2025 Awardees

2025 Professional Recognition Award Recipients

• Field Education/Practicum Excellence in Innovation Award

  University of Michigan School of Social Work

  The University of Michigan School of Social Work’s Office of Field Education embraces a transformative approach to disability equity by seeking to address the challenges and barriers faced by students with disabilities and by integrating accessible and inclusive practices within its field education program.
  
  The office coordinates over 1,200 placements across the United States, collaborating with more than 1,500 dedicated field instructors and task supervisors. This extensive network allows for a diverse range of placement options, which improves learning experiences for all students.
  
  The office has spearheaded an approach that integrates disability-affirming practices into all aspects of the program. These efforts include policy updates, digital accessibility enhancements and student, agency, and field faculty support.
  
  By establishing a direct connection to Services for Students with Disabilities, the office has created a seamless support network for students as they transition from classroom learning to field experiences.
  
  One of the program’s most significant advancements is the “Anti-Ableist Practices for Field Students: Understanding social work ethics of accessibility and disability social justice” training, aimed at equipping field instructors with the essential skills to support diverse learning needs. This initiative reflects a broader commitment to anti-ableism, providing valuable insights into creating inclusive environments and fostering disability justice.
  
  The Office of Field Education’s dedication to student-centered innovation is underscored by the involvement of the Freud Fellows, who conducted student surveys and interviews to guide programmatic changes. These student scholars developed resources like a pre-field reflection tool and an instructor guide, ensuring that accommodations are both understood and available throughout the field experience. Furthermore, the program emphasizes community engagement by partnering with numerous agencies that advocate for disability rights and social justice. By doing so, the School enriches the educational experience and strengthens its commitment to fostering an inclusive learning environment that values the perspectives and contributions of individuals with disabilities.
  
  The U-M School of Social Work will continue efforts to contribute to the profession’s ongoing journey toward achieving a fully equitable field education experience. By actively celebrating and supporting neurodiverse individuals and those with disabilities, the School not only enhances its own environment, but also prepares its students to effectively navigate and address current and future challenges.

• Significant Lifetime Achievement in Social Work Education Award

  Allan Barsky, PhD, JD, MSW

  Dr. Barsky is a professor with Florida Atlantic University’s (FAU) Sandler School of Social Work in Boca Raton. He has written several books, including Ethics and Values in Social Work, Clinicians in Court, Essential Ethics for Social Work Practice, Conflict Resolution for the Helping Professions, and Interprofessional Practice with Diverse Populations.
  
  His accolades include the FAU Scholar of the Year Award (2020) and the FAU Alumni Association Impact in Teaching Award (2024).
  
  Dr. Barsky chaired the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) National Ethics Committee, as well as its Code of Ethics Review Committee, which updated the code to reflect growing use of technology in practice. He was also awarded NASW’s Excellence in Ethics Award.

• Distinguished Recent Contributions to Social Work Education Award

  Tyler M. Argüello, PhD, DCSW

  Dr. Argüello is a scholar-activist-leader who has been a practicing social worker for more than 30 years, primarily around community mental health, HIV, and 2LGBTQIANPK+ communities.
  
  Tyler’s scholarship is a transdisciplinary project that concerns communicative practices and the production of intersectional identities, sexualities, and health inequities, namely HIV. He is a professor at the California State University, Sacramento, maintains a recognized psychotherapy practice, and is a Diplomate in Clinical Social Work.
  
  In 2023, Dr. Argüello was named Social Worker of the Year by the National Association of Social Workers, California Chapter.
  
  In 2025, he was named the Moya M. Duplica Distinguished Alumni from his alma mater, the University of Washington, Seattle, recognizing his leadership, behavioral health pedagogy, queer scholarship, and clinical practice.

• Early Career Faculty Service and Leadership in Social Work Education Award

  Sherron Wilkes, DSW, MSW

  Dr. Wilkes is the BSW Program Director and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama School of Social Work. She has made significant contributions to the profession through her leadership, teaching, research/scholarship, and service.
  
  A committed member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Dr. Wilkes actively participates in advocacy and professional development initiatives.
  
  For the past 2 years, she served as NASW Alabama Conference Chair. She coordinated social work month activities and proclamations from the Mayor of Tuscaloosa to proclaim March as Social Work Month for 3 consecutive years.
  
  She also plays a vital role in the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors, serving the past 2 years on the conference and student conference planning committee and as the membership committee chair.

• Established Faculty Service and Leadership in Social Work Education Award

  Lisa Reyes Mason, PhD, MSW

  Dr. Mason is a social worker, scholar, educator, and advocate for climate justice. She finds purpose and passion in engaging social work in confronting the climate crisis to create a thriving and regenerative world for all.
  
  At the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work, Dr. Mason co-created a Master’s in Social Work concentration in Ecological Justice and served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Interim Dean.
  
  Nationally and internationally recognized for her climate justice work, Dr. Mason co-edited the book People and Climate Change: Vulnerability, Adaptation, and Social Justice, a collection of lived experiences and case studies in climate injustice from the Global South and North.
  
  She also served as co-lead of Social Work’s Grand Challenge to Create Social Responses to a Changing Environment for 5 years, and she served the City and County of Denver as an inaugural member of its sustainability advisory council.