USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work

Each year, the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Dean's Recognition Awards honor students who have made significant achievements in their academic careers and contributions to the community.

The Jane Addams Faculty Award is presented annually to a faculty member selected by the graduating class for their academic, administrative, and moral support of students.

Congratulations to Teaching Professor Margarita Artavia!

Each year, the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Dean's Recognition Awards honor students who have made significant achievements in their academic careers and contributions to the community.

The Phi Alpha Humanitarian Scholarship Award recognizes demonstrated dedication and exemplary leadership in human welfare beyond practicum placement. This award is presented to an active member of the USC Phi-Alpha Honor Society-Omicron Epsilon chapter.

Congratulations to Elizabeth Padilla!

Each year, the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Dean's Recognition Awards honor students who have made significant achievements in their academic careers and contributions to the community.

This year, one graduate was honored with two awards, the Lillian Hawthorne Endowed Award and the Phi Alpha Humanitarian Scholarship Award.

The Lillian Hawthorne Endowed Award recognizes significant and transformational contributions to the programs and policies of practicum agencies during internships. This award honors alumna Lillian Hawthorne, who served as assistant dean for student affairs and was instrumental in expanding the school’s practicum education program.

The Phi Alpha Humanitarian Scholarship Award recognizes demonstrated dedication and exemplary leadership in human welfare beyond practicum placement. This award is presented to an active member of the USC Phi-Alpha Honor Society-Omicron Epsilon chapter.

Congratulations to Horlenes Flores!

Each year, the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Dean's Recognition Awards honor students who have made significant achievements in their academic careers and contributions to the community.

The Phi Alpha Scholarly Excellence and Humanitarian Scholarship Award recognizes demonstrated scholarly achievement and exemplary leadership in human welfare beyond practicum placement. This award is presented to an active member of the USC Phi-Alpha Honor Society-Omicron Epsilon chapter.

Congratulations to Pixie Popplewell!

Each year, the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work Dean's Recognition Awards honor students who have made significant achievements in their academic careers and contributions to the community.

The Outstanding Contribution to the Grand Challenge in Homelessness Award recognizes the direct impact of students to the school’s role in this grand challenge initiative as the next generation of leaders on this complex issue. This award is sponsored by the school’s Center for Homelessness, Housing, and Health Equity.

Congratulations to Ryan Cameron!

School namesake Suzanne Dworak-Peck (MSW '67), Interim Dean Vassilios Papadopoulos and faculty congratulate the Class of 2026 of the Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. We are so proud of all you have accomplished so far and of the great things yet to come!

MSW graduate Christian Gudiel combines education with his own lived experience to empower system-impacted youth. Read more about his full-circle journey: https://bit.ly/4ntdiEr

Class of 2026 PhD candidate Maiya Hotchkiss has received the prestigious USC PhD Achievement Award, recognizing their outstanding academic profile. This is the second consecutive year that a doctoral candidate at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work has received this distinction.

Hotchkiss also received a F31 dissertation fellowship from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) for their project, “Inundated, in Community, and in the Loop: Complex Systems Science Approaches to Su***de Prevention Research with LGBTQ+ Young Adults Experiencing Homelessness.”

Read the full story: https://bit.ly/4uLIgtU

Nurses are on the frontlines of identifying and addressing the Social Determinants of Health that are responsible for 80% of health outcomes, making nurses essential partners for the social work profession in striving for health equity.

is honored to educate the next generation of these critical healthcare professionals in our Master of Nursing (MSN) program.

Members of the Unchained Scholars program were featured in The Daily Trojan. The Unchained Scholars program aims to empower students who were formerly incarcerated and provide a sense of community. Read the full story: https://bit.ly/4mWqcKY