Simmons College School of Social Work

Awards

Each year Simmons College School of Social Work confers awards to students who have made significant contributions to our community, their agency, or the larger field of social work. We invite and encourage nominations. For the 2012-2013 school year, all nominations will be due by March 1st, 2013. Please send all nominations to awards@simmons.edu

Instructions for making a nomination: 

1. Please review the list of awards. Each award has different criteria so please read the descriptions carefully. 
2. Each award, except the Written Scholarship award requires a short nomination statement. The statement should include the student's name, how you know the student, and the reasons you think the student should receive the award, including descriptions of the ways in which the student excels. Please include your contact information on the nomination.
3. Self-nominations: Any student may nominate him/herself for an award. Such nominations must be acompanied by a letter of support from a faculty advisor, agency field instructor, or classroom faculty. Self nominations will not be reviewed without a letter of support.
4. Written Scholarship in Social Work: Please send the paper you wish to have considered as an attachment to awards@simmons.edu
5.  All nominations and supporting statement or papers are due on the date set by the committee each year. The date and instructions for submitting nominations are published in the Newsletter.

The Shirley Saks Greenberg Award:
This award honors Shirley Saks Greenberg who received her MS degree from Simmons SS W in 1956. Mrs. Greenberg had a gift for combining theoretical perspectives to understanding with clinical practice. She had a particular interest in the area of psychodynamic psychotherapy and clinical casework. She met an untimely death in 1982. Her family established this award in her honor to recognize a first-year student who shows promise in integrating theory with practice, especially practice pertaining to psychodynamic theory. In recent years the scope of the award has been expanded to a broader definition of clinical practice.

The Iris MacRae Award:
This award was established in 1980 by students, colleagues, alumni and friends to honor Iris MacRae, a member of the Simmons faculty, who devoted the major part of her professional life to teaching and advising students at the school. Her dedication and commitment remain an inspiration to all that knew her. It seems especially appropriate to use the funds given in her honor to recognize achievement by SS W students. In 1983, the faculty decided that this award, consisting of a certificate and an honorarium, should be granted to a student in his/her final year. Please submit the name of a student who has made an outstanding achievement in either class or field work.

Examples of field achievement could include special talents in working with a challenging client group, initiation of a special program in the agency, or other evidence of creative achievement in the course of the field work practicum. Class (academic) achievement might consist or overall outstanding performance or particularly creative papers completed for course requirements.

Achievement in Politcal Action and Social Justice Award
This award is given to a student who makes a contribution in the areas of political action and social justice through intervention in a larger system.

Outstanding Competence in Multicultural Practice:
This award is given to a student for work with a multicultural population, education to professional colleagues, program planning, or sensitivity and excellence in cross-cultural practice.
Faculty Leadership Award: This award is given at faculty discretion for exemplary school or community leadership. This may be awarded to an individual or group of students.
The Community Service Award: This award recognizes special service to the Simmons community by a student or group of students. Nominations may be made by students, faculty, or staff. Note: the Student Government selects the winner of this award.

Written Scholarship in Social Work
This award is given to a student who demonstrates creativity, originality and outstanding scholarship in a written paper. Submitted papers should hold promise for publication. Please send an electronic copy of the paper to awards@simmons.edu. 

The Priscilla Mullen Riley Award
Established in memory of Professor Emerita Priscilla Mullen Riley, this award honors the dedication, commitment and perseverance of its namesake. Professor Riley experienced significant challenges in her early life, yet went on to have a very successful, rich and rewarding career as a clinical social worker and a social work educator. She was a member of the Simmons Faculty for thirty-four years and the Director of its Field Education Department for many years. She was a national leader in promoting the importance and centrality of field education in graduate social work learning. In her long professional life, perhaps her greatest effort was in service of supporting and advocating for students who experienced challenges and obstacles to completing graduate school. She fiercely believed that all students should be given the support necessary to succeed. This award is granted to a graduating student who has done very well in classes and in field despite navigating and managing challenging circumstances.

Please send all nominations to awards@simmons.edu

Student Conference Scholarship Fund

The SSW Student Conference Fund is a fund which supports student attendance at professional conferences through small scholarships to individual students. Guidelines for application to the fund are:

• Any SSW student in the Full or Extended program can apply for funds
• A student is eligible for one scholarship per academic year
• A scholarship can be applied to the cost of registration up to $250.
• Conferences must be relevant to the student's study of professional social work.
• To apply, students must complete a brief application, a brochure or other documentation from the conference should be attached to the application.
• Students must submit the application for approval at least one month prior conference.
• A student must be in good standing and cannot miss class to attend a conference. In most situations, students should not miss time from field placement. Any missed time from field placement requires pre-approval by field instructor and advisor.
• Students receiving funds from other SSW sources, may not be eligible for support from this fund. Scholarship funds are limited.

The application for the Student Conference Scholarship Fund is available for download here.

For more information and an application, please contact Assistant Dean Suzanne Sankar suzanne.sankar@simmons.edu.