We are proud of our graduates and what they are accomplishing. Our rigours program provides students with the knowledge and skills for conducting various methods of inquiry. We offer opportunities for collaborating with faculty and for independent teaching. Upon graduation are students are well prepared for being prominent scholars and educators in their area of interest and go on to make a meaningful impact for the betterment of society.
Dr. Amy Alberton
Assistant Professor
School of Social Work
Texas State University
Dr. Riham Al-Saadi
Assistant Professor
School of Social Work
University of Windsor
Dissertation Title:“Preserving my Arab Self while Finding my Home in Canada: First Generation Recent Arab Immigrant Emerging Adults’ Perspectives on Acculturation Experiences and Canadian Society’s Role in Fostering Equitable Participation”
"The School of Social Work’s Ph.D. program journey is an incomparable experience. The prime characteristic of this journey can be termed with three words: Opportunity for Growth. Faculty here wholeheartedly welcome you with an open door and a passion to support your growth. Not once have I left an office without an opportunity: An opportunity to grow and contribute, or an opportunity to learn about a new area of scholarship. In support of my passionate self to progress, I have been entrusted with unique challenges, as I call them, that helped me become the person I am today. I carried roles of teaching, research, and service with great honour and so much appreciation. The opportunities for professional development are yet another integral aspect of the Ph.D. journey, and I owe it to these opportunities for not only enhancing my professional and academic skills, but also expand my networking opportunities with key figures in the academic world and community wide. An unexpected yet delightfully appreciated opportunity has arisen where I was able to graduate while becoming the next addition to my home school, the School of Social Work at the University of Windsor. As the next Assistant Professor with a Teaching Intensive focus, I can only envision what the next phase of collegial work with an honourable circle of faculty will bring!" Dr. Riham Al-Saadii
Dr. Beth Archer-Kuhn
Associate Professor
Faculty of Social Work
University of Calgary
Dissertation Title: Parent Perceptions and Experiences in Child Custody Decision-Making
“The University of Windsor PhD program at the School of Social Work was accessible, local education that allowed me to remain in my home community with my family while learning the necessary and desired research skills. This was an important consideration as a mother and partner, with deep roots in the community. The PhD program offered the necessary research courses by highly qualified instructors, providing me with a strong understanding of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research. I secured ongoing financial support through internal grants, research and teaching positions. Coursework also reflected the programs’ attention to improving delivery of services, social justice issues, and civic engagement. The accessibility to the instructors and supervisors provided the guidance, encouragement and practical support to immerse ourselves in academia at all stages of the program. I successfully completed the University Teaching Certificate Program (UTC) offered through the Center for Teaching and Learning. I developed the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills required to become a strong leader in social work education; particularly important as we entered the job market. The School of Social Work provided ample opportunity to implement the knowledge and teaching skills I gained. The PhD program at the University of Windsor, School of Social Work, provided essential knowledge, skills and practical experience to position me in securing a highly competitive academic position as faculty. As importantly, faculty supported my desire for lifelong learning, and an ability to pursue research of personal interest. I feel well prepared in my academic career in all three expected areas of research, teaching and service.” ~ Dr. Beth Archer-Kuhn
Dr. Michael Bennett
Assistant Professor of Practice
University of Texas at Arlington
Director, Oneday Dreams
Dissertation Title: “Examining Tension In The Provision Of Palliative Care: Social Workers’ Experiences.”
Dr. Jenni Cammaert
Assistant Professor
School of Social Work
St Thomas University
Dissertation Title: Examining the Socioeconomic Patterns of Service Utilization among Canadian Women at Risk for Developing Eating Disorders: A Prevalence Study
“The University of Windsor PhD program at the School of Social Work provided me a solid foundation for teaching, research, and community collaboration. The faculty were invested in our learning and created space for us to explore our research, while supportively pushing us to expand our academic capacities. This mentorship enriched my experience and allowed me to learn about myself as a social work scholar and educator. I secured funding through internal and external grants and held teaching and research positions which helped support the doctoral journey. In addition to numerous teaching positions, I had the opportunity to complete the University Teaching Certificate Program (UTC) offered through the Center for Teaching and Learning, which enhanced my teaching knowledge and skills, and increased my marketability. I was able to secure a tenure-track position at St. Thomas University in New Brunswick, shortly before completing my dissertation requirements. Since becoming a faculty member, I have often reflected on my education at the University of Windsor. The formal and informal education I received has shaped myself as a researcher, informed how I engage in the classroom, and provided a lens on how I pursue social justice." ~ Dr. Jenni Cammaert
Dr. Derek Campbell
Dissertation Title: Predictive Validity of CU Traits on Conduct Disorder-Related Antisocial Behaviors in Canadian Adolescents
Dr. Keren Escobar
Dissertation Title: Exploring Paradoxical Advantages of Latin Americans in Canada: Secondary Analytic Expositions of Contextualized Resiliencies and Vulnerabilities
Dr. Sarah Faubert
Dissertation Title: An Exploration of Encounters Between People with Lived Experience of Mental Illness and Police Officers
Dr. Candace Hind
Dissertation Title: “The Role of the Social Worker in Long-Term Care in Ontario: An Exploratory Qualitative Study Examining Perspectives of Social Workers About their Roles”.
Dr. Luisa Kcomt
Assistant Professor
School of Social Work
Wayne State UniversityDissertation Title: Factors Affecting Health Care Access among Transgender People in the United States
Dr. Naomi Levitz
Anishinabek Educational Institute Faculty
St Clair College, Part Time Faculty
Divonify Consultant
Dissertation Title: "Exploration of the Relationship between Social Support and Healthcare Utilization among Adult Immigrants to Canada."
Dr. Mohamad Musa
Assistant Professor
Department of Social Work
Cape Breton University
Dissertation Title: “Mental Illness through the Eyes of Iraqi Ontarians: Unheard Voices for Conventional Mental Health Supports”
Dr. Gershon Osei
Dissertation Title: Peer influences on antisocial and prosocial behaviours in group home foster care: evidence of greater protections in better resourced homes and higher income neighborhoods
Dr. Patricia Samson
Assistant Professor
Faculty of Social Work
University of CalgaryDissertation Title: Critical Thinking in Social Work Education: A Delphi Study of Faculty Understanding,
“The PhD program at the University of Windsor provided an accessible doctoral-level education that has allowed me to pursue my passion. The rigorous course load of this program included multiple research courses, which served to frame a solid foundation for my growth and development as an emerging scholar. I was encouraged by Faculty members to pursue my interests in the scholarship of teaching and learning, which ultimately informed my dissertation research on critical thinking in social work education. The University of Windsor has a Centre for Teaching and Learning, which I was able to access as a graduate student and Sessional Instructor. This opened up a new world of excitement for the pursuit of knowledge and skills regarding scholarly teaching and learning, strengthening and enhancing my dissertation research and presentations/publications while still a PhD student. The personal and professional growth I have achieved as a result of studies at the PhD level are beyond the scope of what I could have imagined at the outset. This experience has generated opportunities and insights into how I view scholarship and the profession of social work, in ways that have been truly transformative and enriching.”
~ Dr. Patricia Samson
Dr. Akin Taiwo
Assistant Professor
King's School of Social Work
Western University
Dissertation Title: The Praxis of Privilege: How Social Workers Experience their Privilege
“The PhD program at the University of Windsor provided an opportunity for me to continue my graduate education after some years of clinical and administrative social work practice. I benefited from learning under outstanding teachers and researchers and went on to win the prestigious Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) scholarship for part of my study. My learning was further enriched by the friendship and support of my peers who have now become lifelong friends. I was also able to build a strong teaching portfolio through the opportunities that exist to teach both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. I’m especially gratified to get a job at King’s University College at Western University, London Ontario, shortly before completing my dissertation requirements.” ~ Dr. Akin Taiwo
