Welcome to The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work
Aloha pumehana,
Mahalo piha for your interest in the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. As one of the premier schools of social work in the Pacific-Asia region, we are dedicated to providing an educational experience that is anchored in excellence. Challenges and opportunities abound for social workers in a global community that is increasingly more culturally diverse. Our principal responsibility is the creation and transmission of knowledge reflecting the advancement of social work and the achievement of social justice as the "noble cause." Our unique focus is on resolving critical social problems that challenge s multicultural world, with specific attention to indigenous wisdom and perspectives.
The BSW, MSW and PhD programs prepare students to be educated global citizens who advance social justice. As of this year, our BSW and MSW programs have been fully reaccredited by the Council on Social Work Education for a maximum of 8 years, 2010-2018. Our faculty are highly knowledgeable, vastly experienced, and fully committed to the educational enterprise, and are well-known in endeavors of practice, policy and research. Faculty specialists in child and family, gerontology, health, and behavioral health, function as leaders in the School and the community. In broadening our educational reach beyond the Mānoa campus, our distance education option provides neighbor island residents with an opportunity to achieve their MSW degree via a blended approach of interactive television, computer-based technology, and face-to-face instruction.
I invite you to review our information and consider acquiring your education at our School in Hawaiʻi - one of the most culturally diverse communities in the world.
Me ka ʻoiaʻiʻo,
Noreen Mokuau, D.S.W.,
Dean and Professor
| Latest News and Events | ||
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 Dr. Bum Jun Kim with Charna Underwood |
BSW Student in Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program Charna Underwood, a BSW student at the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work and a participant in the UHM Honors Program, has received two outstanding fellowships to support her research activities. The UHM Undergraduate Research Opportunity Porgram awarded her $5,000, and the Associated Students of the University of Hawaii awarded her another $1,000. The title of Ms. Underwood's research project and honors thesis is: "Effects of Social Support on Depression in Older Japanese Women Living in the Long-term Care Setting." The fellowship awards will be used to collect and analyze original data from various long-term care settings in Hawaii, and for the dissemination of the study findings. Dr. Bum Jun Kim serves as Ms. Underwood's faculty mentor and the chair of her honors thesis committee. |
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2013 Myron B. Thompson Convocation The Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work 2013 Convocation was held on May 9, 2013 at the UH Campus Center Ballroom. Congratulations to the graduating class of 2013! For more pictures of the event, click on this link to go to our Facebook page. |
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Practicum Instructor Appreciation Luncheon On April 26, the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work held a luncheon to say "Mahalo" to the wonderful service our Practicum Instructors provide for the students of our school. The luncheon was held at the Willows restaurant. For more pictures of this event, please click on this link. |
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1st annual Student Research Presentation Brown Bag On Monday, April 29th, UH MBTSSW held the 1st annual Student Research Presentation Brown Bag. The Brown Bag highlighted student projects which were supported through student faculty collaboration over the 2012-2013 academic year. Click on this link for more pictures.. |
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PhD Student, Vincent Okada Successfully Defends Dissertation Congratulations to Mitsuharu Vincent Okada for successfully defending his dissertation title: "In Search of Ainu Voices for the Future Generations". His dissertation defense took place on April 17, 2013. |
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Psychoeducational Intervention Products & Processes Fair On April 10, the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work held a Psychoeducational Intervention Products & Processes Fair. Social work practice has long utilized psychoeducation as an informational strategy with clients, often in the form of a curriculum (often for a group), or as a pamphlet. Recent research has redefined psychoeducation as Therapeutic Psychoeducational Interventions. These are evidence-based therapeutic interventions that can significantly enhance treatment effectiveness, if a set of criteria are met in terms of the content, design, and delivery of the psychoeducational product. This semester, 30 teams of students in the MSW program at the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work have been working with practicum site agencies to develop new Psychoeducational Intervention products and processes. Their work is highly creative and useful across multiple settings, and the products and processes developed are freely available. Click on this link to see more pictures of this event on our Facebook page. |
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2013 AIDS Walk Students and faculty from the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work participated in the Life Foundation's 22nd annual Honolulu AIDS Walk! The walk was held on Sunday, April 14th. For more information about the Life Foundation go to their website at http://honoluluaidswalk2013.kintera.org/faf/help/helpEventInfo.asp?ievent=1039800&lis=1&kntae1039800=BD7BA79BDBE3499E80E5010050DFCB8A For more pictures of the event, visit our Facebook page by clicking on this link. |
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2013 Relay for Life On April 13, 2013, Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work Students and Faculty had fun raising money for the American Cancer Society at the 8th Annual Relay For Life of UH Manoa. The event was held on the Mānoa Campus, Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Field. For more pictures of the event, visit our Facebook page by clicking on this link. |
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 Dr. Sharon Moriwaki, Associate Director, Public Policy Center, CSS, UH, Dr. Sidney Stahl, Sitting: Dr. Colette Browne, Professor, MBT School of Social Work, Dr. Velma Kameoka, Director, Social Science Research Institute, CSS. |
Dr. Stahl Lecture |
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ʻOhana Day On January 13, 2013, the BSW Student Organization held their annual ʻOhana Day celebration at Kailua Beach Park. Attendees were blessed with sunny weather, lots of onolicious food, hilarious team games, and prizes for everyone -- young and not-so-young! ʻOhana Day began in 2004 as a school-wide social event and fundraiser for a student who lost his family home in a New Year Eve's arson fire (and successfully raised over $2,000!). In recent years, the BSWO has assumed the leadership in organizing and hosting this family and friends event. This year's hard working planners were: Srs: Errol Kia`i Lee (Pres.), Kelli Nakano (VP), Jessica Ignacio (Sec.), Crystal Chong Wong (Treas.), Amberly Bland (Program Rep.); Jrs: Chloe Fonacier (Pres.), Aurora Buell (VP), Charna Underwood (Sec.), Sinead Sims (Treas.), and Le`a Moses (Program Rep.). Congratulations on a very successful and fun-filled event! For more pictures of ʻOhana Day, click on this link to go to our Facebook page. |
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 Award Recipients |
Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work Student Scholarship Recipients The School of Social Work and student scholarship recipients were invited guests to a lovely holiday celebration hosted by the Ito Foundation on December 14, 2012. Mr. Gordon Ito heads the Ito Healthcare Group which consists of locally- and privately-owned healthcare organizations in Hawaiʻi. The Gordon & June Ito Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 2008, exclusively for educational purposes. The Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life for Hawaiʻi's people, from medically fragile children to the elderly. Beginning in 2011, this organization supported two $2,500 scholarships for deserving MSW students who have exemplified their commitment to servicing the healthcare needs of Hawaiʻi. This year's recipients were Yolanda Domingo and David Nisthal. 2011-2012 awardees were Saifoloi Aganon and Debra Lambert. The MBT School of Social Work wishes to extend our deepest mahalo to Mr. Ito; Cathy Iwai, Executive Director; and Nathan Hokama, SCS, LLC for their continued support of our students and our profession. |
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BSW Orientation |
BSW Orientation |
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The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa held a ground-blessing ceremony on May 7, 2012 for the renovation of Gartley Hall. Gartley Hall, which will be the future home of the Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work, will undergo a $12.5 million renovation. The renovation is designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification, promoting a more energy-efficient campus. Click here to read the UH Manoa press release To see more photos of the Gartley Ground-blessing Cermeony click on this link Check out our facebook page to read more about the ground-blessing ceremony and more photos! |
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 R to l: Likeke Paglinawan, Lynette Paglinawan, Dr. Robert Geffner (President of IVAT), and Interim Dean Noreen Mokuau |
Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work Presence at the IVAT Conference
IVAT, the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma at Alliant International University, held its 8th Hawaiʻi Conference entitled “Preventing, Assessing, and Treating Child, Adolescent, and Adult Trauma” March 8 – 10 at the Ala Moana Hotel. Co-sponsors included Kapiʻolani Child Protection Center, the Family Violence and Sexual Assault Institute (FVSAI), and the National Partnership to End Interpersonal Violence across the Lifespan (NPEIV). The national conference was opened and closed with pule by faculty member Lynette Paglinawan of the School’s Hawaiian Learning Program. The planning committee included MBTSSW faculty members Kai Duponte, Tammy Martin, Steve Onken, Carol Plummer, Sharon Simms, Gail Breakey, and involved AFSSW officer Marty Oliphant. To read more about this article, click on this link |
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The Council on Social Work Education's Commission on Accreditation has voted to reaffirm UH Mānoa's Myron B. Thompson's School of Social Work accreditation for the maximum eight yearsending in June 2018. Reaffirmation applies to both the school's bachelor of social work (BSW) andmaster of social work (MSW) degree programs. In their assessment, site visitors concluded that the school's programs were fundamentally sound and had strong community connections. Programs had developed effective collaborations with units and disciplines across campus, and school leadership was respected by community leaders, state lawmakers, faculty and staff. In addition, there was a recognized commitment to the school's work, including a focus on indigenization—providing an exemplary model for UH Mānoa Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw's vision of the Mānoa campus being a Hawaiian place of learning. Moreover, the distance education delivery option was deemed exemplary in organization and structure, and international programs and goals were evaluated as directed and substantive. The mission of UH Mānoa's Myron B. Thompson School of Social Work is to contribute to the advancement of social work practice in its many forms for the purpose of preventing or resolving the most critical social problems. Within this general purpose, the school reaffirms social work's historic commitment to increase social justice and availability of opportunity for underrepresented and oppressed groups. |
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See more news by clicking on this link! Go to our Facebook Site |
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| Upcoming Events | ||
| See upcoming events by clicking on this link! Go to our Events Calendar |
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Dr. Colette Browne, working with faculty from the UH Center on Aging and the College of Social Sciences (CSS), recently hosted a three day visit with Dr. Sidney Stahl, newly retired Chief, Individual Behavioral Processes Branch, Division of Behavioral and Social Research, National Institute on Aging/National Institutes of Health. Dr. Stahl lectured to faculty on the NIH grant development and securement process, and provided individual consultation for faculty research investigating aging and health disparity issues.
