Ron Astor
Ron Astor wrote an article on school violence for the Summer 2007 issue of UrbanEd, the magazine of the USC Rossier School of Education. “School Violence: An Overview,” which was co-authored by Rami Benbenishty of Hebrew University in Jerusalem and USC PhD student Joey Nunez Estrada, discusses demographics and victimization trends, theoretical models, best practices and evidence-based intervention programs, and other issues pertaining to school violence. “School violence has major deleterious consequences for children and schools,” the article noted. “In addition to physical harm, research suggests victims may experience psychological trauma such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, low self-esteem, poor academic outcomes, low school attendance, suicidal ideation, and in rare cases – extreme outburst of lethal aggression.”
Ron Astor wrote a commentary called “Lessons That Should Be Learned from the Virginia Tech Mass Murders” in the May 23 issue of Teachers College Record, a respected peer-reviewed journal from Teachers College at Columbia University. Astor offers four lessons: Students, teachers and family members are the most important line of defense in thwarting such tragedy; there needs to be a system that looks at multiple warning signs; understand the nature and motivation behind such acts; and train ordinary citizens in pre- and post-crisis planning.
In the wake of the recent campus violence at Virginia Tech University, California education leaders met in Sacramento for a Senate Education Committee hearing on campus safety. Ron Astor, who served as keynote speaker, told The Burbank Leader for a May 4 article that the United States has a lot to learn from the way other countries plan for crisis situations. "In many countries — in Scandinavia, Israel to name a few — they really decide on a school-by-school basis the level of violence based on real data," Astor said. "Here we do it based on media reports."
An article in the May 3 issue of the La Canada Valley Sun highlighted recent testimony by Ron Astor before the California State Senate Education Committee. “Students are the first line of defense for schools,” Astor said. “They need training in crisis response.” Schools should recognize the community-wide reach of incidents rather than focusing on individual students, he explained. Astor’s own work looked at individual cases in the past but is now pursuing more global solutions, the story reported.
Testimony given by Ron Astor at the California State Senate was covered on San Jose, Calif., NBC News affiliate KNTV-TV on May 2. Astor, an expert on school violence, joined lawmakers and others in a discussion about school safety, the story reported. “There’ve been many, many shootings that have been thwarted,” Astor said. “Almost all of them have come from students coming forth and letting the authorities know and having the authorities respond in a very appropriate, quick, swift way,” he added. Astor’s testimony was also covered by KNX-AM and KPCC-FM.
Ron Astor was quoted in an April 29 article in the Press & Sun-Bulletin (Binghampton, NY) about K-12 school safety measures. “A lot of schools are doing something right,” Astor said. “We’re probably in the least violent time in schools across the board.” Astor is co-author of “School Violence in Context: Culture, Neighborhood, Family, School, and Gender,” the story noted.
Leopoldo Cabassa
Leopoldo Cabassa was quoted in the Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, TX) in a June 3 column about the need for Latinos to better understand depression. “In the Hispanic community, depression is very common, and it’s more common among women than men,” Cabassa said. “Hispanics can report all of the symptoms of depression, like headaches, stomachaches, feeling run down, but many times it gets confused with other problems rather than being truly identified as a true mental health problem.”
Annalisa Enrile
Annalisa Enrile was interviewed on “CNN Newsroom” on May 18 about the increasing number of Filipina women being listed on the Internet as mail-order brides. “I think what’s happening in the Philippines [is] that there’s such a huge economic and political crisis, that very educated young women are leaving en masse any way they can,” Enrile said. “And this seems like a viable method.” Enrile cited a Filipino saying: “We hold onto the edge to survive, even if it’s the edge of a knife.”
Annalisa Enrile was interviewed on “CNN Sunday Morning” on May 13 about mail-order brides from the Philippines. One bride website has attracted more than 50,000 women over the last 11 years, the story noted. “The number one export of the Philippines used to be rice or abaca or coconuts, and now the number one export is literally the labor of its women,” Enrile said.
Annalisa Enrile participated in a Los Angeles town hall meeting on absentee voting in Philippine elections by overseas Filipinos, an article in the May 13 issue of the Asian Journal reported. Low turnout of registered absentee voters and the political climate in the Philippines’ electoral landscape are having an impact on the Southern California Filipino American community, according to Gabriela Network, a Philippines-U.S. women’s advocacy organization chaired by Enrile. “We are concerned about what is really happening in the Philippines,” Enrile said. “We are concerned about vote buying, human rights violations and extrajudicial killings – and the fact that 30 percent of those killed belonged to progressive groups.”
Marilyn Flynn
Dean Marilyn Flynn was photographed and interviewed about social work in the United States for a story appearing in Guang Ming Daily, one of China's most popular newspapers.
Dean Marilyn Flynn was quoted in Impact, a publication from the National Social Work Public Education Campaign, and the USC School of Social Work was acknowledged as a partner.
Steve Hydon
Steve Hydon was profiled in the May issue of Bell, the official newsletter of the School Social Work Association of America. He is a board member for the Western region of SSWAA and the coordinator of the school social work credential program at the USC School of Social Work.
Maryalice Jordan-Marsh
Maryalice Jordan-Marsh was quoted in USC Health Now, a general health information e-newsletter, for a June 25 story about checking the validity of health information found online. She recommended being cautious and said promises of fast, dramatic results by way of a secret ingredient should immediately arouse skepticism. “The major problem with seeking health information online is that the searcher will be swamped with thousands of entries,” she said. “One way to select from the list is to check out sites that have the domain—or the last three letters of the address—of .gov, .edu or .org.”
Helen Land
Helen Land was interviewed on “Patt Morrison” on KPCC-FM about findings from a new study that shows women who listen silently to their angry spouses tend to have more health problems than those who argue back. “What’s important to emphasize is how one speaks up,” said Land, who specializes in couples conflict. “In an argument it’s important to keep positive, to listen and feel heard and to engage in repair and say I’m sorry,” she explained.
Jacquelyn McCroskey
Jacquelyn McCroskey was interviewed on KHHT-FM (Hot 92) in Los Angeles on July 24 about the Children’s Planning Council report on juvenile justice.
Jacquelyn McCroskey was quoted in the June 19 issue of the Los Angeles Times. The article stated McCroskey is the principal author of a report by the Los Angeles County Children’s Planning Council. The report recommended revamping educational programs for incarcerated youths, having a single case manager handle all aspects of a teenager’s rehabilitation and creating a separate county department devoted solely to juvenile justice, according to the story. County departments are huge bureaucracies, McCroskey said. “The fact that these are kids gets lost,” she added. Education innovations could include classes in which juveniles serving time could express themselves through music, dance or art, McCroskey said.
Erica Quijada-Barrera
Part-time adjunct professor Erica Quijada-Barrera was quoted in the Spanish newspaper La Opinion in an April 3 article about premature births. Quijada-Barrera, a neonatal intensive care unit family support specialist with the March of Dimes at Long Beach Miller Children’s Hospital, explained that all the causes of premature births are not known and that even a pregnant woman who does everything right can give birth early. She also described the involvement of March of Dimes in the birth of premature babies and how the foundation tracks them and offers support for the families.
Larry Palinkas
A story in the August issue of Le Figaro (France) featured a study recently published in The Lancet by Lawrence Palinkas of the USC School of Social Work and a colleague from the University of British Columbia. The study examined the human effects of long stays in polar regions. Surprisingly, the authors emphasized that alongside negative psychological and physical risks, polar stays often boost joy and self-esteem, the article reported. Palinkas and his colleague are experts in the polar regions, the story noted.
A CBC News (Canada) story on July 31 featured research by Lawrence Palinkas. In a study published in The Lancet, Palinkas and colleagues at the University of British Columbia documented the mental health impact of isolation, harsh environment and light changes on polar explorers. “And also difficulty getting along with their fellow expeditioners – a bit more irritable, a bit more angry, a bit more sensitive,” Palinkas said. Many of those who may not cope well in polar settings had no previous history of mental disorder, he noted. Better screening methods are needed to weed out people who aren’t psychologically fit to spend time in polar areas, he said.
A widely carried story on July 26 from the wire service Reuters featured research by Lawrence Palinkas and a colleague from the University of British Columbia. In a paper published in the medical journal The Lancet, the researchers documented cases of “polar madness,” to which 40 to 60 percent of polar explorers are susceptible. “Polar madness can take a variety of shapes,” Palinkas said. “Some people may have difficulty adjusting to the light-dark cycles, and so they can never get a decent night sleep and experience a sleep disorder,” he explained. “Some people can get clinically depressed. Some people just can’t handle the confinement, with seeing the same people day in and day out for extended periods of time.” Palinkas has traveled to Antarctica seven times, the story noted. Agence France-Presse also covered the study.
Dorian Traube
Dorian Traube was quoted in the Sept. 12 issue of People Magazine about the masks and veils worn by the children of Michael Jackson when in public. ”The masks could send the message to the children that they need to be fearful of people,” Traube said. “They could end up feeling that there is something wrong with them and that nobody can see them.”
Dorian Traube was featured in the “Ask the Expert” column in the Aug. 27 issue of USC Health Now, a general health information e-newsletter. She offered advice for parents on how to talk to their preteens about drugs. “Do not let your fears dissuade you from sitting down with your child and having an honest conversation about the dangers of drugs,” she said. “The earlier and more consistently you can do this, the better, as it is much easier to prevent children from using drugs then it is to intervene once they have started experimenting.”
Dorian Traube of the USC School of Social Work and Antoine Bechara of the USC College were quoted in the Los Angeles Daily News on July 26 about Lindsay Lohan’s recent arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol. Lohan has more risk factors for developing an addiction problem than other troubled celebrities like Paris Hilton, Traube said. “At a very young age, she became the main breadwinner for her family, which could easily become a source of crippling stress for her,” Traube explained. “She has suffered from other mental health difficulties, including issues with anorexia. And most importantly, there is a strong genetic link in addiction and Lindsay’s father is a recovering alcoholic.” Young people are naturally prone to risky behavior because their judgment isn’t fully developed, Bechara noted.
Dorian Traube was quoted in a widely carried Associated Press story on June 25 on the expected release of celebrity Paris Hilton from prison this week. Hilton has said that she hopes to change her lifestyle and make a difference, the story reported, but Traube noted that saying it is one thing and doing it is another. “If this indeed has changed her, then the transition will be very difficult because she’ll have to find a new purpose in life,” Traube explained. “Her life will have to change drastically, which is going to be tricky because she’s going to be in the public eye more than ever.” The New York Times and Xinhua News Agency (China) also quoted Traube on the subject.
Dorian Traube was quoted in Pravda Daily (Russia) in an article on June 25 about heiress Paris Hilton’s potential influence as a role model for young girls.
Dorian Traube was quoted in a widely carried Associated Press story on June 8 about the vulnerability of young aspiring actresses. In the case of actress Lana Clarkson, the victim in the Phil Spector trial, Clarkson may have seen Spector as her big break, the story stated. What places youngsters in jeopardy when they move to Hollywood is the same thing that prompted them to take the plunge in the first place, Traube said. “It’s that kind of adolescent, throw-caution-to-the-wind [attitude],” she explained. Traube’s research focuses on adolescent development and risk-taking, the story noted. The article also appeared in The New York Times.
Dorian Traube was quoted in a May 9 Associated Press news story about Kathy Hilton’s decision to accompany her daughter Paris to court. The daughter’s probation-violation hearing made the mother a public face again, especially when the latter made comments during the proceedings, the story stated. “Kathy Hilton acted as if her daughter was a minor in the way she had to give a statement,” Traube said. “Not only is she enabling Paris’ behavior, she’s perpetuating it,” Traube added. Kathy Hilton came as a concerned parent, Traube continued. “Any time your kids stumble, you question yourself as a parent,” she said. The Associated Press story was carried by at least 69 news outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Newsday, Boston Herald, Houston Chronicle and Fox News.
USC School of Social Work Alumni
Reuben and Darlene Nevels
Having 10 kids didn't stop Reuben and Darlene Nevels from completing their master's degrees in social work – it just took eight years to do it. Their story was featured in the May 26-June 1 weekend edition of the Chino Hills Champion. Reuben and Darlene Nevels each earned a master’s degree from the USC School of Social Work in May with an emphasis on early childhood education. City News, a publication of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, also ran a story on the couple in the June 15 issue.
Michele Prince
Dual-degree graduate Michele Prince has recently been named the new director of the Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health, the Jewish Journal reported in a May 18 article. Prince has a master’s degree in Jewish communal service, which is offered through Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) and a master’s in social work from the USC School of Social Work. Prince left a 15-year career in advertising to focus on nonprofit work. The Kalsman Institute is a department within HUC-JIR that serves as a national center for training, collaboration and dialogue on healthcare, healing and spirituality in relation to Judaism. |
