FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ATHENS, WV May 8, 2001
Concord Social Work Students Serve Area Agencies
by Completing Research Projects
NOTE TO EDITORS: Unless otherwise indicated, hometowns are in West Virginia.
Concord College students who are majoring in social work completed real-world projects for area agencies that help families or children in need. Faculty members and research mentors P. Danette Light, John David Smith and Sarah Whittaker guided the students in their research projects. Students presented the results to the agencies and fellow students and other Concord staff members in a symposium held Thursday, May 3, 2001. President Jerry Beasley stated that, “Your efforts will have an impact on public policy. I do believe that what you are doing will make a difference and I am grateful to you for all you are doing.”
Beckley student Shelia Snuffer provided research for the Women’s Resource Center (WRC). The center serves residents in Raleigh, Fayette, Nicholas and Summers Counties. She used a 13-question survey and discovered that more training is needed for the referral agencies that work with the WRC. Other research groups did literature reviews, conducted needs assessments, assessed employee satisfaction and salary trends and surveyed community needs for a wide variety of social services. Students also learned ways to improve their survey methodologies and discovered numerous challenges facing agencies due to lack of funding.
Agencies who benefited from research projects and the students who completed projects included:
Action Youth Care: Kendra Evans, Morgantown; Chassity Murphy, Fayetteville
West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (Mercer County): Michele Crigger, Bradshaw; Lora Shrewsberry
Children’s Home Society: Daniel Yinger, Bluefield
West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services (Braxton County): Chedella Ware, Centralia; Carna Metheney, Duck
Princeton Community Hospital Home Health Care: Yuko Numoto, Oasak, Japan
Women’s Resource Center: Shelia Snuffer, Beckley
Wyoming County Opportunity Council: Angela Chambers, Lynco
West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (Wyoming County): Stephanie Adams, Jessee; Jennifer Cameron, Victor; Vanessa Hager, Pineville
West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (Foster Care Project): Martina Brown, Princeton
Concord College Research Center: Susana Duarte, Dale City, VA; Jennifer Bush, Beaver; Joseph Jenkins, Shady Spring; Justin Marlowe, Richwood; Michael Lusk, Cyclone; Abhishek Singh, New Delihi, India
Children’s Home Society: Nissa Kahle, Princeton; Tiffany Whitteker, Roanoke
Princeton Community Hospital: Lamonya Goins, Princeton; Sharon Kessler, Hinton
Concord College: Melissa Elswick, Grundy, VA; Adrienne Farris, Beckley
Southern Highlands Mental Health Center: Dean Ratzlaff, Marion, IA
Pyramid Counseling: Alisha Blevins, Arnett; Barbara Lane, Welch
C.A.S.E. of West Virginia: Lela Diaz, Kyle
Children’s Home Society: Michael Hess, Princeton; Carol Garten, Mt. Hope
Social Work Education Consortium: Ruschelle Smiroldo, Beaver
