Dan Was There for Us

Authors

  • Carenlee Barkdull University of North Dakota
  • Dena Ned University of Utah
  • Gordon Limb Brigham Young University
  • Hilary N. Weaver SUNY - Buffalo
  • Lisa Himonas University of Utah

Keywords:

social work education, American Indian/Alaska Native, indigenous, First Nations, social work practice leadership

Abstract

In partnership with his spouse and social work colleague, Dr. Marge Edwards, Dr. E. Daniel (“Dan”) Edwards (Yurok) developed and directed the American Indian Social Work Career Training Program at the University of Utah. This program recruited and successfully graduated over 300 American Indian social workers over four decades, meaningfully changing the face of social work practice in many communities. He also encouraged numerous students to pursue doctorate degrees in social work, inspiring them to conduct culturally sensitive and responsive research to help American Indian Peoples, and to teach upcoming generations of social work practitioners. He extended his patient and gentle guidance and mentorship to encourage and support non-Native students to be part of this vision as well. With wisdom, compassion, and self-deprecating humor, Dr. Edwards’ influence on social work has been transformative. Those he has touched in turn share some of the gifts he has given them, extending his influence across distance and across time. This paper recounts some of the contributions of Dr. Edwards’ career through separate narratives from four individuals whom he has influenced.

Author Biographies

Carenlee Barkdull, University of North Dakota

Department of Social Work

Associate Professor & Chair

Dena Ned, University of Utah

College of Social Work
Assistant Professor/Lecturer

Gordon Limb, Brigham Young University

School of Social Work

Professor & Director

Hilary N. Weaver, SUNY - Buffalo

Professor - School of Social Work

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs - SUNY - Buffalo

Lisa Himonas, University of Utah

Director of Development

College of Social Work

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Published

2016-05-24

How to Cite

Barkdull, C., Ned, D., Limb, G., Weaver, H. N., & Himonas, L. (2016). Dan Was There for Us. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 21(2), 68–74. Retrieved from https://reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/Reflections/article/view/1423