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On Monday, May 19, Rutgers School of Social Work recognized BASW, MSW, DSW, and Ph.D. graduates at its 2025 Convocation ceremony. Hundreds gathered at Jersey Mike’s Arena in New Brunswick to support the 829 graduates who earned a degree from the School of Social Work this year, including 685 MSW grads, 121 BASW grads, 12 DSW grads, and 11 Ph.D. grads.
Rutgers School of Social Work Dean and Distinguished Professor George Leibowitz welcomed guests to the ceremony, and Rutgers University–New Brunswick Chancellor Francine Conway and NASW-NJ Executive Director Tiffany L. Mayers, SSW’14 shared congratulatory remarks with the Class of 2025. Sandra Edmonds Crewe, the 2024-25 Rutgers School of Social Work Sojourner Truth Social & Racial Justice Visiting Professor and Professor and Dean Emerita at Howard University School of Social Work, delivered the convocation address. Along with the conferral of the degrees, the School presented the following awards in recognition of the students’ outstanding work:
MSW
- Outstanding MSW Students in the Clinical Specialization: Michaela Cronin and Jessica Gottlieb Empestan
- Outstanding MSW Student in the MAP Specialization: Katherine Rose Barany
- Outstanding MSW Student in the Online Program: Kaitlin Hand
- Outstanding MSW Student in the Intensive Weekend Program: Michael Herbach Zahler
- Outstanding MSW Students in the Blended Program: Angel Maria Cruz and Ryan Conner Long
- Outstanding MSW Students Studying in Newark: Paola Gissell Benitez- Marquez and Saturday Zammit
- Outstanding MSW Students Studying in Camden: Prince Barshim Alvarado Sr. and Gina Marie Rose Bellon
- Outstanding MSW Student Studying in New Brunswick: Melissa Arin Sartorius
BASW
- Outstanding Student in the Camden BASW Program: Amanda Smith
- Outstanding Student in the New Brunswick BASW Program: Matteo Szarka
- Brian C. Wright Social Work Award: Tamika DeShields
Ph.D.
- Outstanding Doctoral Dissertation Award: Clara Scher
- Dean’s Honorable Mention for Dissertation of the Year Award: Lena Moraa Obara
- Excellence in Faculty Mentoring in the Ph.D. Program Award: Sarah McMahon
- Ph.D. Professor of the Year: Edward Alessi
In addition, faculty and staff members were presented the following awards:
- Outstanding Professor in Clinical Specialization: Rupa Khetarpal
- Outstanding Professor in MAP Specialization: Marla Blunt-Carter
- Outstanding Professors for Excellence in Inclusion, Intersectionality, Diversity, Equity and Advancement (IIDEA) Teaching: Tawanda Hubbard
- Outstanding Professor for Innovative and Creative Teaching: Mark Lamar and Elsa Candelario
- Most Supportive Professors: DuWayne Battle and Lauren Snedeker
- Outstanding Lecturer: Kristen Brady
- Outstanding Doctoral Students Teaching in the BASW or MSW Programs: Lucy Nonas Barnes and Dominique Paz
- Most Supportive Staff Member: Jeri Middlebrook
To round out the program, student speaker Angel Maria Cruz, a member of the MSW Class of 2025, addressed the audience with an inspiring speech. Angel Maria Cruz is a domestic violence survivor and advocate. She is an ordained minister, youth mental health first aid responder, a domestic violence sensitivity professional, passionate speaker, vocalist, coach, and artist. Ms. Cruz earned her MSW with a specialization in Women, Adults & Children and a Certificate in Interpersonal Violence & Trauma.
Dean Leibowitz concluded the ceremony with words of encouragement for the Class of 2025. “We wish you great success and we know that your impact will be far reaching from your local communities to the rest of the world,” he said. “We are so very proud of you!”
Congratulations, graduates, and welcome to the Rutgers School of Social Work alumni network!
