PhD Graduates Celebrate Career Outcomes

PhD; Public Health; Research; Social Work; Students

The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis is celebrating the successes of its newest PhD graduates in social work. Twelve doctoral graduates were recognized at the School ceremony on May 17, 2018.

“Our PhD graduates represent the diversity and strength of Brown School research, focusing on areas such as child maltreatment, foster care, intimate partner violence, HIV risk behaviors, productive aging, global health and international social development,” said Renee Cunningham-Williams, associate dean for doctoral education. “They have been extremely prolific during their time as students: All have published in peer-reviewed journals, and they have earned multiple fellowships, awards and honors.”

As a result of their robust studies and work, all doctoral graduates from the past year have accepted tenure-track or research-intensive positions. Their positions and dissertation topics include:

May 2018 Graduates

Maxine Davis: Assistant Professor, University of Texas at Arlington
“The Intersection of Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration, Faith and Interventions: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study”

Allison Dunnigan: Assistant Professor, University of Georgia
“Does Privatization Matter? An Exploration of Foster Care Permanency Outcomes”

Donald Gerke: Assistant Professor, University of Denver
“The Role and Violence Exposure and Pathways to HIV Risk Behaviors in Black and White Young Men Who Have Sex with Men”

Cal Halvorsen: Assistant Professor, Boston College
“Self Employment in Later Life: Implications for Financial, Physical and Mental Well-Being”

Hyunil Kim: Assistant Professor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
“Understanding Child Maltreatment Report Risks as a Function of Age, Socioeconomic Status, Race and Neighborhood”

December 2017 Graduates

Sarita Barton: Planning Analyst, Integrated Planning Division, U.S. Customs and Border Protection “The Formation of Interpersonal Trust Between International Volunteers and Host Community Members”

Jill Kuhlberg: Project Evaluator, Health Matters; Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences, North Carolina State University
“Increasing Participation in Group Model Building”

August 2017 Graduates

Jessica Black: Assistant Professor, University of Alaska-Fairbanks
“Participation in Governance and Well-Being in the Yukon Flats”

Praveen Kumar: Assistant Professor, Boston College
“Understanding Household, Network and Organizational Drivers of Adoption of Cleaner Cooking Fuels in Rural India”

Hollee Ann McGinnis: Assistant Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University
“Mental Health and School Outcomes Among Adolescents in South Korea Orphanages”

Vithya Murugan: Assistant Professor, Saint Louis University
“Intimate Partner Violence Among South Asian Women: Prevalence and Help-Seeking Behaviors”

Brad Tucker: Assistant Professor, Case Western Reserve University
“A Context and Stakeholder Focused Exploration of the Sustainability of Local Organizations in Development”