July 31, 2019 | UHCL Staff
In honor of the 50th anniversary of University of Houston’s Graduate College of Social Work, 50 GCSW alumni have been recognized as outstanding social work practitioners who embody the college’s vision of social justice. University of Houston-Clear Lake’s Associate Professor of Social Work Heather Kanenberg and Associate Professor of Social Work Roberta Leal were named to the list and will be among the honorees at a celebratory 50 for 50 event to be held Aug. 17.
Both Kanenberg and Leal received their master’s degrees and doctorates from the GCSW. “Particularly in my master’s program, I learned the value of building a wonderful professional network of people in the Houston area and beyond,” Kanenberg said. “In social work, having a network is essential. But the biggest takeaway from my time at UH was my passion for social justice. I always knew that I wanted to be in social work. During my master’s degree, I got the spark for community level efforts, social justice and political social work.”
Kanenberg said that while she was a graduate student, one of her mentors was Brené Brown, who was then a full-time research professor of social work at UH and later gained international recognition as the New York Times bestselling author of five books and a regular guest on Oprah Winfrey’s “Super Soul Sunday.” It was Brown, said Kanenberg, who first asked her to be an adjunct professor in an ethics course.
“Brené Brown helped start UHCL’s social work program along with Professor Emeritus of Social Work Stephen “Arch” Erich and many other dedicated faculty and professional social workers,” Kanenberg said. “She is the reason I am here and doing what I’m doing.”
Leal said that her experiences with the clinical faculty in the social work practice courses were what solidified her decision to become a social worker. “The program is action oriented and I’m working with people to take what we do and translate it to educational opportunities in the classroom,” she said.
“I learned from the best and I have been role modeling my teaching after that,” she continued. “Social work was not on my radar at all until my senior year as an undergraduate psychology major. I was in an introduction to social work class and that’s when I learned that this is the way I prefer to work professionally with others, and it’s why I went on to get my master’s and doctorate in social work and focus on children and families.”
Leal said that she had also been Brown’s student during her master’s program.
“It’s very humbling to be among the 50 for 50 Alumni,” Leal said. “I’m committed to practice ethically and what I didn’t realize was the impact it was making in the community. I am mentoring others and answering challenging questions and providing guidance, but I didn’t realize it would culminate in being recognized in this way.”
The 50 for 50 Alumni list also includes UHCL BSW alumni Deysi Crespo and Josephine Tittsworth. Find out more about UHCL’s Social Work program online.
