Story by Ava Chuppe
Contributing writer
am.chuppe@gmail.com
From July 17-19, the 44th Annual National Institute on Social Work and Human Services in Rural Areas conference is planned to take place at Murray State’s Paducah campus.
Peggy Pittman-Munke, Murray State social work program director, said the conference was being held at the Paducah campus because the program bid successfully to hold the conference at the Paducah site after the same conference was held at the main campus the previous year. This has allowed Murray State to showcase its main campus and its Paducah campus to educators throughout the United States, including Alaska, and Canada.
This is the second time that the social work program at Murray State has hosted the conference. Students at Murray State have been able to meet national figures in rural social work, attend many sessions and get to know Brenda Rosen, the Executive Director of Kentucky NASW. Pittman-Munke said this was an important professional development opportunity for Murray State social work students from all six campuses.
The event focuses on providing social services to rural areas, as well as the strength and resilience of rural people. The theme for this year’s conference is “Rural Social Work and Education: Educating and Practicing in a Time of Rapid Social, Cultural, and Political Change.”
The National Rural Social Work Caucus, which hosts the event, is particularly interested in proposals to improve health and human services in rural areas, sustain employment in rural areas, encourage collaboration between rural churches, extension services, education, healthcare providers, and public health with rural social and human service providers, create effective practice approaches in rural areas or build social capital in rural areas.
Presenters at the conference are expected to provide an oral, panel or poster presentation responsive to the theme of rapid social, cultural and political change in rural areas.
For more information about the social work conference, including registration information and submission for presenters, visit https://www.murraystate.edu/academics/CollegesDepartments/CollegeOfEducationandHumanServices/coehsacademicunits/CLHS/SocialWork/SocialWorkConference.aspx.