College of Arts and Sciences Dean Ron Yasbin surprises Sharon Johnson (left), professor of social work at UMSL, and Lois Pierce, director and professor of the School of Social Work at UMSL, with the President’s Award for Intercampus Collaboration. (Photo by August Jennewein)

Two faculty members from the University of Missouri–St. Louis were recently presented with the University of Missouri System President’s Award for Intercampus Collaboration.

UMSL social work Professor Sharon Johnson and UMSL School of Social Work Director and Professor Lois Pierce were selected along with University of Missouri–Columbia School of Social Work Director and Professor Marjorie Sable, MU social work Assistant Professor David Albright and MU social work Assistant Professor Dale Fitch.

The award, which includes a $5,000 prize, recognizes faculty who engage in activities that foster collaboration across two or more campuses of the UM System. Collaboration may be in the areas of teaching, scholarship, research, service, creativity, outreach or economic development. The awardees have asked that the prize be split between the two Schools of Social Work.

These faculty members among the School of Social Work at UMSL and MU have long collaborated in efforts that benefit students and enhance research and training. Beginning in 2009, they developed a joint study abroad program with the University of Western Cape in Cape Town, South Africa. Students studying social work from MU, UMSL and the University of Missouri–Kansas City – the three UM System campuses that have a School of Social Work – have participated in three study abroad tours to date.

In order to expand course offerings for students at both campuses, the faculty engaged in a course-sharing effort involving courses related to military social work and social policy. The 2013 course-sharing proposal was funded by the UM System and has led to two new courses: Military Culture, and Social Policy and Military Veterans.

“In my nearly 14 years as dean of the MU College of Human Environmental Sciences, I have not witnessed a level of intercampus collaboration as noteworthy and significant as this one involving our respective social work units,” wrote nominator Stephen Jorgensen.

Collectively, they have developed numerous joint grant proposals including a recent collaborative, three-year $1.2 million training grant for behavioral health workforce education and training for professionals and paraprofessionals was funded in 2014 by the Health Resources and Services Administration.

“Alone, neither school would have the faculty or student resources necessary to qualify for the funding. The faculty are working together to develop courses and other training materials to be taken by the approximately ten UMSL and 15 MU students who will receive scholarships each year,” wrote nominator Ronald Yasbin, dean of the UMSL College of Arts and Sciences at UMSL, regarding the grant.

Read more about the grant in here.

Moving forward, the group has planned the development of a second course-sharing proposal to add two courses on behavioral health related to the grant with one taught at each campus.

The UM System President’s Awards are presented annually to faculty members across the four campuses of the UM System who have made exceptional contributions in advancing the mission of the university. Ten President’s Awards were presented to faculty in 2015. The honorees will be formally recognized by UM System President Tim Wolfe during an awards celebration to be held June 25.