Student Organizations
Joining a GCSW Student Organization is a wonderful way to get involved with other
students, faculty and community members who share your interests and professional
goals. The Graduate College of Social Work has a number of opportunities to get involved
with campus-wide and college groups. Joining a student organization also provides
you with opportunities for leadership and professional development, to engage in social
activities, and to build lifelong friendships. Some organizations require a small
fee for membership. Below is a full list of organizations.
Membership in honor societies is either through invitation or an application process, and is based on academic
merit. Student membership in social work professional organizations may also be available. Usually dues are required.
List of GCSW Student Organizations:
Current students of the GCSW have an opportunity to join the leadership teams of any of the organizations below and/ or simply participate in any of the events they provide for the GCSW community.
Current students also have the opportunity and are encouraged to reactivate organizations or create new ones. Those interested in this are encouraged to reach out to Michael Kern mkern2@cougarnet.uh.edu.
GCSW STUDENT ASSOCIATION
Mission of organization: The purpose of this organization is to promote unity among all students of the Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW). Our goals are to 1) promote cohesiveness and communication among students; 2) promote student scholarship and leadership; 3) enhance community awareness of our school and its students; 4) advocate for students with faculty, staff, and administration.
Primary contacts for the organization:
Jo Truong, President
Dieu Wu, Vice President
Prior Statements from AAASW
ASSOCIATION OF BLACK SOCIAL WORKERS-GCSW CHAPTER
Mission of organization: ABSW's purpose is to advance the African American initiative at the University of Houston, specifically Social Work.
Primary contact for organization: Tiani Baker, President
CHILD WELFARE EDUCATION PROJECT (CWEP) STUDENT & ALUMNI ORGANIZATION
Mission of organization: CWEP is for students and alumni who are part of the Title IV E funded Child Welfare Education Project, the program in which students are prepared for the challenging and rewarding work in Children’s Protective Services.
Primary contact for organization: Renita Laury
COOG STUDENT PARENTS
Mission of organization: Seeks to empower student-parents in the University of Houston community to excel academically, foster a supportive network, and navigate the unique challenges of balancing parenthood and education.
Primary contact for the organization:
Alternate contacts: Tabbitha Martinez, Founder
Laura Zavala-Membreno, Faculty Advisor
CRITICAL LENS
Mission of organization: Critical Lens seeks to build community among GCSW students through film. Members meet monthly to watch a film pertaining to social justice, advocacy, mental health, and more before discussing how it relates to our future roles as social workers.
Primary contact for the organization: Organization is currently inactive- Please reach out to Michael Kern if interested in reactivating this group.
DISABILITY LIBERATION COLLECTIVE
Mission of organization: The Disability Liberation Collective (DLC) offers an empowering space for disabled students and allies to connect and share mutual support. DLC promotes disability justice and critical disability studies, combats systemic ableism in helping professions, and advocates for disabled students’ rights and empowerment within the UH community. DLC is open to all students and centers the experiences of disabled students.
Primary contacts for organization: Organization is currently inactive- Please reach out to Michael Kern if interested in reactivating this group.
GCSW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT GROUP
Mission of organization: ISG's vision is to achieve a better graduate life for international students at GCSW, University of Houston. The mission of the ISG is to share resources, policies, and experiences to help international students at GCSW navigate their graduate life.
Primary contact for the organization: Organization is currently inactive- Please reach out to Michael Kern if interested in reactivating this group.
GCSW STUDENT ASSOCIATION
Mission of organization: The purpose of this organization is to promote unity among all students of the Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW). Our goals are to 1) promote cohesiveness and communication among students; 2) promote student scholarship and leadership; 3) enhance community awareness of our school and its students; 4) advocate for students with faculty, staff, and administration.
Primary contact for the organization: Organization is currently inactive- Please reach out to Michael Kern if interested in reactivating this group.
LATINX STUDENT ASSOCIATION (LSA)
Mission of organization: The Latinx Student Association of the University of Houston, Graduate College of Social Work, represents a community of students committed to the principles of empowerment, solidarity, and social justice for the Latinx population. We embrace a mandate to promote advocacy, service, cultural awareness, and scholarship through collaboration and networking in the school and the community.
Primary contact for the organization: Mara Hernandez, President
Jacqueline Perez, Vice President
MACRO NETWORK
Mission of organization: The mission of our organization is to advocate for and on the behalf of macro focused social work students, to introduce social work students to macro level engagement, and to organize events that educate students on what a career in macro social work could look like.
Primary contact for the organization: Organization is currently inactive- Please reach out to Michael Kern if interested in reactivating this group.
MSW STUDENT CIRCLE
Mission of organization: GCSW MSW Circle is a virtual peer support and resource group for online GCSW students committed to staying grounded, connected, and uplifted throughout the MSW journey. We meet twice a month for intentional check-ins, candid reflections, and collaborative resource sharing focused on both mental health and career development.
This space is rooted in the belief that self-care is a prerequisite for community care. As emerging social work professionals, we recognize the importance of beginning with ourselves in order to sustain our ability to serve others and create meaningful impact in our communities.
GCSW MSW Circle is a peer-led, co-created space—not clinical, but supportive. It embodies the GCSW values of connection, compassion, and justice by fostering community care through shared wisdom, vulnerability, and growth.
Primary contacts for organization: Christian Ohonba
POLICY INSIDER ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Mission of organization: To bring awareness to the public policies that impact the communities and populations that we engage with both directly and indirectly. Through the “Policy Insider Series,” we hope to help GCSW students, faculty, staff, and the broader Houston social work community understand and navigate complex social welfare policy issues and engage in legislative and electoral advocacy around these issues.
Primary contact for the organization: Organization is currently inactive- Please reach out to Michael Kern if interested in reactivating this group.
Q+MMUNITY
Mission of organization: To be a supportive Q+mmunity of graduate students and professionals led by the GCSW dedicated to the advocacy, service, cultural awareness, and scholarship of LGBTQ+ issues, while upholding the core values of the social work profession through education, engagement, and collaboration within and beyond the University of Houston.
Primary contacts for organization: Organization is currently inactive- Please reach out to Michael Kern if interested in reactivating this group.
STUDENTS FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL WORK
Mission of organization: The purpose of this organization is to promote the field of international social work at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work by highlighting human rights and social justice issues, engaging students in the active pursuit of global justice, and increasing international social work awareness at the University of Houston. Our goals are to: promote advocacy, service, cultural awareness, and scholarship through collaboration and networking in the school and global community.
Primary contacts for organization: Organization is currently inactive- Please reach out to Michael Kern if interested in reactivating this group.
Alternate contacts: Dr. Patrick Leung, SAISW Faculty Advisor
UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON PAYMENT FOR PLACEMENT (UHP4P)
Mission of organization: Payments 4 Placements (P4P) is a nationwide movement calling for all social work students to be paid for their practicum placements. Our mission is to ensure all students are paid for practicum, remove barriers to accessing social work education, and support the nationwide movement towards paid practicum.
Primary contacts for organization: Christian Ohonba