of Social Work
Columbia University (Below, right) Patricia J. Volland, MSW, Director, Social Work Leadership Institute, New York Academy of Medicine, leads a meeting of the GSWI Advisory Board.
(Below, left and bottom) Hartford Doctoral Fellows Poster Session Exposition at the 2009 Annual Meeting of Gerontological Society of America.
“The Doctoral Fellows program identifies doctoral students with the potential to become faculty leaders in geriatric social work and gives them the tools to launch a successful academic career.”
James E. Lubben, DSW, MPHThe Louise McMahon Ahearn Chair
Director
Hartford Doctoral Fellows Program
Boston College
