The University of Kentucky College of Social Work is fiercely committed to developing outstanding professionals– leaders who serve individuals, families, and communities through innovative and effective practices that are guided by cultural competency, systematic ethical analysis, and a keen and pragmatic understanding of the human condition.
The College of Social Work Alumni Association (SWAA) Awards provide a mechanism for formal recognition of the accomplishments of such outstanding professionals, as well as those who contribute to their development, and are the highest honors bestowed by the College of Social Work for alumni and other supporters of the college.
Award Descriptions
- Provided outstanding leadership and supervision to students during experiential learning.
- Showed a commitment to preparing future professionals.
- Served as an Experiential Learning Instructor in the current or most recent academic year.
- Provided outstanding leadership and supervision to students during experiential learning. Recognizes an organization who has provided volunteer service to the College of Social Work. Recipients will have served as an Experiential Learning Site in the current or most recent academic year.
- Showed a commitment to preparing future professionals.
- Recognizes an alum who has provided volunteer service to the College of Social Work by serving as an exemplary mentor.
- Provided support for a current student in working toward their future professional goals.
- Recipients must have earned a degree from within the College of Social Work (CJ or SW) and will have participated in the current or most recent iteration of SWAA Alumni-Student Mentoring Program.
- Recognizes an alumnus who has elevated their profession through high impact innovation and creativity.
- “Changed the game” in an aspect of their profession in order to meet a previously unmet need within their organization, their field of practice, or in the community.
- Recipients must have earned a degree from within the College of Social Work (CJ or SW).
- Recognizes an alumnus already making exceptional contributions in their field and must have earned a degree from within the College of Social Work (CJ or SW) within the last 10 years.
- Personifies the principles and values of their profession.
- Recognizes an alumnus who has made exceptional contributions through a distinguished career in their field of practice and personifies the principles and values of their profession.
- The Alumni Excellence Award recipient must have earned a degree from within the College of Social Work (CJ or SW) 20 or more years ago.
- The Alumni Excellence Award recipient will be inducted into the College of Social Work Hall of Fame. Since the inception of the Hall of Fame, inductees’ experiences have spanned the wide spectrum of their criminal justice or social work practice. Direct service, clinical practice, program and policy development, agency administration, teaching and research have all been represented.
Overall Eligibility Criteria
- Recipients may not receive the same award multiple times.
- Recipients must meet the eligibility criteria of their specific award.
- Recipients must participate in the recognition event in person unless exceptional circumstances prevent such participation. If a recipient does not reside in Lexington, Kentucky, the College of Social Work will help cover the recipient’s cost of travel.
Terms and Conditions
- SWAA reserves the right to name recipients for all or only a selection of the awards each year.
- Only information submitted as part of a nomination will be considered; additional independent research regarding nominees will not occur.
- The following nominations will not be considered: incomplete nominations, self-nominations, or nominations from a family member.
Nomination Process
The nomination period will be open until May 30 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Award recipients will be notified by the end of July 2025.
Please submit nominations via the online form below:
The nomination period has concluded.
The following materials are required for a nomination to be considered:
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Nominator and nominee identifying and contact information.
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Nominee’s current vita or resume (not required for the Outstanding Experiential Learning Site Award).
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A detailed justification for the nomination, explaining why the nominee is a deserving recipient.
If you have any additional questions regarding the SWAA Awards or require additional accommodation to complete the nomination process, please contact Anna Chalfant.
Recognition Event
Award recipients will be recognized at an annual recognition event, to occur annually in the fall in Lexington, Kentucky.
As stated in the eligibility criteria, recipients must participate in the recognition event in person unless exceptional circumstances prevent such participation. If a recipient does not reside in Lexington, Kentucky, the College of Social Work will help cover the recipient’s cost of travel.
Prior Hall of Fame Recipients
- 2025 – Katie Wolf Whaley
- 2024 – Mahjabeen Rafiuddin
- 2023 – Vanessa Hunn
- 2019 – Rep. Susan Westrom
- 2016 – Jim Clark, Margaret Hazlette
- 2017 – Kay Hoffman
- 2015 – Dorothy Offutt, Eileen Recktenwald
- 2014 – Carl Smith, Teresa James, Liz Croney
- 2013 – Beth Mills, Crystal Collins-Camargo
- 2012 – Audrey Tayse Haynes
- 2011 – Sherri Weisenfluh
- 2010 – Patrick Yewell
- 2009 – Patricia Wilson
- 2008 – Teri Faragher, Kenn Hicks
- 2007 – Gretchen Brown
- 2006 – Betsy Nowland-Curry
- 2005 – Robert Walker
- 2004 – Virginia Bell
- 2003 – William Beaven, Willis Bright
- 2002 – Linda Harvey
- 2001 – Irma Rosenstein
- 1999 – Jean Ritchie, Elizabeth DuMez, Doris Wilkinson
Prior SWAA Award Recipients
- Outstanding Experiential Learning Instructor Award – Eddie Mann
- “You Were Built for This” Award – Dr. Joelisse Galarza (DSW ’25)
- Rising Star Award – Olivia Raley (MSW ’25)
- Alumni Excellence Award – Katie Wolf Whaley (MSW ’03)
CoSW
spotlights
Our alumni are dedicated to improving the human condition through steadfast service. Their stories serve to inspire current and new generations of social workers.
Calendar of Events
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Monthly Staff Meeting for Centers & Labs Training Resource Center Staff. The meeting is held the 3rd Wednesday of Each Month at the Training Resource Center. This is an in-person
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This course equips participants with a deep understanding of the intricate dynamics between bonding, and attachment, and the critical role they play in fostering healthy relationships with children. The course |
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A Guide to Coping with Allegations explores the prevalence of false allegations of abuse and neglect amongst foster homes and reasons such allegations may arise. Strategies for preventing false allegations |
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4 events,
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Monthly Staff Meeting for Centers & Labs Training Resource Center Staff. The meeting is held the 3rd Wednesday of Each Month at the Training Resource Center. This is an in-person 
Launch your social work career through your practicum experience—formerly known as field education. Attend an information session to learn about the process, opportunities, and support available as you prepare for 
Criminal Justice students are invited to attend our informal monthly meeting. This is a great opportunity to connect with other students, ask questions to your advisor, and meet with program |
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Connecting with Your Child While Correcting Behavior introduces parents to strategies to use to help them feel connected to children while correcting difficult behaviors. Parents will learn how to connect |
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Helping Foster & Adopted Children Transition to a New School will assist foster/adoptive parents in preparing to enroll a child in a new school. It will also provide practical tips |
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The 5 Love Languages introduces parents to the different love languages and discusses ways to use this information to strengthen partner/spouse relationships as well as relationships with children and teenagers.
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Helping Your Child Make Healthy & Positive Choices: Talking to Teens & Preteens will teach foster and adoptive parents the importance of open and ongoing dialogue with their preteen or |
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Building Positive Relationships with Case Workers & Community Partners provides foster parents the information and tools needed to establish a positive working relationship with their caseworker and child’s caseworker, with |
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Preventing Child Abuse: Types, Signs & Symptoms will inform parents of the definition of child abuse and ways it can be prevented. It provides descriptions and statistics of different types |
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This group is an opportunity for kinship caregivers to come together to find support, community, and resources in the care of relative and fictive children. This group will focus on |
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Monthly Staff Meeting for Centers & Labs Training Resource Center Staff. The meeting is held the 3rd Wednesday of Each Month at the Training Resource Center. This is an in-person 
Turn Your Goals into Reality Explore our Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) program during an online info session. Registration link is below. The UK Difference Our Doctorate of Social Work 
Social Work students are invited to attend our informal monthly meeting. This is a great opportunity to connect with other students, ask questions to your advisor, and meet with program
Launch your social work career through your practicum experience—formerly known as field education. Attend an information session to learn about the process, opportunities, and support available as you prepare for |
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CORE Teen Curriculum provides parents with information they need to develop safe relationships with youth while also focusing on how they can adapt their parenting styles to support the youth’s |
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Monthly Staff Meeting for Centers & Labs Training Resource Center Staff. The meeting is held the 3rd Wednesday of Each Month at the Training Resource Center. This is an in-person 
Explore our Master of Social Work (MSW) program during an online info session. Registration link is below. The UK Difference Our MSW program is an Advanced Generalist program that prepares
Launch your social work career through your practicum experience—formerly known as field education. Attend an information session to learn about the process, opportunities, and support available as you prepare for |
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Are You Wildly Passionate About Social Work? Explore the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) program during an online info session. REGISTER HERE The UK Difference Graduates from our 
Pursue your Passion for the Greater Good Explore College of Social Work’s newest Criminal Justice program during our online info session! REGISTER HERE The UK Difference Graduates from our 
Please join us as we discuss the Master of Science in Criminal Justice program! This info session will be held virtually over Zoom. Please register below and select the appropriate
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CORE Teen Curriculum provides parents with information they need to develop safe relationships with youth while also focusing on how they can adapt their parenting styles to support the youth’s |
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This 90-minute session examines intimate partner violence (IPV) and elder abuse as interconnected public health issues shaped by social determinants of health (SDoH), structural inequities, and intersecting identities. Participants will
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The Lexington Continuum of Care is now accepting volunteers for the 2026 LexCount! This year's LexCount will take place on the evening of Wednesday, January 28, 2026, from 10 p.m
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Monthly Staff Meeting for Centers & Labs Training Resource Center Staff. The meeting is held the 3rd Wednesday of Each Month at the Training Resource Center. This is an in-person
Launch your career through your practicum education! Attend an information session to learn about the process, opportunities, and support available as you explore hands-on learning in real-world settings. The UK College of
Turn Your Goals into Reality Explore our Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) program during an online info session. Registration link is below. The UK Difference Our Doctorate of Social Work |
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CORE Teen Curriculum provides parents with information they need to develop safe relationships with youth, while also focusing on how they can adapt their parenting styles to support the youth’s |
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