PhD in Social Welfare at Penn SP2

Chris Wodicka recently passed his dissertation proposal defense. His research examines non-college-educated men, labor market shifts, the EITC, the minimum wage, and atypical work, offering insights for future social policy and anti-poverty strategies.

Fritz Graham, MPH, recently defended his dissertation on how recent residence in controlled environments relates to HIV sexual risk behaviors among women on probation and parole with histories of victimization or violence.

Jessica C. Kim, LCSW, recently passed her dissertation defense on how Korean American social workers interpret, navigate, and adapt trauma-informed care. Her study reveals limits of Western trauma models and calls for culturally situated frameworks that reflect KA histories, values, and realities.

PhD student Isabella Kim recently presented at Penn’s Psychiatry Research Day on work with Dr. Lauren White. Her study shows early threat sensitivity may predict later internalizing symptoms, especially depression, using long-term data from the PNC.

Last week, SP2 PhD candidate Codi Smith presented their dissertation proposal: "Board Capacity, Power, and Performance of Community Foundations." The study explores how board capacity and power dynamics shape outcomes in the nonprofit sector.

Congrats to Samaita Jana on passing her dissertation proposal defense! 🎉 Her research on the mental health of sex workers in Kolkata explores the challenges they face, from stigma to Covid-19 pressures, highlighting their resilience and fight for better mental health and support. We’re so proud!

Congrats to Joonhyeog Park, recipient of the 2025 Hal Levin Award! His research bridges technology & social services for older adults, demonstrating excellence in methodology & scholarship.

Congrats to Emily, for running the 2025 Tokyo Marathon—one of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors! 🏅 A huge milestone! 👏

Meet Ayana Colvin, a first-year SP2 PhD student with a background in education and a passion for social work and research. After eight years of teaching, she transitioned to social work to better support youth. At SP2, she’s exploring research on systemic inequities.

Congrats to Mira Philips on passing her Dissertation Proposal Defense! Her study examines how racialized immigrant women in Canada’s care economy navigate precarity as shaped by immigration, labor, & family responsibilities.

Tiana Marrese will start this fall as an assistant professor at the Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration with a focus on nonprofit research 🎊

PhD in Social Welfare current students, alumni and faculty met for dinner to celebrate the many ways SP2 contributed to SSWR.

SP2 scholars presented research on healthcare access, violence prevention, media technology, and social welfare policy at SSWR 2025 in Seattle.

Please join us for the Joint NIMH Center Seminar Series on Wednesday, January 29 at 12:00 pm Eastern. Ph.D. candidate Ari Gzesh, MSW will present "Understanding psychosocial and behavioral constructs related to PrEP interest among trans-masculine people assigned female at birth.”

Dr. @joelcaplan.bsky.social, SP2 PhD alumnus, has been named Senior Vice Chancellor for Research @rutgersuniversity.bsky.social . As co-creator of Risk Terrain Modeling, his work has supported crime prevention efforts, including a 60% reduction in Atlantic City.

Congrats to Melissa B. Skolnick-Noguera, PhD, MSW, for passing her dissertation on 'The Cultural Organizing Networks in Philadelphia'! Her work shows how artists shaped 2020’s discourse on cultural equity and racial justice policy, linking local movements to national social change @melib.bsky.social

An ideology of deserving: A historical analysis of the United States' immigration policies governing forced migration and social welfare Legislation governs both the admittance and treatment of forced migrants in the United States. Increasingly, many forced migrants are offered few welfare benefits, temporary protection, and no pathwa...

Congrats to Alexander Bervik & Anna Ferris on their publication in the Int'l Journal of Social Welfare! Their work examines how U.S. immigration laws shape welfare access for forced migrants, revealing inequalities rooted in "deservingness."
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....

Congrats to Joonhyeog Park, 1st-year PhD student at @pennsp2.bsky.social, for presenting his poster, "Bridging the Digital Divide," at at Gerontological Society of America! His research explores eHealth use among homebound older adults during COVID-19. Excited for his future research!

Variations in Earned Income Tax Credit Allocation between the Program’s Eight Qualifying Categories - Journal of Policy Practice and Research The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) has been an important anti-poverty program over the past five decades. Research shows that the EITC improves social and health outcomes. However, eligibility is not...

New research by Abram Lyons & Chris Wodicka highlights inequities in EITC allocation across qualifying categories. Published in Journal of Policy Practice & Research. link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Archive Capitalism: Administrative Data, Capital, and Risk in the Early Child Welfare System By examining the archival records of the Pennsylvania Society to Protect Children from Cruelty, 2023 Data Fluencies Dissertation Research Grantee Julian Quiros aims to better understand the precedents...

Julian Quiros’ essay, “Archive Capitalism,” is now on SSRC #JustTech platform. It explores the role of administrative data in child welfare & its impact on governance and inequality.
Read here: just-tech.ssrc.org/articles/adm...

We’re on BlueSky! Follow us at @sp2phd.bsky.social to stay updated on program news, academic achievements, conference experiences, and more. Let’s connect and continue building our academic community in this new space!

📢 Reminder: The application deadline for Fall 2025 is December 15, 2024! Don't miss your chance to apply! ✨

PhD candidate Daniel Choi attended @CSocialWorkEd and presented his paper, “Social Workers as Social Entrepreneurs: Understanding Engagement.” His study explores how social entrepreneurship can meet complex needs, engage underserved communities, and boost social workers’ earning.

Congrats to @ChelseakBrown on defending her Dissertation Proposal! Her research advances trauma-informed palliative care, focusing on end-of-life outcomes & patient experiences. A step forward in innovating care for seriously ill patients.

Congrats to Abe Lyons for defending his dissertation proposal at @PennSP2! His research will examine the impact of the Indian Child Welfare Act on Indigenous and African American children in the child welfare system, exploring outcomes such as family placements and reunification.

https://apply.sp2.upenn.edu/register/?id=2d0a21c0-172b-4b4b-b7cd-853390956798

Final reminder! Join us in person for the @PennSP2 PhD Program Information Session on 📅Saturday, October 19 from ⏰1:00 PM to 2:00 PM EST at 📍Caster Building, Room 309/310. Learn more about the program and meet our faculty.

Register here:...

📢 Explore the SP2 PhD in Social Welfare!
🖥️ Virtual Info Session: Oct 8, 7-8 PM EST
🏢 In-Person: Oct 19, 1-2 PM EST, Caster Building 309/310
Join us to learn more!

https://sp2.upenn.edu/admissions-events/

Congrats to PhD candidate Jung Ho Choi on being accepted to the 2024 Doctoral Scholars Institute! Last week, he attended the Forward Thinking Summit, themed “Hope in the Midst of Polycrisis: Social Work Leaders Pioneering Change.”

Congratulations to PhD Candidate Tiana Marrese for completing the prestigious Oxford-Penn Social Impact Doctoral Fellowship, a partnership between UPenn’s Center for Social Impact Strategy and Oxford’s Gradel Institute.