Ginneh L. Akbar, MSW, DSW, LSW
Program Director, Department Chair, Associate Professor
Anderson Hall 403a
610-738-0353
gakbar@wcupa.edu
Curriculum Vitae
Degrees
- BA, Social Work: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- MSW: Temple University
- DSW: University of Pennsylvania
Main areas of interest
- Child welfare social work
- Social work and social media
Inspiration
I come from a very human services-oriented family. My parents had a professional commitment
to service and social justice. Their professional values carried over into our home,
which had open doors for anyone in need. From friends in transition, to family members
down on their luck, to long-lost cousins in town for college, there were always people
living with us. Because of the spirit of acceptance and support I was accustomed to
at home, a career in social work was a natural fit for me.
My commitment to my education and the profession was challenged when my brother was
tragically killed during my senior year of college. If it had not been for the amazing
and supportive group of professors around me, I would not have made it through. With
the support of the staff and faculty at my undergraduate institution, I was able to
complete school and apply to an MSW program. If it were not for the people who rallied
around me, it’s likely that I would not be here today.
Because of my experiences, it’s my charge to make my personal and professional time
relevant and significant. West Chester is a good place for that because the school's
values align well with my teaching philosophy. WCU genuinely cares, and it comes through
in every facet of student interaction. I truly believe that you never know what you’re
capable of until you’re in it, and my life experiences are just one example of that.
As a faculty member in the MSW Program, I'm honored to teach and support WCU students
as they go through their own personal journeys.
I am committed to improving the welfare of children in metropolitan areas. My clinical
practice experience has been primarily with children and families, and my doctoral
dissertation focused on ethics in child welfare social work.
Presentation
- Akbar, G. (2015, November). Child welfare social work and client self-determination. Paper presented
at WCU Research Day, West Chester, PA.
Publications
- Akbar, G. Child abuse and neglect: Issues in child welfare. Manuscript in progress.
- Akbar, G. Child welfare social work and the promotion of client self-determination. Manuscript
in progress.
One of social work's core values and primary ethical principles is social justice.
Social media create low-cost opportunities to disseminate massive amounts of information
and organize large audiences. I developed an elective course, Social Media and Social
Movements, to highlight how social media can impact social change.
Presentations
- Akbar, G. (2016, November). Using social media to pique student interest in social movements.
Paper presented at the Council on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta,
GA.
- Ezell, A., & Akbar, G. (2016, October). Social work, social media, and social movements. Presentation at
the meeting of the National Association of Social Workers-Pennsylvania Chapter, King
of Prussia, PA.
- Akbar, G. (2016, April). Using social media to pique student interest in social justice and
social policy. Paper presented at the meeting of the Pennsylvania Chapter - National
Association for Multicultural Education, West Chester, PA.
- Akbar, G., & Ezell, A. (2016, February). Using social media to pique student interest in social
justice and social policy. Paper presented at the meeting of the National Association
of African American Studies, Baton Rouge, LA.
Publication
- Akbar, G., & Mendez, N. Friend request? Social media and the therapeutic relationship. Manuscript
in progress.
Presentation
- Holbrook, A.M., & Akbar, G. (2016, November). Incorporating environmental justice into social work education:
A theoretical framework and application. Interactive workshop presented at the Council
on Social Work Education Annual Program Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
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