By: Hazel Scott/ASU
On July 9, 2026, three faculty members in Alabama State University Department of Social Work—Dr. Dawna Nelson, Sharonda Pettaway and Dr. Ashley Cochran—were awarded the distinguished Institutional Funding Grant from HBCU C.A.R.E.S., a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Colleges (HBCCs). The ceremony will take place in ASU’s DeShields Auditorium at Abernathy Hall.
The $5,000 grant will be used to support ASU’s commitment to workforce development and community impact, fostering growth for students and the broader public sector workforce alike.
The project will focus on enhancing community awareness of Forensic Social Work as a specialty area of practice. It aims to expose ASU’s Forensic Social Work program to current and upcoming professionals at community events, local career fairs, and professional conferences.
“There’s an immense need for Forensic Social Workers to address the trickle-down impact of poverty and mass incarceration. ASU is home to the only Forensic Social Work program in Alabama and one of a few in the nation. This funding will increase awareness about the FSW pathway, connecting future professionals to their calling,” says Dr. Dawna Nelson, associate professor of Social Work.
The grant is expected to benefit more than 3,000 career-seekers in Montgomery, more than 500 practicing social workers across Alabama, 150 employers, and more than 3,000 social work educators nationwide. Funding often provides stipends that remove financial barriers, allowing students to complete specialized forensic and clinical training.
