_____________ 
Tamara S. Davis, PhD, MSSW, Dean and Professor, Advances in Social Work, Indiana University School of Social Work, 
Indianapolis, IN 46202, tamsdavi@iu.edu 

 
Copyright © 2018 Author, Vol. 18 No. 4 (Fall 2018), i, DOI: 10.18060/22916 

 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. 

Message from the Dean 

Tamara S. Davis 

As the new dean of the Indiana University School of Social Work, I am pleased to 
welcome you to the fall 2018 issue of Advances in Social Work. Advances has provided 
our profession a peer-reviewed platform for sharing new ideas and best practices since 
2000, and is a continued source of pride for the School. What a delight it is for me to serve 
as dean of a nationally recognized, forward-thinking school that provides our academic and 
practice communities with open access to thought-provoking discourse on relevant issues 
of today!  

Our spring 2018 issue on immigrant and refugee populations garnered much interest. 
Without a doubt, today’s national climate leaves us all searching for increased 
understanding of how to respond to the needs of the people and communities we serve. Our 
authors in the current issue focus on innovations in research, teaching and practice. 
Whether you seek to learn new strategies employed in research, alternative techniques for 
engaging students and instructors in the learning experience, or cutting edge approaches to 
practice, the array of subjects covered across these three domains is certain to provide 
something for everyone.  

I extend my thanks to the many contributors who ensure Advances makes a meaningful 
contribution to our literature base with each issue. The dedication of Dr. Margaret Adamek, 
the journal’s editor, the editorial board, and Ms. Valerie Decker, assistant editor, allows us 
to produce a quality journal highlighting and disseminating new ideas and technologies in 
our profession. They, along with our guest editors and published authors, uphold these 
values and commitment to our readership without sacrificing the rigorous review process 
expected from a peer-review process, 

As the oldest school of social work continuously affiliated with a university (since 
1911), and accredited since the Council on Social Work Education began accrediting 
programs, the IU School of Social Work enjoys a rich tradition of leadership in advancing 
the social work profession. Our faculty are recognized for innovations in social work 
education and practice, with the most recent footprint in online education and practice 
technologies. Headquartered in Indianapolis alongside the largest medical school in the 
U.S., the School of Social Work actively partners with the IU School of Medicine and IU’s 
health science disciplines to explore innovations in health care practice and education. We 
challenge ourselves and our students across BSW, MSW and PhD levels to tackle the issues 
of today while preparing to respond to the demands of tomorrow and beyond. We expect 
Advances in Social Work to do the same.  

We hope you enjoy and are edified by the works published in our fall issue of 
Advances. Wishing you peace and prosperity in the work ahead. 

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