Doctor of Social Work Dissertations

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Alycha Lee Boehm-McKinney, LCSW

Intersection of Shame and Trauma in Survivors of Child Sex Trafficking

Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 12 noon-2 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Yasoda Sharma

Committee Members: Dr. Kathleen Stanfa and Dr. Heather Evans

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Tessa Palmer

A Qualitative Exploration of the Incorporation of Nature into Multilevel Social Work Practice

Friday, April 18, 2025, 2 p.m.-4 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Juliana Svistova

Committee Members: Dr. Janice Gasker and Dr. Amy Stein

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Janine M. Speiser

"Guided by a Global Perspective": The Global Teaching Practices of Social Work Faculty

Thursday, April 17, 2025, 10 a.m.-12 noon
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Juliana Svistova

Committee Members: Dr. Yoon Mi Kim and Dr. Barth Yeboah

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Jennifer L. Hoffa, LSW, MAEd

"Anything and Everything:" An Analysis of Role Ambiguity in Pennsylvania School Social Work

Thursday, April 3, 2025, 10 a.m.-12 noon
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Stephen W. Stoeffler

Committee Members: Dr. Yoon Mi Kim and Dr. Lydia DeBiase

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Kyle McGee

Burnout Among Social Workers in Integrated Care

Thursday March 6, 2025, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Barth Yeboah

Committee Members: Dr. Yasoda Sharma and Dr. Stephen W. Stoeffler

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Devon Vitti, MSW, LCSW

Interprofessional Education in Healthcare Related Social Work: A Systemic Review

Tuesday, July 9, 2024, 10 a.m.-12 noon
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. FangHsun Wei

Committee Members: Dr. Christopher Harris and Dr. Stephen W. Stoeffler

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Jessica L. Schoonmaker, MSW, LCSW

Pennsylvania School Social Workers' Trauma-Informed Practices: Status and Future Needs

Wednesday, May 8, 2024, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. John Vafeas

Committee Members: Dr. Lydia DeBiase and Dr. Janice Gasker

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Sadie Kinnarney, MSW, LSW

School Social Workers Conducting Home Visits: Practice and Perceptions 

Monday, May 6, 2024, 10 a.m.-12 noon
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Janice Gasker

Committee Members: Dr. John Vafeas and Dr. Lydia DeBiase

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Ann Rivers, MSW, LSW

The Perceived Impact of an "Awareness Toolkit" on Alzheimer Caregivers' Preparedness, Burden, and Resiliency

Thursday, April 25, 2024, 4-5 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Yoon Mi Kim

Committee Members: Dr. Janice Gasker and Dr. Sharon Lyter

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Kealsey McNeil, LCSW, CAADC

Utilization of Mental Health Services at Domestic Violence Agencies in Pennsylvania

Wednesday, April 24, 2024, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Yasoda Sharma

Committee Members: Dr. John Vafeas and Dr. Sharon Lyter

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Nicole Ukaegbu, MSW, LBS

Qualitative Study Exploring the Risk Factors of Burnout: Pennsylvania Social Work Professionals in Child Welfare

Friday, October 13, 2023, 1-3 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. FangHsun Wei

Committee Members: Dr. Edward Hanna and Dr. Sharon Lyter

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Sheryl McKlveen, MSW, LSW

Social Work Best Practices in Schools: Effect of Family-Focused Case Management on Rural School Students’ Success

Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 1-3 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. John Vafeas

Committee Members: Dr. Janice Gasker and Dr. Sharon Lyter

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Heather Miller, MSW, LSW

Relational Connections for Youth Aging out of Foster Care: A Policy Content Analysis

Tuesday, May 2, 2023, 9-11 a.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Yasoda Sharma

Committee Members: Dr. Stephen W. Stoeffler and Dr. Barth Yeboah

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Ashley Sullivan, MSW, LCSW

Assessing Clinical Social Workers’ Self-Efficacy Regarding Perinatal Mental Health Disorders

Friday, April 21, 2023, 3-5 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Sharon Lyter

Committee Members: Dr. Yasoda Sharma and Dr. Yoon Mi Kim

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Phillip J. Roundtree Sr., LCSW, MS

Liberating Self: An Autoethnographic Inquiry Into Black Male Mental Health

Tuesday, March 28, 2023, 8-10 a.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Stephen W. Stoeffler

Committee Members: Dr. Amy Pfeiler-Wunder and Dr. Ginneh Akbar

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Kelly Smith, MSW, LCSW

“We’re Not Thriving, But We’re Trying.” Exploring Undergraduate Students’ Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Monday, March 27, 2023, 3-5 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Mary Rita Weller

Committee Members: Dr. Stephen W. Stoeffler and Dr. Yoon Mi Kim

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Julie Barry, MSW, LSW

Self-Reported Secondary Trauma of Black Social Workers

Wednesday, March 23, 2023, 2:30-4:30 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Edward Hanna

Committee Members: Dr. FangHsun Wei and Dr. Sharon Lyter

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Jami Imhof, LCSW-C

School Social Work and Autism Competency: A Mixed-Methods Assessment of Pennsylvania School Social Workers

Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 1-3 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Janice Gasker

Committee Members: Dr. Mary Rita Weller and Dr. Steve Lem

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Morgan A Daugherty, LCSW

Social Work Supervision Education: Pennsylvania Social Workers Reflect on Education and Supervisory Competence

Wednesday, March 22, 2023, 10 a.m.-12 noon
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Janice Gasker

Committee Members: Dr. Edward Hanna and Dr. Alex Redcay

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Bailey Higgins, LSW

Without a Village: Motherhood, Child Care, and COVID-19

Thursday, March 2, 2023, 10 a.m.-12 noon
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. Sharon Lyter

Committee Members: Dr. Yasoda Sharma and Dr. Janice Gasker

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Krista King, MSW, LSW

Social Determinants of Health: Examining Effect on Medicaid Recipients’ Emergency Department Utilization

Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 1-3 p.m.
Kutztown University’s Department of Social Work

Committee Chair: Dr. John Vafeas

Committee Members: Dr. Yasoda Sharma and Dr. Kathleen Stanfa

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Megan Tritt, LCSW

The Social Work Experience of Moral Distress Amid Covid-19

Friday, April 1, 2022, 2-4 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Juliana Svistova

Committee Members: Dr. Edward Hanna and Dr. Yoon Mi Kim

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Tia White

The Development of the Police Department Wellness Survey

Thursday, March 24, 2022, 10 a.m.-12 noon

Committee Chair: Dr. Barth Yeboah

Committee Members: Dr. Yasoda Sharma and Dr. Jonathan Kremser

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Tammy Ann Shay

Herstory: Women and Drugs

Women in the Environment Using Meta-Ethnography

Thursday, March 24, 2022, 9-11 a.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Sharon Lyter

Committee Members: Dr. Janice Gasker and Dr. Kim Shively

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Michelle Alison Townsend, LCSW

African-American Pastors' Mental Health Literacy, Leadership, and Counsel: A Systematic Review

Thursday, March 10, 2022, 1-3 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Stephen W. Stoeffler

Committee Members: Dr. James Jackson and Dr. Sharon Lyter

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Brendan P. Young

Human Behavior in the Political Environment: A Content Analysis of Political Content in HBSW Textbooks

Thursday, March 3, 2022, 9-11 a.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Stephen W. Stoeffler

Committee Members: Dr. Steve Lem and Dr. Laura Granruth

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Jennifer Marshall

Awareness of and Value Placed on School Social Work: A Study of Pennsylvania's Public School Administrators

Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 1-3 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. John Vafeas

Committee Members: Dr. Julie Lewellyn and Dr. George Ioannidis

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Alicia Chico

School Social Workers and Threat Assessment Teams: Exploring roles, perceptions, and outcomes

Thursday, April 15, 2021, 1-3 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Janice Gasker

Committee Members: Dr. John Vafeas and Dr. Jonathan Kremser

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Michael William Hassler, MSW

A Qualitative Exploration of Social Work Identity

Thursday, April 1, 2021, 1–3 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Stephen W. Stoeffler 
Committee Members: Dr. Juliana Svistova and Dr. Heather L. Girvin (Millersville)

Oral Dissertation Presentation by Mindy L. McCormick, MSW

Effectiveness of a Social Work Informed Casework Training Curriculum for Paraprofessionals in Non-Profit Social Service Agencies

Monday, March 22, 2021, 12:30–2:30 p.m.

Committee Chair: Dr. Janice Gasker
Committee Members: Dr. John Vafeas and Dr. Gregory Shelley