.png?lang=en-US&ext=.png){kind=logo}
.png?lang=en-US&ext=.png){kind=logo}
Community Partnership Action Award
Presented by Commission for Diversity and Social & Economic Justice, this award honors the contributions of schools and departments of social work and social work students (BSW, MSW, PhD, or DSW) in advancing community partnership action. "Community" is broadly defined as a self-organized network of people with a common agenda, cause, or interest and is not limited by physical location. An invitation to apply is extended to all CSWE-accredited social work programs and social work students. View eligibility criteria and more information here.
Community partnership actions are central to advancing social and economic justice, which is intrinsic to social work education. Historically, dating back to the settlement houses, our profession is rooted in working with the community to solve social problems and issues. Community partnerships enhance social justice work by promoting meaningful reciprocal collaboration. These activities also develop connections between theory and practice in real-life contexts toward promoting social, economic, and environmental justice competencies.
Two awards will be given annually, one for each of the following categories.
- Social Work Program Award: Recognizes a CSWE-accredited social work program that encourages its faculty, students, and staff members to engage in community-based social, economic, or environmental justice activities. Some examples might be particular classes, advocacy activities, field assignments or projects, interprofessional collaboration, and culturally based interventions.
- Student Project Award: Recognizes a student (BSW, MSW, or PhD/DSW) who has engaged in a community partnership activity that successfully promoted social, economic, or environmental justice.
2025 Program Awardee
Please join us in celebrating the 2025 Community Partnership Action - Program Awardee: The University of Maryland, School of Soccial Work (UM-SSW).The University of Maryland, School of Social Work (UM-SSW)
The University of Maryland, School of Social Work (UM-SSW), located in downtown Baltimore, is the largest MSW program in the state, graduating 300-400 students annually. The school is known for its deep community engagement through field placements and research. Unique to schools of social work, UM-SSW also provides direct services through its Center for Restorative Change (CRC). The CRC embodies social work’s transformative power by fostering meaningful and sustainable community partnerships. As a hub for community engagement, the CRC bridges academic institutions, local organizations, and the communities they serve, advancing social justice through collaborative initiatives. It also serves as a field placement site, ensuring students gain hands-on experience addressing systemic challenges. Through partnerships with 15+ community organizations, government agencies, and advocacy groups, the CRC co-develops initiatives centering community voices, with a focus on racial equity and culturally responsive practices. Its work addresses economic instability, educational disparities, and mental health access by embedding faculty, students, and education placements within collaborative networks. The CRC has played a pivotal role in securing millions in federal, state, and private funding to support integrated education, mental health, and social services for children and families in West Baltimore, and beyond. Through strategic partnerships and structured internships, it has enhanced schoolbased behavioral health services, built capacity for trauma-informed care, and strengthened cross-sector collaboration.
2025 Individual Awardee
Please join us in celebrating the 2025 Community Partnership Action - Individual Awardee: Ogechi Christine Kalu, MSW.Ogechi Christine Kalu, MSW
PhD Candidate, University of Buffalo School of Social Work
Ogechi Christine Kalu, MSW, is a Presidential Fellow, CSWE policy fellow, MacMargaret Education Grantee and PhD candidate at the University at Buffalo School of Social Work. Her academic and professional journey is rooted in advancing social through research-practice-community partnerships. Ogechi’s work centers on family and community violence, trauma, and culturally responsive interventions for children and families. She is the founder of Teens Think Africa Initiative, a nonprofit in Nigeria addressing gender-based violence, adolescent trauma, and youth empowerment. Her initiatives have reached hundreds of girls through psychosocial support programs, school-based mentorship, and faith-based campaigns that engage clergy as informal supports for survivors. In the U.S., she co-founded BBRIDGE Buffalo, a research-led platform that has partnered with organizations such as Crisis Services and the Erie County Commission on the Status of Women to host forums on domestic violence and teen relationship health. She was recently invited as a speaker for the Teen Relationship Violence Awareness Summit 2025 in Buffalo. Ogechi is Principal Investigator for a study on clergy responses to IPV survivors and Study Coordinator for NIH-funded trauma-informed perinatal interventions and project coordinator for firearm safety education initiative (SAFR). She has worked with local nonprofits, including Buffalo Prenatal Perinatal Network, Buffalo Urban League, and Partnership for the Public Good. Ogechi’s leadership includes serving as Secretary for the NABSW UB Chapter, and founding Student Chair of the National Association of Perinatal Social Workers Student Committee. Her work exemplifies sustained community partnership and a deep commitment to equity, inclusion, and systems change.