Monmouth University’s Doctor of Social Work (DSW) in Human Rights Leadership program recently graduated its inaugural cohort of 10 students.
Ausirys Alviz, Ruth Bazzano ’15M, Melissa Delizia ’18M, Kelly Maldonado, Emily Martinez ’18M, Susan Mazzeo, Caelin McCallum ’19M, Beatris Ortiz-Drace ’15M, Rebecca Salerno, and Taylor Stephens completed the three-year program, which included designing and implementing a capstone project reflecting their professional goals and personal interests.
“It has been an honor to serve as interim program director of the DSW program and to see the inaugural Class of 2025 complete their capstones and move forward on their journeys as Doctor of Social Work in Human Rights Leadership students. I had the privilege of teaching this group of students when they first entered the program, and the opportunity to serve as a capstone advisor and reader on quite a few of their committees. It is so exciting to see them earn their doctoral degrees and become the next generation of social work human rights leaders,” said Anne Deepak, interim program director.
Capstone project themes included human rights in practice and advocacy, education as a tool for social change, advocacy for marginalized communities, cultural and contextual sensitivity, and innovative communication methods.
In addition to completing their coursework, students curated a multimedia portfolio featuring publishable artifacts and demonstrated the skills to advance human rights locally, nationally, and globally.
The DSW program launched in 2022 with the mission to prepare students to become agents of change at the executive level. Through the curriculum, students learned to design, evaluate, and implement effective human rights programs and policies that positively impact individuals and communities.