HUSSW at CSWE 2026: Faculty and Student Presenters at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting

Congratulations to the Howard University School of Social Work (HUSSW) community for presenting at the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 72nd Annual Program Meeting, held October 22–25, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.

This year’s theme, “Rooted in Resilience: Honoring the Past, Grounding the Present,” provides an important backdrop for scholarship examining resilience across individuals, families, educational institutions, and broader social systems. Howard University School of Social Work faculty and doctoral scholars will contribute to this national dialogue through paper presentations, workshops, panel discussions, e-posters, and Connect Sessions.

Collectively, their scholarship addresses a wide range of contemporary issues in social work education, research, and practice, including resilience within African American scholarship; accessibility, burnout, and belonging; the educational experiences of Black girls; identity development in politicized environments; culturally grounded approaches with immigrant populations; the AAPI social work education pipeline; lived experience and workforce development; foster care reunification and material hardship; school connectedness and adolescent substance use; religion and spirituality in social work education; religious identity among American Muslim youth; and the experiences of individuals facing housing instability.

The School also celebrates two distinguished members of the Howard University social work community receiving special recognition during this year’s Annual Program Meeting. We congratulate Howard University School of Social Work alumnus Dr. Jerome H. Schiele, DSW, MSW, on being named the 2026 Carl A. Scott Memorial Lecturer. This distinguished recognition honors Dr. Schiele’s scholarship, leadership, and longstanding contributions to social work education and the profession. We also congratulate Dr. Cudore L. Snell, DSW, LICSW, on receiving the Partners in Advancing International Education (PIE) Award from the CSWE Commission on Global Social Work Education. This special recognition honors contributions and innovations that advance education for global social work.

2026 HUSSW Faculty and Doctoral Student Presentations

Friday, October 23

Dr. Sandra Edmonds Crewe, Ph.D., MSW, ACSW, and Dr. Tracy R. Whitaker, DSW, ACSW
Paper Presentation: “Everywhere We Look: Resilience as a Persistent Theme in African American Dissertations”
1:45–2:15 p.m. EST

Zibora Gilder, MSW, LGSW, Ph.D. Student
Paper Presentation: “The Hidden Cost of Inaccessibility: Burnout, Belonging, and the Future of Care”
1:45–2:15 p.m. EST

Dr. Altaf Husain, Ph.D., MSW; Hannan Hijazi, LMSW, Ph.D. Candidate; and Sarah A. Carlis, LCSW, Ph.D. Student
Interactive Workshop: “Teaching Identity and Resilience in Politicized Social Contexts”
4:15–5:15 p.m. EST

Dr. Sandra R. Jeter, Ph.D., LMSW
Paper Presentation: “School Belonging and Black Girls’ Becoming: Retrospective Standpoints from Black Women”
4:45–5:15 p.m. EST

Dr. Meirong Liu, Ph.D., M.S., LLM
Panel Presentation Moderator: “Strengthening the AAPI Social Work Education Pipeline: Student & Faculty Resilience as Interconnected Imperatives”
5:30–6:30 p.m. EST

Saturday, October 24

Dr. Cudore L. Snell, DSW, LICSW
E-Poster: “Re-Centering Social Work’s Mission: Material Hardship and Concrete Resources in Foster Care Reunification”
10:30–11:00 a.m. EST

Dr. Altaf Husain, Ph.D., MSW
Interactive Workshop: “We Can Do This! Teaching Religion and Spirituality with Clarity and Confidence”
12:30–1:30 p.m. EST

Dr. Cudore L. Snell, DSW, LICSW
Connect Session: “Honoring the Legacies of Eleanor Roosevelt and Katherine Kendall in a Challenging Global Context (Kendall Institute)”
1:45–2:45 p.m. EST

Dr. Altaf Husain, Ph.D., MSW, and Hannan Hijazi, LMSW, Ph.D. Candidate
Paper Presentation: “Faith in Context: Religious Identity and Resilience Among American Muslim Youth”
4:15–4:45 p.m. EST

Dr. Soleman H. Abu-Bader, Ph.D.
Paper Presentation: “Narratives from the Streets: Now or Never”
4:45–5:15 p.m. EST

Sunday, October 25

Dr. Gloria Cain, Ph.D., MSW, LMSW, and Dr. Tracy R. Whitaker, DSW, ACSW
Paper Presentation: “Elevating Lived Experiences to Create a Stronger Workforce and Community”
10:15–10:45 a.m. EST

Dr. Gloria Cain, Ph.D., MSW, LMSW, and Dr. Sandra R. Jeter, Ph.D., LMSW
Paper Presentation: “Examining School Connectedness as a Moderator of Multilevel Risk Factors for Adolescent Marijuana Use”
11:00–11:30 a.m. EST

The Howard University School of Social Work congratulates our faculty, doctoral scholars, and alumni whose scholarship and leadership are represented at the 2026 CSWE Annual Program Meeting. Their contributions reflect the HUSSW's continued engagement in rigorous scholarship, innovative social work education, and critical inquiry into the complex issues shaping the profession and the populations with whom social workers engage.

We look forward to celebrating our Howard community in Atlanta!