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DSW Showcase Student Presentation

Arielle Catron

LMSW

Inclusive Education for Transgender, Nonbinary, and Genderqueer Students in Social Work

Concentration -

  • Tuesday, April 29, 2025 -
  • 2:30 pm
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Abstract

This presentation covers the need, theoretical basis, and practical implications of inclusive education for Transgender, Nonbinary, and Genderqueer (TNG) students in higher education. Participants will gain an understanding of the needs of TNG students and how sense of belonging impacts recruitment, retention, and graduation. Social work educators hold a unique place in institutions of higher learning as both teachers and advocates. Educators will learn how to make classrooms inviting and inclusive spaces for all students using trauma-informed theory. By understanding Minority Stress Theory and the unique experiences of TNG students, educators can promote and celebrate these students. Social Work educators will learn how to implement trauma-informed practices to better support TNG students both in the classroom and at an institutional level, in accordance with the NASW Code of Ethics. Finally, participants will understand why this is a critical time for this work and how Social Work educators are positioned to do this important work.

Biography

Arielle Catron is a licensed social worker with 10+ years of experience in women's and LGBTQ+ advocacy. Currently an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Salisbury University, Catron has worked in student services, domestic violence survivor support, sexual assault counseling, and community organizing. Catron holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and an undergraduate degree in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Temple University in Philadelphia. She is currently a doctoral candidate in social work at the University of Kentucky. Catron’s research interests include gender-based violence, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and ending sexual assault on college campuses. Her capstone paper, Inclusive Education for Transgender, Nonbinary, and Genderqueer Students in Social Work, explores trauma-informed strategies to include and support gender-variant students. Catron has been recognized as Staff Member of the Year at Shippensburg University in 2022 and received the Community Partner Advocacy Award from Lutheran Settlement House for work in supporting LGBTQ+ Domestic Violence Survivors in 2019.