Each year Simmons School of Social Work confers awards to students who have made significant contributions to our community, their agency, or the larger field of social work. We invite and encourage nominations from students, supervisors, faculty, and advisors. The due date for all nominations and supporting statement or papers will be announced Spring 2019. Please send all nominations to awards@simmons.edu.
This award honors Shirley Saks Greenberg who received her MS degree from Simmons SS W in 1956. Mrs. Greenberg had a gift for combining theoretical perspectives to understanding with clinical practice. She had a particular interest in the area of psychodynamic psychotherapy and clinical casework. She met an untimely death in 1982. Her family established this award in her honor to recognize a first-year student who shows promise in integrating theory with practice, especially practice pertaining to psychodynamic theory. In recent years the scope of the award has been expanded to a broader definition of clinical practice.
This award was established in 1980 by students, colleagues, alumni and friends to honor Iris MacRae, a member of the Simmons faculty, who devoted the major part of her professional life to teaching and advising students at the school. Her dedication and commitment remain an inspiration to all that knew her. It seems especially appropriate to use the funds given in her honor to recognize achievement by SS W students. In 1983, the faculty decided that this award, consisting of a certificate and an honorarium, should be granted to a student in his/her final year. Please submit the name of a student who has made an outstanding achievement in either class or field work.
Examples of field achievement could include special talents in working with a challenging client group, initiation of a special program in the agency, or other evidence of creative achievement in the course of the field work practicum. Class (academic) achievement might consist or overall outstanding performance or particularly creative papers completed for course requirements.
This award is given to a student who makes a contribution in the areas of political action and social justice through intervention in a larger system.
This award is given to a student for work with a multicultural population, education to professional colleagues, program planning, or sensitivity and excellence in cross-cultural practice.
This award is given at faculty discretion for exemplary school or community leadership. This may be awarded to an individual or group of students.
This award recognizes special service to the Simmons community by a student or group of students. Nominations may be made by students, faculty, or staff. Note: the Student Government selects the winner of this award.
This award is given to a student who demonstrates creativity, originality and outstanding scholarship in a written paper. Submitted papers should hold promise for publication. Please send an electronic copy of the paper to awards@simmons.edu.
Established in memory of Professor Emerita Priscilla Mullen Riley, this award honors the dedication, commitment and perseverance of its namesake. Professor Riley experienced significant challenges in her early life, yet went on to have a very successful, rich and rewarding career as a clinical social worker and a social work educator. She was a member of the Simmons Faculty for thirty-four years and the Director of its Field Education Department for many years. She was a national leader in promoting the importance and centrality of field education in graduate social work learning. In her long professional life, perhaps her greatest effort was in service of supporting and advocating for students who experienced challenges and obstacles to completing graduate school. She fiercely believed that all students should be given the support necessary to succeed. This award is granted to a graduating student who has done very well in classes and in field despite navigating and managing challenging circumstances.
