We’re on BlueSky! Follow us at @sp2phd.bsky.social to stay updated on program news, academic achievements, conference experiences, and more. Let’s connect and continue building our academic community in this new space!

PhD candidate Daniel Choi attended @CSocialWorkEd and presented his paper, “Social Workers as Social Entrepreneurs: Understanding Engagement.” His study explores how social entrepreneurship can meet complex needs, engage underserved communities, and boost social workers’ earning.

Congrats to @ChelseakBrown on defending her Dissertation Proposal! Her research advances trauma-informed palliative care, focusing on end-of-life outcomes & patient experiences. A step forward in innovating care for seriously ill patients.

Congrats to Abe Lyons for defending his dissertation proposal at @PennSP2! His research will examine the impact of the Indian Child Welfare Act on Indigenous and African American children in the child welfare system, exploring outcomes such as family placements and reunification.

Final reminder! Join us in person for the @PennSP2 PhD Program Information Session on 📅Saturday, October 19 from ⏰1:00 PM to 2:00 PM EST at 📍Caster Building, Room 309/310. Learn more about the program and meet our faculty. Register here:

📢 Explore the SP2 PhD in Social Welfare! 🖥️ Virtual Info Session: Oct 8, 7-8 PM EST 🏢 In-Person: Oct 19, 1-2 PM EST, Caster Building 309/310 Join us to learn more! https://t.co/ADUOtmCCAI

Congrats to PhD candidate Jung Ho Choi on being accepted to the 2024 Doctoral Scholars Institute! Last week, he attended the Forward Thinking Summit, themed “Hope in the Midst of Polycrisis: Social Work Leaders Pioneering Change.”

Congratulations to PhD Candidate Tiana Marrese for completing the prestigious Oxford-Penn Social Impact Doctoral Fellowship, a partnership between UPenn’s Center for Social Impact Strategy and Oxford’s Gradel Institute.

📷 Picture yourself at SP2! Our Admissions team will be tabling on Locust Walk by the Caster Building on Wednesday, September 25 from 3 to 6 pm. Stop by to learn more about the School of Social Policy & Practice and our five degree programs. 💙

Throwing it back to Orientation, where our incredible faculty welcomed and inspired our PhD students. Their unwavering support continues to guide us every step of the way.

Congrats to Dr. Julian Quiros, 2024 PhD @PennSP2 , on being named a 2024-2025 Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow for Academic Diversity! His research studies data-driven governance in child welfare, revealing complexities in representation.

Join us for the Penn @PennSP2 PhD Information Session! Discover our program, meet our faculty, and explore exciting research opportunities. Don’t miss this chance to learn more and take the next step in your academic journey. See you there! https://t.co/ADUOtmCCAI

Welcome Back to Our Returning PhD Scholars! 🌟 Here’s to another year of learning, growth, and making an impact at @PennSP2!

This Monday, we welcomed the next cohort of future leaders in social welfare to campus for orientation! 🎉 We are excited to see how they embark on their journey at @PennSP2.

Incoming @PennSP2 PhD student Sebastian Prandoni testified before Congress on July 31st at a hearing co-hosted by Senators Padilla (D-CA) and Tillis (R-NC).The event focused on youth behavioral wellness and innovative policy solutions.

Julian Quiros defended his dissertation "Scenes of Measurement" on the historical use of administrative data in Philly Child Welfare from 1877-1923. A deep dive into data's role beyond numbers. Congrats Dr. Quiros! @PennSP2

Meet Mira, a 2nd-year PhD student in Social Welfare at SP2. Originally from Ontario, she's researching guaranteed income pilots and the experiences of migrant caregivers in Toronto. Outside school, she enjoys eating, drinking, and walking her way through Philly! @mirakphilips

Congrats to @beccapepe on defending her dissertation proposal "Water Insecurity Among Philadelphia Residents: Health Effects & Promise for Policy Intervention." Her research explores the impact of water shutoffs on health and the role of low-income customer support programs.

Meet Tiana Marrese, M.S., a third-year PhD student specializing in nonprofit scholarship. Tiana explores volunteerism and nonprofit employment, aiming to understand how individuals engage in these realms. Outside academia, she dedicates herself to West Philly's green spaces.

Congratulations to Anna Ferris for successfully defending her dissertation proposal, "Liminality of Forced Displacement." Her work focuses on how legal and geographic pathways shape the experiences of Syrian refugees and immigrants in the US.