Feminist Scholar Award
The CSWE Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education annually awards a feminist scholar who has advanced feminist knowledge as it pertains to social work theory, research, practice, policy, and education. To apply for this award, visit the CSWE Submittable website.
2023 Feminist Scholar Award Recipient
Dr. Leslie E. Tower is Director of the WVU Women’s Resource Center and Professor and Assessment Coordinator in the WVU School of Social Work. Her recent scholarship focuses on gender equity in institutions of higher education. Her research has been funded by NSF, FDA, and USDA as well as private foundations. She currently is the external evaluator for a US DHHS-NIH-National Institute on Aging grant.
Tower was co-principal investigator on the original WVU NSF ADVANCE grant. She led the policy development component of it, resulting in numerous work/life integration policies. One of her publications from the project, was highlighted in Science (hyperlink: Diversity through ADVANCEment). She is a former Chair/Co-Chair of the CSWE Council on the Role and Status of Women in Social Work Education, Track Chair of the CSWE APM Feminist Scholarship Track, and Editorial Board Member for the Journal of Women & Social Work (AFFILIA).