Welcome
| Jane Addams College of Social Work Alumni Board Members: Louis Diamond (MSW '99), Ken Horace (MSW '82), Judith Rocha (BSW '01, MSW '05), Nicole Milano (BSW '00, MSW '01), and Joel Rubin (MSW '83). |
Letter from Nicole Milano
| Dear Fellow Jane Addams Alum, Alumni hold a special place for their alma mater. For us, the Jane Addams College of Social Work is a part of the story of our lives. Many of us chose Jane Addams because of its reputation as a premier institution with a strong mission for social justice. As a student, I was surrounded by classmates and faculty who shared my commitment to working with the poor and oppressed. As a professional, I am proud to say I am a Jane Addams alumna. Today I think about the impact the College has had in my life and I want to give back. I invite you to consider the many ways alumni can be involved with the college: Join the University of Illinois Alumni Association. Visithttp://www.uiaa.org/chicago/membership/ to learn about the many benefits of being a sustaining member of the UIAA. Attend Alumni Events. The alumni board hosts two annual events and we hope you will consider joining us. Invest in our current students by supporting the Annual Fund or Becoming a field instructor. To make a donation to the College, visit http://www.uic.edu/jaddams/college/support/jacsw_fund.html or contact Candace D. Stoakley, Assistant to the Associate Dean for Doctoral Studies and Academic Programs, cstoakl@uic.edu or 312-413-2305. To become a field instructor, contact Barbara Coats, Director of Field Instruction, at 312-355-2386 or bc1972@uic.edu. Serve as a member of the Alumni Constituency Board. The constituency board is a group of Jane Addams alumni that work together on planning alumni events and engaging alumni with the college. For more information contact Nicole Milano, Board President, at nmilano@uicalumni.org. Stay connected by liking us on Facebook or signing up to receive the College's quarterly e-newsletter. Send an email to Faith Bonecutter, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at faithjb@uic.edu and you'll begin to receive our quarterly updates. I hope you feel this same sense of pride as a Jane Addams alumnus as I do and that it inspires you to stay connected with us! Sincerely, 
Nicole Milano Leyva, LCSW (BSW '00, MSW '01) Alumni Board President |
Pioneer Award Recipient James H. Williams
The Jane Addams College of Social Work Pioneer Award was established to recognize alumni who have made significant, pioneering, or standout contributions to a community, state, or nation consistent with the mission of the college. This year's Pioneer Award recipient is James H. Williams, MSW '93, PhD '03. Dr. Williams is being recognized for his outstanding commitment to the mentally ill in the criminal justice system, and for his overall sustained leadership and commitment to social justice and social reform.
Williams, a native of Louisville, KY, worked as a labor and community organizer after obtaining his BA in Political Science from University of Louisville. He became a steelworker at the US Steel South Works plant in Chicago, and helped to organize a food bank and other social services when the mill closed. He later became a substance abuse counselor at Martha Washington Hospital in Chicago.
In 1990, Dr. Williams entered the MSW program at the Jane Addams College of Social Work while working as a supervisor in the Cook County Pretrial Services Department. Upon licensure, he became supervisor of the Cook County Adult Probation Mental Health Unit. In his role as supervisor, Dr. Williams advocated for increased funding from the state, and eventually achieved Medicaid Certification for the unit, allowing reimbursement from the state for mental health services provided to the clients.
After receiving a PhD from the Jane Addams College of Social Work, Dr. Williams moved to Savannah, Georgia to teach at Savannah State University. While there, he worked with the court system and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to establish a Mental Health Court in Chatham County, Georgia. Mental Health Court aims to reduce recidivism for criminal activity and psychiatric hospitalization of individuals with mental illness who are involved in the criminal justice system. Mental health court brings together the necessary resources to meet the complex needs these individuals bring to the criminal justice system.
Dr. Williams presently lives in Tacoma, Washington, where he teaches Social Work and Criminal Justice courses at the University of Washington Tacoma, and continues to be active in NAMI advocating for services for the severely mentally ill.
Stephanie L. Kutzen Honored
Congratulations to Stephanie L. Kutzen (PhD 1995), adjunct professor at the College, who was honored recently as the NASW Illinois Northeastern District Social Worker of the Year. Dr. Kutzen is founder and director of Employee Consultation Services, a Chicago area human resources consulting firm. She specializes in designing, managing, and evaluating services related to corporate social responsibility, specifically the relationship between corporate activity and social issues. A nationally certified employee assistance (EAP) professional, she has 40 years as a trainer and consultant, and has managed over 20 EAP programs in the private and public sectors. She consults actively on leadership, human system dilemmas, and change management.
Alumni Named Emerging Leaders
Two alumnae of the college, Ms. Shelley Milosevich (MSW '05) and Ms. Amy Terpstra (MSW '06) have been recognized as 2011 Emerging Leaders by the National Association of Social Workers Illinois Chapter. Ms. Milosevich and Ms. Terpstra are two of four individuals being honored with this award, which will be presented February 4, during a luncheon at the quarterly NASW Illinois Chapter Board Meeting.
Ms. Terpstra currently serves as associate director of Heartland Alliance's Social IMPACT Research Center, where she has worked for the past five years. Amy has focused her work on researching and disseminating knowledge on poverty, income, and housing-related issues. As an agency spokesperson, Amy educates decision-makers at all levels, as well as media, about economic hardship and solutions. She conducts research for and jointly authors the Social IMPACT Research Center's annual Report on Illinois Poverty, leads the Illinois Self-Sufficiency Standard project, and conducts quantitative and qualitative research for a variety of IMPACT's studies, which currently includes an evaluation of Illinois' Recovery Act-funded subsidized work relief program, Put Illinois to Work. Amy is also an adjunct professor at Trinity Christian College in the Sociology Department.
Ms. Milosevich has been an active member NASW Illinois' International Activities Network SIG for five years and presently serves as chair. She has participated in five exchanges both locally and internationally. Shelley is currently Director of Health Community Relations for Aunt Martha's Youth Service Center, which provides health and social services to medically underserved and at-risk children, youth, and families throughout Illinois. In this position, Shelley directs the agency's community, foundation, and corporate relations. Previously, she served as program director at Youth Network Council. Presently, she is pursuing a Certificate in Fundraising Management from North Park University.
Alumni Profiles
School Social Worker Helps Young People |
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| Gwyn (Brooks) Eggestein (MSW '03) sent the College this update on her career as a school social worker: |
College Grad Transcends Gun Violence |
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| Byron Taylor (MSW '07) was featured on the front page of the Chicago Tribune on December 13, 2009. The story described how he was affected by the killing of a classmate in 1993, and how he was inspired to make something of his own life. After graduating from the Jane Addams College of Social Work, he went on to work as an addictions psychotherapist at the Jesse Brown VA Medical Center, and is studying for a doctorate in counseling psychology. |