Saint Joseph College Community Members Honored by CT Chapter of NASW
Three members of the Saint Joseph College community were honored recently at the 2010 Annual Awards Dinner of the Connecticut Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Pictured (l to r): Ashley Mouta received the BSW Student of the Year Award; Gail Champlin, ACSW received the Lifetime Achievement Award; Catherine Havens, MSW, JD received the Educator of the Year Award.
The Connecticut Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW/CT) recently recognized a Saint Joseph College instructor, alumna, and student as honorees at the 2010 Annual Awards Dinner. Gail Champlin, ACSW received the Lifetime Achievement Award; Catherine Havens, MSW, JD received the Educator of the Year Award; and Ashley Mouta received the BSW Student of the Year Award. The NASW is the primary and largest professional social work association in the United States.
GAIL CHAMPLIN, ACSW has a 42-year history of working and volunteering in non-profit agencies. She was recently recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the NASW/CT. A resident of Canton, Ms. Champlin’s professional background includes 14 years at the Hartford Region YWCA where she served as a social worker. In 1982, she became director of The Career Counseling Center, University of Hartford, which at that time was part of the Hartford College for Women. Throughout her 27 years in a leadership role at the Center, Ms. Champlin developed and administered many innovative programs for the greater Hartford community; she retired in 2009. Currently working part-time at Saint Joseph College as an instructor, Ms. Champlin has taught Social Work Field Education courses and the Social Work Methods III course for the past 16 years in an adjunct professor capacity. A former NASW/CT chapter president, Ms. Champlin earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology at the University of Hartford and her MSW at the University of Connecticut.
CATHERINE HAVENS, MSW, JD was recently recognized by the NASW/CT as recipient of the Educator of the Year Award. A 1969 graduate of Saint Joseph College where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Sociology, Dr. Havens is the Director of the MSW Program at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work as well as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Assistant Professor of Community Organization. Her areas of expertise include: women’s studies, women in administration, women offenders, criminal justice, and law and social work. A resident of West Granby, Dr. Havens earned her JD and MSW from the University of Connecticut.
ASHLEY MOUTA was recently recognized by the NASW/CT as recipient of the BSW Student of the Year Award. As a Social Work student at Saint Joseph College, Ms. Mouta has consistently received praise from the faculty for her outstanding analytic, communication and presentation skills. She worked as a student intern at the Connecticut Association for Human Services (CAHS) where she contributed her research and writing skills in updating the publication Programs that Help People in Connecticut, a widely used and well-respected resource guide for clients and service providers. Within the College community, Ms. Mouta served in a leadership role as co-chair of the Social Work Student Alliance. In April 2010, she was recognized as the recipient of the Carol E. Gourlie Award in Social Work Field Practice. A resident of Manchester, Ms. Mouta graduated this past May from Saint Joseph College where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Social Work, Cum Laude. She will continue her studies this fall as an Advanced Standing MSW student at the University of Connecticut.
