The School of Social Work is committed to fostering an environment where students can make a meaningful impact. Three doctorate students, Abigail Heaton, Kendra Rooney, and Saige Addison, who is also pursuing an MSW, recently presented at the Society for Social Work and Research conference which was held from January 15th through the 19th of this year.
Learn more about each of these students and their work in this Q&A:
What has your journey in the social work field looked like prior to coming to Iowa?
Abigail: I spent many years working in homeless services, eventually becoming a manager of casework services before I went back for my MSW. After getting my MSW, I became a substance use counselor and ultimately decided to come back to school for my PhD.
Kendra: Before pursuing my PhD at Iowa, I worked in various community-based social service settings. Most recently, I served as the Suicide Prevention and Intervention Coordinator at the Helpline Center, a nonprofit in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where I focused on training and community outreach, primarily with youth and young adults.
Saige: I transitioned directly from undergrad into a dual master’s/PhD program before transferring to the University of Iowa. While I haven’t yet practiced professionally, my internships and practicum experiences have helped prepare me for a career in social work.
What led to you studying at the University of Iowa for social work?
Abigail: I wanted to address homelessness from a different angle and enjoyed working as a research assistant while I was getting my MSW. I knew I wanted to make a career change and do something different, and Iowa could help support me in that way.
Kendra: The smaller cohort size allows for more individualized attention and mentorship from faculty. I was also drawn to the faculty’s diverse research interests, which differ from my own. This has given me the opportunity to explore new subjects and gain perspectives I wouldn’t have otherwise.
Saige: Iowa was a great fit for me because of the strong sense of community within the program and the university. The close relationships between faculty and students create a supportive and enriching learning environment.
Could you tell us about the research you presented at the conference?
Abigail: I conducted a scoping review of literature on family homelessness, examining how scholars discuss and account for race and ethnicity in their research. This topic is important because families of color experience homelessness at much higher rates than white families. I found that most studies did not report housing outcomes by racialized identity which makes it difficult to know how well interventions work for families of color. I also found that scholars rarely put racial disparities within the context of systemic racism.
Kendra: My project focused on loan stress and concerns about student loan repayment among social work graduate students. I explored the factors contributing to loan stress and, in collaboration with my co-author, Megan Gilster, PhD, identified three key areas of interest: food insecurity, housing insecurity, and financial support obstacles. Our goal was to examine how these factors impact loan stress. While there is still work to be done, this research lays the groundwork for a deeper understanding of how loan stress specifically affects graduate students in the Midwest and Iowa, while also highlighting an important issue for current students.
Saige: I gave two presentations with Megan Gilster, PhD, on the intersection of social work and library science. We conducted a study where library staff completed a survey before and after a social work intervention designed to address challenges in their field. The survey covered topics such as psychological empowerment, career resilience, burnout, and perceptions of social work collaboration. By comparing the results, we found that the intervention had a positive impact on library staff's well-being. Then I did another presentation and poster with Miriam Landsman, associate professor, the director of the School of Social Work, focusing on ChatGPT's potential for assisting with systematic and scoping reviews.
Having now worked and presented this research, what are your goals going forward?
Abigail: This project was accepted for publication, which was one of my goals, and discussing this important issue meant a great deal to me. I’ve since shifted my focus to prioritize my dissertation, where I’m exploring how permanent supportive housing impacts empowerment. This topic is crucial for people experiencing chronic homelessness who face significant stigma and barriers. The homeless experience is often characterized by feelings of powerlessness, and I aim to explore how this intervention helps people reclaim their sense of agency.
Kendra: We are currently applying for funding to conduct a larger study on programs in the Midwest. I’m excited about the prospect of expanding our research to include more participants and the opportunity to develop our own questions. This would allow us to engage more deeply with participants and fully understand the complexities of loan stress, while also identifying commonalities and overarching themes in their experiences. My goal is to use the findings to develop targeted interventions and policy recommendations that could help alleviate these stressors.
Saige: I made many valuable connections at the conference, attending sessions on a variety of topics within the social work field, including AI and machine learning. I also met a faculty member who is currently serving as the guest co-editor for a manuscript. They have a call for papers for a special issue, and now my team and I are submitting a manuscript for consideration. I'm excited to see where this opportunity leads.
To learn more about the University of Iowa School of Social Work’s PhD program, visit the graduate program page housed on our website.