Karen Sandberg and Professor Jini Roby, Social Work Dar a luz, meaning “to give light,” is the Mexican phrase for giving birth. The equation of light with the birth process reveals its significance to the Mexican people. Internationally, female midwives educated and assisted women in the birth process, making it a specific sphere of women’s […]
A Study on the Cultural Influences Involved in the Decision to Place Children for International Adoption
Heather Hintze and Professor Jini Roby, Social Work In the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), international adoption is very common. The RMI has one of the highest international adoption rates per capita in the world. This research project was designed to learn and understand the reasons behind this high international adoption rate in the […]
Openness in International Adoptions: An Idea Whose Time Has Come? The Experience of U.S. Families Who Adopted Children from the Marshall Islands
Jamie Wyatt and Professor Jini Roby, School of Social Work Increased globalization of today’s society is bringing about dramatic change; the social sciences are not exempt from the results of these changes. Particular to this research study is the issue of international adoptions, particularly those which are characterized as open. “Open adoption” was defined in this […]
Investigation of Child Headed Households in Mozambique, Africa
Gerald Cochran and Professor Jini Roby, School of Social Work Introduction and Background Child headed households (CHHs) are homes lead by “…children [who] live alone and manage the household without guidance and economic support from adults” (Aspaas, 1999, p. 202). This definition may or may not exclude adults as residents of the home. Some CHHs have […]
International Views on Rape Crises: A Comparative Study between American and Italian Rape Recovery Centers
Allyson Ugolini and Dr. Shirley Cox, Social Work This project’s goal was to compare and contrast two culturally diverse, American and Italian, rape recovery centers and the social work systems that run them. Research findings will benefit and enlighten both societies on each other’s methods and ways of operation, allowing them to take the positives […]
Journeys of Navajo Social Workers
Farina King My name is Farina King. During the summer of 2008, I was a student intern for the Diné Policy Institute (DPI), located in Tsaile, Arizona. I was an undergraduate senior, studying History and French with minors in Native American Studies and African Studies. I had to recite those same lines of personal information […]
Helping Willing Hands: Educating Single Mothers to Create Skills-Based Resumes
Kiel Willmore and Dr. Maureen Rice, Counseling and Career Center I had two main objectives for my creative project when I received an ORCA grant earlier this year. First, the project was aimed towards helping local single mothers, who not having the chance to obtain a secondary education, create skills-based resumes rather than education or […]
The Narrative Identity of Foster Youth as a Component of Readiness for Independence
Jessica Woodbury Professor Jini Roby, Social Work Researchers in a variety of disciplines have begun to describe identity development as having a narrative character (Kellas, 2005; Vangelisti, 2004). They explain that narrative identity consists of a self-perception which is rooted in personal and shared (especially within the family) stories (Vangelisti, 2004). These stories, or core memories, help […]