The 3rd Annual Social Work Student Research Conference

On February 3, 2012, over 181 people attended the 3rd Annual Social Work Student Research Conference at Alabama A & M University (A&M). The conference was a collaborative event organized by A & M, Oakwood University (OU) and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). The goal of the conference, for the past three years, has been to promote leadership and scholarship for undergraduate and graduate social work students.

During the conference, there were six presentations given by students from A & M, OU and UTC. The research presentations from A & M focused on "Adolescent Pregnancy: Reasons and Effects" (Nitika Matthews); "Common Childhood Diagnoses and Best Practices" (Shannon Kish); and" Rural Health Care: An Overview "(Brandon Davis). Students from the UTC presented on "Building Community with a Free Store and Market" (Lacey Wynn, Tiffany Smith and Felicia Cotton). Finally, students from OU presented "The Experience of Mandatory Worship at Oakwood University: A Phenomenological Study" (Estepha Francisque and JaQuese Hawkins); and "Attitudes of African American Women Toward their Natural Hair Texture: A Grounded Theory Study" (Charde' Hurst and Siera Jackson).

Each presentation was received with much enthusiasm, which in turn encouraged many questions and comments from those in attendance. The most important experience gained from the entire event was that social work students had the opportunity to demonstrate leadership and scholarship to their peers and faculty. For many, seeing their classmates present was not only inspiring, but also an important reminder that research is one of the many competencies that social work students must demonstrate as they prepare to effectively serve individuals, groups and communities.

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