CHHS faculty and alumna receive international award for research excellence

Faculty members from the College of Health and Human Services, along with an MSW alumna, have been recognized with an international award for their scholarly contributions to student learning and professional development.
 

Dr. Dee Ann Sherwood, Dr. Karen M. VanDeusen, Dr. Shannon L. McMorrow and WMU MSW alumna Ava Leahy

 were selected by Common Ground Research Networks as recipients of the Learner International Award for Excellence. The award recognizes their article, “Student Critical Reflection on Service Learning in Post-Disaster Puerto Rico: Constructing Competency Development, Cultural Humility and Professional Identity,” published in the International Journal of Learner Diversity and Identities.
 

The research explores how service-learning experiences in post-disaster contexts contribute to student competency development, cultural humility and the formation of professional identity—key components in preparing future social work professionals.
 

In recognition of their achievement, the authors and their work will be featured on the Common Ground Research Networks website. They have also been awarded registration to present at the Thirty-Third International Conference on Learning, to be held at the University of Hong Kong in July 2026.
 

This recognition highlights the impact of CHHS faculty and alumni in advancing research that connects academic learning with real-world application and global engagement.