CGSWE PIE Awards

Commission on Global Social Work Education Partners in International Education Awards

The CSWE Commission on Global Social Work Education (CGSWE) Partners in Advancing International Education (PIE) Awards program, honors the contribution of social work faculty members, social work students (BSW, MSW, or PhD), and organizations as partners in advancing education for global social work. The PIE awards are given in recognition of conceptual, curricular, and programmatic innovations in education for global social work. All nominations must be U.S.-based actively working on global issues. 

2026 Individual PIE Award Winner

Cudore SnellCudore L. Snell, DSW, MSW
Dr. Cudore L. Snell has taught and conducted research at Howard University School of Social Work for the past 37 years. He began a career in social work after completing his Bachelor of Art’s Degree in Social Work and Psychology from the University of the Western Cape in 1974 and a Bachelor’s of Social Science Honours Degree in Psychiatric Social Work from the University of Cape Town in 1975. A Rotary International Scholarship in 1979 enabled Dr. Snell to pursue a Master of Social Work Degree at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, which he received in 1981. He later obtained a Doctor of Social Work Degree from Howard University in 1989 where his dissertation research focused on help seeking behavior among young street males in Washington, DC. As Dean, he established and has been involved in the School’s International Service-Learning Course to Cape Town, South Africa for the past sixteen years. As the lead prevention specialist, his international research centres on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders among pregnant mothers who engage in risky drinking in the wine lands areas of the Western Cape in South Africa.  

2026 Student PIE Award Winner

University of Tennessee, Knoxville Study Abroad StudentsUniversity of Tennessee, Knoxville College of Social Work-Study Abroad Students
This program, recognized with the Partners in Advancing International Education Award, involved a group of 11 social work students from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, who participated in a two-week study abroad experience in Kenya focused on social justice, global engagement, and community-based learning. Through the course Social Justice and Social Change from a Global Perspective, students explored international social work practice using the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals while engaging directly with local communities, agencies, and educational institutions. A central component of the program was a collaborative service-learning project at the Bariki Community Center, where students worked alongside community members to install pavers that improved safety and accessibility. This experience emphasized cultural humility, mutual learning, and respect for local knowledge, as students learned hands-on skills while contributing to a sustainable community resource. Students also engaged in meaningful cultural immersion, including learning beadwork and basket weaving from a local women’s group, sharing meals, and participating in daily community life. Visits to local schools created opportunities for cross-cultural exchange, allowing students to build relationships with Kenyan students and educators while reflecting on global education systems. Grounded in the philosophy of Ubuntu, the program encouraged students to understand human interconnectedness and approach global challenges with empathy and collaboration. The work completed by this group is important because it not only addressed immediate community needs but also established a strong foundation for sustained partnerships, ensuring future students can continue meaningful, reciprocal engagement that advances social justice and global understanding.

2026 Program PIE Award Winner

UArctic Thematic Network on Social WorkUArctic Thematic Network on Social Work
For the past 20 years, the UArctic Thematic Network on Social Work (TNSW) has promoted social work education across the Arctic and the Circumpolar North through an inclusive partnership of dedicated faculty representatives from social work education programs in eleven universities across the Circumpolar North:

  • University of Alaska Anchorage and Cal Poly Humboldt (United States);
  • University of Stavanger, University of Tromsø, and Nord University (Norway);
  • Umeå University (Sweden);
  • University of Iceland (Iceland);
  • Aalborg University (Denmark);
  • University of Greenland (Greenland);
  • McGill University (Canada);
  • University of Lapland (Finland).
The mission of the UArctic TNSW is to promote collaborative learning across circumpolar regions by actively promoting the exchange of knowledge, research, and educational resources. The Network advances sustainable and ethical social work practices in Arctic contexts by prioritizing Indigenous perspectives, addressing the realities of geographical distance and rural communities, and responding to the challenges of climate and environmental change. Through institutional partnerships and targeted support for students and faculty, the Network strengthens social work education and fosters research and knowledge creation across the Arctic.

The UArctic TNSW has 11 dedicated faculty members who meet by video conference six times during the academic year, and we aim to have one in-person meeting a year. The Network includes Indigenous social work educators, ensuring that Indigenous perspectives and knowledge traditions are actively represented in our collaborative work. Our Network is committed to elevating and prioritizing Indigenous perspectives and the lived realities of northern and rural communities.