Stephen W. Stoeffler, MSW, Ph.D.

Stephen Stoeffler

Professor
Old Main 334
Kutztown, PA 19530 
Phone: 610-683-4361
Fax: 610-683-4383
e-mail: stoeffler@kutztown.edu   

Biographical Statement:

Dr. Stoeffler obtained his Ph.D. in Social Work from the School of Human Service Professions at Widener University, his MSW from the School of Social Administration at Temple University and his BSW from the Department of Social Work and Gerontology at Shippensburg University. His practice experience includes child welfare, probation and parole, older adult protective services and family homelessness. He has held academic appointments specializing in macro oriented social work practice at Widener University, Temple University, West Chester University and The University of Valley Forge.

Teaching Interests:

  • Poverty and Social Work
  • Organizations and Communities
  • Social and Economic Justice
  • Diversity

 Research Interests:

  • Inclusion of poverty curriculum in Social Work education
  • Macro Social Work interventions
  • Social Work professional identity
  • Race Relations
  • Spirituality and Social Work
    • Community Empowerment

    Professional Involvement: 

    • Macro Curricular Guide National Task Force Work Group Member
    • Mid-Atlantic Regional Representative/Board Member, Association for Community Organization and Social Administration (ACOSA)
    • Work Group Member, Special Commission to Advance Macro Practice in Social Work
    • Barriers and Best Practices Work Group Member, Mayor's Commission to Combat Poverty (Lancaster, Pa)
    • Advisory Board Member, Lancaster Bible College Social Work Program
    • Member, National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
    • Member, Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
    • Member, National Association of Case Management (NACM)
    • Reviewer, Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health; Cogent Arts & Humanities; Journal of Community Practice; Families in Society; Revista Mexicana de Psicología; Journal of Social Work & Christianity; Social Work Education
    • Advisory Board Member, Hope Inspire Love
    • Resource Parent Pre-Service Trainer, COBYS Family Services 
    • Publications

      Stoeffler, S.W., Young, B.P., & Hassler, M.W. (2023). Embracing our values: Social work faculty progressivism in a conservative world. The International Journal of Social Work Values and Ethics, 20(1), 194-219. https://doi.org/10.55521/10-020-114

      Irish, D.J., & Stoeffler, S.W. (2023). The structural nature of family homelessness: Critical analysis of the intersection of unaffordable housing, housing insecurity, non-livable wages, and eviction. Journal of Social Distress and Homelessness, Advance Online Publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/10530789.2023.2187521

      Strayer, S.M., Joseph, R., & Stoeffler, S.W. (2023).  Predictors of integration of environmental  justice in social work education: A cross-sectional study of faculty in the United States. Social Work Education, 42(1), 94-111. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2022.2050895

      Batts, H., Joseph, R., & Stoeffler, S.W. (2021). Addressing engagement suppression in Black and Brown racialized communities. Social Development Issues, 43(3), 21-33. https://journals.publishing.umich.edu/sdi/article/id/2808/print/

      Stoeffler, S.W., Kauffman, S.E., & Joseph, R. (2021). Causal attributions of poverty among social work faculty: A regression analysis. Social Work Education. DOI:10.1080/02615479.2021.1998428 

      Reed, D., Stoeffler, S.W., & Joseph, R. (2021). Suicide, race, and social work: A systematic review of protective factors among African Americans. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 18(4), 379-393. DOI:10.1080/26408066.2020.1857317

      Stoeffler, S.W., Joseph, R, & Creedon, E. (2020). The community empowerment framework: A  benchmark for Christian social work. Journal of Social Work & Christianity, 47(3), 50-65. DOI: 10.34043/swc.v47i3.143

      Stoeffler, S.W., & Joseph, R. (2020). Etiology of poverty: A critical evaluation of two major theories. The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare, 47(1), 73-96. 

      Stoeffler, S.W., & Joseph, R. (2019). Poverty and social justice: The building stones of social work identity. Journal of Poverty, DOI:10.1080/10875549.2019.1695700 

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2019). Social Work and Poverty: A Critical Examination of Intersection Theories. Social Development Issues, Volume 41, Number 2, August 2019, pp. 21-32(12)

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2018). Community empowerment. In R. A. Cnaan and C. Milofsky (Eds.) Handbook of Community Movements and Local Organizations in the  21st Century. Springer.  

      Lyman, M.J., Strayer, S.M., Koser, V.Z., Stoeffler, S.W., & Kephart, E. (2015). Integrating research and practice in baccalaureate field education through collaborative student/faculty research. Field Educator, 5(2), 1-8.

    • Presentations

      Young, B.P., & Stoeffler, S.W. (2023, October). Unable to act: The need for electoral activism content in hbse textbooks. Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting. Atlanta, GA.

      Stoeffler, S.W., & Young, B.P. (2022, November). Ideology and advancing human rights: Implications for social work education. Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting. Anaheim, CA.

      Stoeffler, S.W., (April 23, 2022) Overcoming Professional Identity Crisis in Social Work through Fulfilling the Commitment to Eliminate Poverty, Theoretical and Practical Consideration, Southwestern Social Science Association, San Antonio, TX

      Stoeffler, S.W., (August 6, 2021). Looking at Poverty through the Lens of Critical Theory: Addressing Issues with Definition, Measurement, and Attribution, 71st Social for the Study of Social Problems Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, Virtual Conference

      Irish, D.J., & Stoeffler, S.W. (2020, October). Tenant rights education and perceptions of personal empowerment in families experiencing homelessness. National Association of Social Workers – PA State Conference, Virtual.

      Stoeffler, S. W, Batts, Hassan, Joseph, Riguad, (2019, July 31).The Radical Welcome and Engagement Restoration Model, 22nd Biennial Conference of the International Consortium for Social Development, University of Johannesburg, South Africa, Virtual Conference

      Stoeffler, S.W., Joseph, R. (2019, November). A critical dialogue: Exploring the  relationship between seminal works and poverty alleviation in the United States.  99th Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Social Science Association, San Diego, CA.

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2019, May). Defining and evaluating impact within community collaborations for empowerment. 30th Annual Network for Social Work Management Conference, Chicago, IL. 

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2019, April). Understanding empowerment in collaborations for social inclusion and social justice. The Institute for Social Inclusion Annual Conference, Shippensburg University. 

      Stoeffler, S.W., LaBarre, H.A. (2018, September). Social work student articulation of personal experiences with discrimination. National Association of Social Workers– PA State Conference, Pocono Manor, PA. 

      Jablonski, S., & Stoeffler, S.W. (2018, April). Gender-specific interventions and adolescent females. Peer-reviewed presentation at The Institute for Social Inclusion Annual Conference, Shippensburg University.   

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2018, February). In it together: Experiences of biological children in foster families.  Training for COBYS Family Services, Lancaster, PA. 

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2017, November). Theoretical perspectives and models of community empowerment.  Peer-reviewed oral paper presentation at the 67th Annual Convention of the North American Association of Christians in Social Work. Charlotte, NC. 

      Goldsman, D., & Stoeffler, S.W. (2017, November). Community assessment of racial equality efforts in Bucks County, PA. Peer-reviewed poster presentation at the  Sixth Annual Conference on Social Work in the Global Environment. Kutztown University.   

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2017, November). The changing times: A social work call to action.  Peer-reviewed oral paper presentation at the Sixth Annual Conference on Social Work in the Global Environment. Kutztown University.   

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2017, June). The significance of political ideology in perceptions of  poverty, social welfare policy, and social justice among social work faculty. Peer reviewed oral paper presentation at the Influencing Social Policy, Policy Conference 2.0. Brown School of Social Work, Washington University in St. Louis.  

       Stoeffler, S.W. (2017, June). Using community empowerment to address child  poverty. Peer-reviewed presentation at the 4th Annual Learning Institute Global Well-Being and Social Change Conference. Lancaster, PA.   

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2017, April). Using targeted universalism to increase service access for marginalized populations. Peer-reviewed presentation at The Institute for Social Inclusion Annual Conference. Shippensburg University.  

      Herbert, R., & Stoeffler, S.W. (2017, March). Racism in education and poverty.  Peer-reviewed presentation at The Commission on Human Diversity's Seventh Annual Conference. Kutztown University. 

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2017, March). Pursuing social justice through community empowerment. Peer-reviewed presentation at The Commission on Human Diversity's Seventh Annual Conference. Kutztown University. 

      Newcomer, C., & Stoeffler, S.W. (2016, November). "Downtown development"  affects more than facades: Encroaching gentrification in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Peer-reviewed oral paper presentation at the Fifth Annual Conference on Social Work in the Global Environment. Kutztown University.   

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2016, October). Poverty, ideology, and pursuing social justice. Peer reviewed presentation at the National Association of Social Workers - PA State  Conference. King of Prussia, PA.   

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2016, June). Social work faculty and poverty: Attributions, policy preferences, and why they're important. Peer-reviewed presentation at the  3rd Annual Learning Institute Global Well Being and Social Change Conference. Lancaster, PA.

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2016, June). Becoming a dynamic nonprofit board. Bridge of Hope York. Invited presentation. Board development training. York, PA. 

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2015, November). Muslim non-profit organizations since 9/11: Impact of external event on local organizations. Fourth Annual Conference on Social Work in the Global Environment, Kutztown University. 

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2015, October). Using the advocacy spectrum to address the needs of families. Mid-Atlantic Council on Family Relations 2015 Conference, University of Delaware, Newark, DE. 

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2015, September). Are we listening? Incorporating the perspectives of persons served living in poverty. 2015 National Association of Case Management Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA. 

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2015, April). Poverty attributions of social work faculty. 2015 Graduate Student Research Symposium, Widener University, Chester, PA. 

      Sternberg, K., & Stoeffler, S.W. (2015, February). The importance of white privilege: Self-awareness in professional development (with Sternberg, K). Fifth Annual Commission on Human Diversity Conference, Kutztown University. 

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2014, December). Secondary traumatic stress in child welfare. 2014  Chester County Children and Youth Services winter retreat. 

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2014, November). Context Matters: A Critical Look at the Eradication of Extreme Poverty and Hunger. Third Annual Conference on Social Work in the Global Environment, Kutztown University. 

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2014, November). Social Work Faculty Conceptualizations of Poverty. Widener University Doctoral Candidate Research Symposium, Widener University, Chester, PA. 

      Stoeffler, S.W. (2014, October). Faculty Conceptualizations of Poverty and Congruence with the NASW Code of Ethics. Council on Social Work Education 60th Annual Program Meeting. Tampa, FL.