Social work professor recognized with leadership award
ASU social work professor Teri Kennedy is being recognized with the Mildred (Mit) Joyner Gerontology Leadership Award.
The Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD) and the Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work (AGE-SW) created the award in 2005 to honor Mildred Joyner for her leadership and vision of gerontology in baccalaureate social work education. The purpose of the award is to promote leadership in gerontological social work practice for undergraduate students through scholarship, best practices, and community connections.
“Dr. Kennedy has the commitment to continue her work with this population and enrich the scholarship on older adults within social work education, the social work profession and other relevant disciplines. She has a strong desire to make sure that older adults, no matter their race, class, income, abilities, or culture live with the quality of life they so justly deserve,” says Mit Joyner.
“I have known Dr. Kennedy since 2001, and over the years I have been consistently impressed by her ongoing devotion to gerontology, particularly related to her interest in ensuring social work students are exposed to gerontological issues across the curriculum and that they are prepared to meet the needs of older clients upon entering the field,” says Robin Bonifas, assistant professor in the School of Social Work.
“I am deeply touched and humbled to be receiving an award bearing Mit Joyner’s name. Mit was the chair of the BPD Gerontology Committee when I attended my first BPD conference in the late nineties and she continues to serve as an inspiration to me,” says Kennedy.