The School of Social Work welcomed two new faculty members this fall who have primary responsibilities in the new Bachelor of Social Work program. “We are excited to welcome these new scholars and teachers to our already accomplished faculty. Their contributions to research, teaching and community engagement will benefit our students and the social work profession,” said Dean Nina Heller.
Rupal Parekh, PhD, is an Assistant Professor with research, practice and teaching experience with older adults, Southeast Asian Immigrants and health disparities. A graduate of the University of Texas, Arlington, she is the Principle Investigator of Sahanshakti & Mental Well-Being in the Lives of Older Asian Indian Immigrant Women in the United States, funded by the Okura Mental Health Leadership Foundation Grant and the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE) and Barriers to Transportation and the Impact on Quality of Life Among Non-English Speaking, Older Asian Indian Immigrant Populations funded by The National Institute for Transportation and Communities. Her innovative dissertation research, Exploring the Predictors of Well-Being and Advance Directives Among Elder Orphans: A Mixed-Methods Study employed social media methodology. Her research is informed by over a decade of professional practice experience working with diverse older adult populations across the continuum of care. She is teaching courses in research methods and social policy at the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Kimberly Campbell, MSW, is an Extension Assistant Professor teaching courses across the BSW Program curriculum and Human Behavior and Family Therapy classes in the MSW Program. Her work experience has included child welfare case management, home based family therapy and implementation of evidence-based practices. Ms. Campbell’s research interests span child welfare and children’s mental health, trauma responsive care, and supervision. Prior to joining the faculty, she was a research assistant at the Child Health Development Institute, a nonprofit policy organization. She expects to complete her PhD degree from Indiana University in June 2019.
