R.I.S.E.: An Intercampus Collaboration and Strategies to Re-Imagine Social Work Education

Authors

  • José Paez California State University, Northridge https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1777-5331
  • Marissa C. Hansen California State University, Long Beach
  • Melissa Hernandez Hazel Health
  • Angelica Reyes Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services

Keywords:

critical consciousness, accountability, empowerment, pedagogy, social work

Abstract

During the summer of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic and national protests in response to police brutality and institutional racism created intense feelings of anger, pain, and isolation. With the effects manifesting in our classrooms, we realized the need to re-establish connection and community. This paper is our story about how faculty and students from two schools of social work in southern California built an intercampus collaboration—R.I.S.E. (Re-Imagining SocialWork Education)—to address the seen and felt gaps in current social work education model. We share strategies, activities, and an analysis of reflective conversations about our experience which revealed four thematic categories: (1) connection led to community building, (2) acknowledgement led to healing, (3) critical consciousness led to empowerment and accountability, and (4) taking action led to tools for change. Our findings support the importance of intercampus collective actions to make multi-level systematic changes in social work education.

Author Biographies

José Paez, California State University, Northridge

José Paez, EdD, LCSW (he/him) is Assistant Professor, Department of Social Work, California State University, Northridge, CA (jose.paez.84@csun.edu).

Marissa C. Hansen, California State University, Long Beach

Marissa C. Hansen, PhD, MSW (she/her) is Associate Professor, School of Social Work, California State University, Long Beach, CA (marissa.hansen@csulb.edu).

Melissa Hernandez, Hazel Health

Melissa Hernandez, MSW (she/her/ella) is School Based Associate Therapist, Hazel Health, Los Angeles, CA (pensativatherapy@gmail.com, @pensativatherapy).

Angelica Reyes, Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services

Angelica Reyes, MSW, PPSC (she/her/ella) is Behavioral Health Therapist, Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Bakersfield, CA (angreyesarroyo@gmail.com).

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Published

2025-12-28

How to Cite

Paez, J., Hansen, M. C., Hernandez, M. ., & Reyes, A. (2025). R.I.S.E.: An Intercampus Collaboration and Strategies to Re-Imagine Social Work Education. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 31(4), 46–60. Retrieved from https://reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/Reflections/article/view/2143

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