ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) today announced the relaunch of its Gero Ed Center, a national resource for gerontology and aging education in social work. The Center returns in partnership with the University of Central Florida School of Social Work (UCF SSW), which joins as a key contributor and sponsor.
The vision for the CSWE Gero Ed Center is to become the premier resource for social work programs, faculty, and students interested in gerontology and aging education and practice.
“Our nation needs a social work workforce that is prepared and ready to serve aging populations,” said Dr. Halaevalu Vakalahi, CSWE’s President and CEO. “CSWE is proud to bring back the Gero Ed Center, and we are grateful to the University of Central Florida School of Social Work for partnering with us to do it.”
CSWE’s Gero Ed Center will provide teaching and learning resources for three groups: social work educators and students who will practice with aging populations, social work programs seeking resources in this area of specialized practice, and professionals in other disciplines engaged in aging-related teaching and learning.
Susanny Beltran, PhD, MSW, of the UCF SSW will serve as the Center’s Lead Scholar. She will be supported by an advisory board of social work educators, including Saint Louis University’s Allison Gibson (PhD, MSW), Touro University’s Denise Goslin (PhD, MA), Florida Gulf Coast University’s David Hage (PhD, MSW, LCSW), University of Maryland Baltimore County’s Nancy Kusmal (PhD, MSW), Michigan State University’s Fei Sun (PhD, MSW, MA), and Grand Valley State University’s Lihua Huang (PhD, LMSW).
“This relaunch is an exciting opportunity to rethink how we bring aging into social work education,” said Dr. Beltran. “We’re creating a space where educators and students can access resources, learn from one another, and explore how aging connects to the work they do.”
The relaunch builds on the legacy of the original CSWE Gero-Ed Center, which was funded by the John A. Hartford Foundation from 2004 to 2015.
About CSWE
Founded in 1952, CSWE is the national association representing social work education in the United States. Its members include more than 1,000 accredited baccalaureate, master’s, and practice doctorate degree social work programs and their affiliated social work educators, students, and staff, as well as practitioners and agencies dedicated to advancing quality social work education. Through its many initiatives, activities, and centers, CSWE supports quality social work education and provides opportunities for leadership and professional development so that social workers are empowered to play a central role in achieving the profession’s goals of social and economic justice.
CSWE’s Board of Accreditation is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the United States and its territories.