Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis

Brown School welcomes three new faculty members for 2026-27 academic year

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2026 08:06:00 +0000

The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis will welcome three new full-time faculty members for the 2026-27 academic year: Jordan P. Davis, Clarissa D. Jackson and Guangli Zhang. Jordan P. Davis joins the Brown School as a professor after serving as a senior policy researcher at the RAND Corporation. He previously was a faculty member at the University of Southern California’s Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. Davis is an internationally recognized scientist whose research focuses on the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders, with particular attention to underserved and high-risk groups, including veterans and individuals exposed to early childhood adversity. His work is at the forefront of digital intervention research, using wearable technology and...

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WashU researchers launch next phase of wealth-building research

Roger — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 21:06:47 +0000

Researchers at the Center for Social Development (CSD) in the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis are launching a new initiative to help shape the future of wealth-building policy in the United States, with a focus on giving children stronger financial foundations that can last a lifetime. Supported by Prudential Financial, the two-year project will assess the nation’s early childhood wealth-building policies; identify gaps between current programs and research-based best practices; and develop practical tools to help policymakers design more effective initiatives. “Our vision is to create an effective, evidence-based continuum of wealth-building opportunities from birth to retirement,” said Stephen Roll, an assistant professor at the Brown School and research director at CSD. “If we could develop the right set of...

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Alumnus named among Houston Business Journal’s Most Admired CEOs

admin — Wed, 05 Aug 2026 13:25:07 +0000

Carl E. Josehart, AB ’84, MSW ’87, has been named a 2026 Most Admired CEO honoree by the Houston Business Journal. Josehart is president and CEO of Alexander Jewish Family Service in Houston and serves as a member of the Brown School National Council. He is a healthcare executive with more than 30 years of experience leading organizations focused on community support and social services. The Houston Business Journal recognized Josehart for his visionary leadership, commitment to innovation and dedication to strengthening communities across Greater Houston. “A leader is only as strong as the team that supports their work,” Joserhart said. “I am so grateful for my colleagues at Alexander Jewish Family Service for their commitment to our shared mission...

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Zou to represent International Consortium for Social Development at United Nations

Roger — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 17:34:36 +0000

Li Zou, international director at the ��’s Center for Social Development, has been appointed to represent the International Consortium for Social Development at the United Nations. The three-year appointment began July 20. Zou is one of six representatives for the consortium, which holds consultative status with the U.N. In the role, she will serve as a liaison with the NGO Committee for Social Development, a coalition of nongovernmental organizations working to ensure that the voices of civil society are represented at the U.N., in planning for the 65th session of the United Nations Commission for Social Development, scheduled to take place in February in New York.

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Doctoral �� awarded grant to launch volleyball leadership program for Afghan refugee girls

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2026 18:24:22 +0000

Saria Bechara, a social work doctoral �� at the ��, has received grant funding to launch a community-based volleyball and leadership program for Afghan refugee girls and young women in the St. Louis region. Bechara received a Transform Grant through the St. Louis Impact Fund to establish the Afghan Refugee Girls’ Volleyball Leadership League in partnership with Monarch Immigrant Services. Supported by WashU’s Office of the Provost and donations to the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement, Transform Grants fund ��-led projects that address regional priorities through partnerships with local nonprofit and civic organizations. The pilot program will begin this fall and run through April 2027, bringing together 20 Afghan refugee girls and young women ages 13...

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Public benefits ‘cliffs’ can trap low-wage workers, study finds

Roger — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 17:06:05 +0000

New research from Washington University in St. Louis argues that policymakers should enact gradual cutoffs for public benefits such as food assistance or healthcare. The change could help both families and employers by allowing low-wage workers to earn more without losing critical support systems. Millions of low-wage Americans using public assistance limit their earnings or savings, according to the study from the Center for Social Development (CSD) at the ��. The findings suggest that so-called “benefits cliffs” can discourage work, career advancement and financial security for families already struggling to make ends meet. In the research brief, Stephen Roll, an assistant professor and research director at the CSD, and co-author Mathieu Despard, of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, examined responses...

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PhD �� leads publication of study on housing experiences of transgender older adults

admin — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 16:50:56 +0000

Hilary Thibodeau, a social work doctoral �� at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, is the lead and corresponding author of a newly published study examining how transgender older adults describe experiences of housing precarity and injustice. The study, “Intersectionality and the No-Finding Finding in Transgender Older Adults’ Narratives of Housing Precarity,” was published online July 9, 2026, in Housing, Theory and Society. Thibodeau is a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) T32 predoctoral fellow whose research explores the intersections of housing, harm reduction, and health equity. Thibodeau co-authored the study with Vanessa D. Fabbre, an associate professor at the Brown School. Using an intersectional framework, they analyzed narratives from transgender older adults to understand how lifelong experiences...

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Huang appointed to international social work board

Roger — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:59:05 +0000

Jin Huang, the Irving Louis Horowitz Professor in Social Policy at the ��, has been appointed to serve on the advisory board of the Katherine A. Kendall Institute for International Social Work within the Council on Social Work Education. His term runs through June 30, 2029. The Kendall Institute strives to prepare social work educators, researchers, ��s and practitioners for an increasingly global community through its programs and initiatives, and it promotes standards of excellence for international social work. Huang is an internationally renowned expert in the development of social policies that support family and child well-being. His work centers on financial capability and asset-building programs for disadvantaged populations, such as low-income children, children with disabilities, children of immigrants, and...

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Building better workplaces for an aging workforce

Roger — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 16:19:33 +0000

As Americans work longer than previous generations, employers have an opportunity to create workplaces that support employees of all ages, according to a new article by Cal Halvorsen, an associate professor and assistant dean for faculty affairs at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis and co-director of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging. Writing in Generations Journal, Halvorsen and co-authors Bruna C. Lopez and Erika Sabbath, both of Boston College, argue that the nation’s increasingly age-diverse workforce requires employers to move beyond generational stereotypes and instead focus on creating high-quality workplaces that promote health, well-being and opportunity across the lifespan. In 2024, for the first time in U.S. history, the number of Americans age 62 and older exceeded the...

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Brown School researcher receives grant to study college persistence among low-income ��s

Roger — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 17:40:08 +0000

Jason Jabbari, an assistant professor at the ��, has received a one-year $300,000 grant from the Popolo Family Foundation to study why some ��s with limited resources persist and thrive in college while others leave before earning a degree. The project, “Understanding and Improving College Persistence,” builds on a long-standing research-practice partnership with the Cristo Rey Network, whose schools serve ��s from low-income communities nationwide. Jabbari is leading the study with Shaun Dougherty, of Boston College; Lauren Russell, of the University of Pennsylvania; Lili Dodderidge, of Cornell University; and Fahv Jimenez, of Jimenez Strategy & Analytics. The research will combine administrative records from Cristo Rey schools, corporate work-study data and National Student Clearinghouse records to identify factors associated...

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Panel explores how federal cuts could reshape support for St. Louis families

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 20:10:07 +0000

On June 30, the Clark-Fox Policy Institute hosted “Federal Cuts, Local Consequences: How St. Louis Can Respond to an Unraveling Safety Net,” as part of its Senior Policy Fellows initiative, in collaboration with the Center for Social Development. The event brought together researchers, practitioners, nonprofit leaders, advocates, policymakers, and ��s to discuss the impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) on social safety net programs and how communities like St. Louis can respond to the changes. The panel was moderated by Clark-Fox Policy Institute Inaugural Faculty Director Jason Jabbari and included: Jabbari opened the event by framing the discussion around the local implications of federal policy changes, encouraging panelists and audience members to consider how families, service providers, and communities can respond as access to safety net programs...

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In aging policy class, ��s turn coursework into real-world projects

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2026 07:17:00 +0000

In a classroom at the ��, ��s in an aging policy course are moving beyond traditional assignments, crafting op-eds, building websites and designing policy materials aimed at real-world impact. The projects come from “Social Policies, Services and Programs in Aging,” a course taught by Cal J. Halvorsen, associate professor and assistant dean for faculty affairs at the Brown School and co-director of the Harvey A. Friedman Center for Aging. The course examines social policies related to aging across public and private sectors, including income security, health care, employment, social services, taxes, housing, and retirement systems. “I want them to have something they can actually show an employer that they’ve done and that they’re proud of,” Halvorsen said. “I...

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Food is Medicine panel highlights innovation and collaboration across St. Louis

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 20:26:00 +0000

On June 16, the Clark-Fox Policy Institute joined with a coalition of WashU partners to host “Food is Medicine: Policy and Program Innovation in St. Louis.” The panel explored the growing Food is Medicine movement and opportunities to improve the lives of St. Louisans impacted by food insecurity, health disparities, and intersecting social challenges. Hosted at the Delmar DivINe as part of the Clark-Fox Policy Institute’s Senior Policy Fellows initiative, the event reflected the Institute’s commitment to connecting research, lived experience, and policy to advance evidence-informed solutions that improve the lives of children and families in St. Louis and beyond. The event brought together more than 100 researchers, nonprofit leaders, and community members, highlighting the region’s growing interest in Food is Medicine...

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Brown School awards 31 scholarships to strengthen small St. Louis-area nonprofits

admin — Thu, 25 Jun 2026 15:53:06 +0000

The �� Professional Development Program awarded 31 scholarships this summer to nonprofit professionals across the St. Louis region, aiming to strengthen leadership development, fundraising capacity and operational effectiveness. The Capacity Building Scholarships were available to staff members at organizations with annual operating budgets of $2 million or less. Each award covered full tuition for one course in the Brown School’s Summer Institute, which began in June and drew participants from organizations working in community services, education, health care and social support. Courses included donor solicitation, managing people and teams, project management and grant writing. Nicole Wood, assistant director of professional development, said the program received 38 applications representing 65 nonprofit professionals. Organizations were allowed to submit up to...

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WashU Expert: Is the American Dream in serious trouble?

Roger — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 18:17:06 +0000

Fewer than half of Americans today, 49%, believe that all people in this country have the ability to achieve the American Dream, according to a recent survey from the Public Religion Research Institute. Among those under age 30, it falls to 36%. This should serve as a wake-up call for all of us, says an expert on economic inequality at the ��. “The American Dream is really core to our identity and what America is about,” Mark Rank, the Herbert S. Hadley Professor of Social Welfare, told USA Today. “The fact that it is in trouble is something we need to pay close attention to.” Rank is author of the groundbreaking 2014 book “Chasing the American Dream: Understanding What Shapes...

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