.png?lang=en-US&ext=.png){kind=logo}
.png?lang=en-US&ext=.png){kind=logo}
IN THIS ISSUE
From the MFP TeamWelcome 2025–2026 MFP Fellows!
CSWE’s Annual Conference
MFP’s Legacy
Interested in Becoming an MFP Fellow?
JSWE Free-Access Articles Celebrating 50 Years of CSWE’s MFP
Update Your Contact Information
Resources
From the MFP Team
Greetings MFP Community!
The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) proudly welcomes the 51st cohort of CSWE MFP Fellows, marking more than 5 decades of transformative impact and leadership in shaping the future of social work and behavioral health. Through providing professional development and training opportunities, CSWE MFP continues to empower emerging social work professionals to improve behavioral health care outcomes for communities across the nation.
The CSWE MFP has appointed another passionate cohort of fellows ready to lead the way in responsive care that improves behavioral health outcomes. Contingent upon funding, CSWE MFP offers financial support, mentorship, hands-on training, and opportunities to connect nationwide, which prepares CSWE MFP Fellows to make lasting impacts in the communities they serve. Since its founding in 1974, the CSWE MFP has proudly supported more than 1,000 social work fellows. These individuals have gone on to become influential practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and educators driving the profession forward. As we embark on the 51st year, MFP celebrates this rich legacy while embracing a vision for the future grounded in collaboration, innovation, and commitment to advancing behavioral health for all. We look forward to the year ahead with great enthusiasm and excitement for all that CSWE MFP Fellows will learn and accomplish.
Warm regards,
The MFP Team
Welcome 2025–2026 MFP Fellows!
We’re excited to announce that a total of 30 doctoral and 40 MSW fellows will be appointed for the new fellowship year! Selected through a rigorous three-round review process supported by dedicated volunteer social work professionals and the 2024–2025 MFP Advisory Board, these Fellows are emerging leaders in mental health and substance use services, advancing and strengthening the social work profession.
.png "2025-2026-Cohort-Visuals-(1).png")
The incredible 2025–2026 MFP cohort joins the extensive MFP network and will be equipped with resources to expand their professional skills and create lasting connections with peers who share their passion and purpose. Let’s give a big welcome to the 2025–2026 cohort as they begin their MFP journey!
CSWE’s Annual Conference
A total of 45 MFP Fellows and staff gathered in Denver, Colorado for CSWE’s 71st Annual Conference It’s Time to Act: Championing Disability Justice and Disability Joy in Social Work, October 23–26, 2025, taking part in key events such as the MFP Orientation, CSWE Student Summit, Carl A. Scott Memorial Lecture, MFP Reception, and more. Fellows built meaningful relationships, navigated the conference together, and supported peers presenting their research and insights. We’re incredibly proud of the 12 doctoral MFP Fellows who presented or contributed their scholarship during the conference!
The fellows had the opportunity to meet MFP alumni and engage in inspiring discussions about post-fellowship career trajectories, holistic wellness as emerging professionals, and the impact of social work. These discussions were made possible by amazing MFP alumni who led MFP-focused discussions, including Dr. D’Wayne James, Tyrone Poole, MSW, and Dr. Sharlene Allen Milton, whose presentation was titled, “Work–Life Balance and Sustainability in Social Work.” In addition, Dr. Vanessa Robinson-Dooley facilitated an empowering alumni panel, titled “Beyond the Fellowship: Charting Your Career Journey Post MFP,” which included Dr. Monique Bostic, Dr. Makeba Green, Dr. Jay Gabbard, and Dr. Justin Harty.
MFP’s Legacy
In a span of 51 years, CSWE’s MFP was awarded a grant by the National Institute of Mental Health to increase the number of minority doctoral students majoring in mental health research. This first award was the catalyst for the program we celebrate today. Please take time to acknowledge those who paved the way with our ongoing MFP Legacy section highlighting those fellows who first were awarded fellowship. Find information on all 15 of the 1975–1976 cohort of MFP doctoral Fellows here. Below is one fellow’s biographical profile from when they were a fellow.
Wilfred Yazzie will seek his MSW at the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Utah.
He has been a social service representative with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and a probation officer and welfare worker with the Navajo tribe in Arizona.
Interested in Becoming an MFP Fellow?
If you are interested in learning more about the program, and would be interested in applying for the doctoral or MSW fellowship during the 2026–2027 fellowship year, please sign up to be notified once applications open by using the QR codes below:
JSWE Free-Access Articles Celebrating 50 Years of CSWE’s MFP
In June 2025 the Journal of Social Work Education (JSWE) published a special issue, “Celebrating 50 Years of CSWE's Minority Fellowship Program: Reflecting on the Program's Presence and Impact” to mark the 50th anniversary of the MFP. Guest edited by former MFP Directors, Dr. Collina Cooke and Dr. Duy Nguyen, this commemorative issue honors the golden anniversary of CSWE’s MFP, which was first launched in 1974 under the leadership of Carl A. Scott. In recognition of CSWE’s MFP Fellows and legacy, the following articles are available with free access until January 1, 2025 (readers can access additional JSWE articles through their program’s library subscription):
-
MFP Origins: A Leadership Journey With Former Directors (Francis, Jones, Nguyen, & Cooke, 2025)
-
Kafa Taha: I Am the Investment of Many (Vakalahi, 2025)
-
Behind the Mask of Black Women Social Workers: Workplace Integration, Code-Switching, and the Silent Struggles (Cooke, Hastings, Hastings, & Quezada-Horne, 2025)
Update Your Contact Information
Have you changed jobs in the last few years? Changed your primary email address? CSWE’s MFP relies on current contact information for our internal database, which we use to contact alumni and help us prepare our reports for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Please use this link to share your updated contact information. Additionally, you are encouraged to reach out to MFP alumni you are connected with and request that they share their updated information too. Thank you in advance for supporting MFP team efforts to enhance connectedness in the MFP community.
Resources
Call for Submissions—Urban Social Work Special Issue “Visibility Matters: Black Men in Social Work”
Urban Social Work invites manuscript submissions for a special issue dedicated to examining the lives, labor, and leadership of Black men in social work. Learn more.
Position—Temple University School of Social Work, Barnett College of Public Health, Tenure-Line (Open Rank) Faculty Position
.png "tu_cph_barnett_2c_red_black-(1).png")
The candidate must have an MSW and a DSW or PhD (PhD can be in social work or related field) and have received external research funding or demonstrated likelihood of securing external research funding. Learn more.
Podcast—Grant Writing Made Clear
The Grant Writing Made Clear podcast was created by Dr. Trenette Clark Goings (www.trenetteclarkgoings.com) to support nonprofit leaders, researchers, junior faculty, and graduate students as they navigate the often-daunting process of grant writing. Through brief, focused micro-episodes (typically less than 30 minutes), Dr. Trenette demystifies the process and offers practical strategies to help listeners develop competitive, fundable proposals.Topics include:
- Identifying the right funding opportunities
- Writing strong, compelling proposals
- Avoiding common grant writing pitfalls
- Interviews with successful funded researchers, including deans and tenured faculty
The podcast is available on all major platforms:
Training—SUD 101 Core Curriculum (2023)
The 23 modules in this 2023 curriculum provide an overview of evidence-based practices in the prevention, identification, and treatment of substance use disorders and co-occurring medical and psychiatric conditions for a variety of populations. Learn more.