May 15, 2021

(HOUSTON, TX) - Four faculty members were inducted as Honorary Members of Phi Alpha International Honor Society for providing "distinctive contributions to the field of social work" alongside two classes of students ranking in the top 35% of their respective classes.

Faculty Members Drs. Robin Gearing and McClain Sampson were inducted as honorary members of the Class of 2020; Drs. Christina Miyawaki and Quenette Walton, Class of 2021.

We asked Drs. Sampson, Miyawaki, and Walton to reflect on the importance of being inducted as honorary members of this national, social work organization.  

---- 

Name: Dr. McClain Sampson
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Title: Associate Professor 

What does being honored with this membership mean to you? Social work education and practice is truly a calling. It is an honor to be honored by a group of students who prioritize the study of human behavior, social determinants of health with the ultimate goal to create a more just society where each person can reach their full potential. 

Why do you believe it is essential for faculty members to address and publicly engage in issues that tie into the GCSW's vision of social justice? As faculty at the GCSW, we must walk in integrity by conducting research and teaching curriculum that make equitable policy and practices possible. The GCSW faculty members must work for economic, health, gender, and racial equity and teach our students to do the same. 

Anything else you would like to share? The students at GCSW impress me daily. I see students who juggle full-time work, part-time work, caring for family members, and taking on research assistantships so that they can pursue their professional goals. The students work hard to achieve professional goals centered around improving people's lives and working for an equitable society, and I find that humbling and inspirational. 

Name: Dr. Christina Miyawaki
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Title: Assistant Professor 

What does being honored with this membership mean to you?

The nomination was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise for me, especially to receive this recognition and honorable membership. I feel happy that my work has been acknowledged and recognized as valuable for contributions to society. But, at the same time, I think a lot of my responsibility is to continue the critical work of the GCSW and the community at large.

Why do you believe it is essential for faculty members to address and publicly engage in issues that tie into the GCSW's vision of social justice? 

It is crucial because this is the core value that I believe in and live by. I have a passion for social justice for older people of color and immigrants and their family members. As one of the GCSW faculty, I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to thrive to pursue this social justice vision not only through my work but my daily life.

Name: Dr. Quenette Walton
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Current Title: Assistant Professor

What does being honored with this membership mean to you? 

The induction into the Phi Alpha Honor Society is still sinking in! I do not look back at my career thinking that I have made significant contributions to the program and/or society. I feel like I am still learning and am still trying to figure out what contributions I want to make. As a junior faculty, only three years into my career as an Assistant Professor, I do not take this recognition lightly and feel even more responsible for creating change within the program and society. 

Why do you believe it is important for faculty members to address and publicly engage in issues that tie into the GCSW's vision of social justice? 

I think it is essential for faculty members to address and engage in issues that tie into the GCSW's vision of social justice because if we stand for nothing, we will fall for anything. Social justice is at the core of what we are supposed to teach and research as social work scholars and educators. And for me, it's critical that what I say and do are in sync, including addressing and publicly engaging in issues that align with the GCSW's vision of social justice. Students are watching us, and I cannot, in good conscience, let them down. I am hopeful about the future of social work, but that's because I challenge my students to have critical conversations about what it means to live in a just world given their intersecting identities and encourage them to reimagine social work as a field grounded in social justice.