40 Years in Des Moines
The School prides itself on hosting the longest-serving and largest distance education program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. We point to the Des Moines Center as evidence that distance education is beneficial to both the communities it serves and the mission of The University of Iowa. It is time to celebrate this important milestone in the history of the Des Moines Center with alumni and friends of the Center. Ed Saunders, Director
Summary
An audience of ninety alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the School enjoyed dinner at the Hotel Fort Des Moines on October 6, 2007. Entertainment included emcees Judy Rinehart and Paul Lambakis (MSW ‘81) who led us down memory lane, with the assistance of alumni representing each of the four decades. A highlight for the School has been to recall and record our interesting history in Des Moines in the form of a video, directed by Michael Ayers, a UI PhD student in the Language, Literacy, and Culture program. Faculty and alumni featured in the film include Bill Theisen (Associate Professor and DM Center Director 1975-2001), Judy Rinehart (Clinical Associate Professor 1979-present), Ed Saunders (Associate Professor 1985-present), Eleanor Anstey (Assistant Professor and DM Center Director 1974-2000), Tom Walz (Professor Emeritus and DM Center Director 1973-1978), Billie Marchik (MSW ‘94 and Clinical Assistant Professor 1994-present), Yvonne Farley (MSW ‘84 and Clinical Assistant Professor 1994-present), Ed Barnes and Kelly Soyer. Sharing their memories from the 60s were Leila (Kemmerer) Carlson, from the 70s were Lloyd Kaufman (MSW ’72), PJ McDonald (MSW ’71); from the 80s were Joan Christensen (MSW ’89), Nicola Mendenhall (MSW ’80), from the 90s Yvonne Farley and Ed Barnes.
Ed Saunders, Director, acknowledged all of the many groups of professionals in attendance who have long-contributed to the success of the Des Moines Center. These persons include former directors of the School, former directors of the Des Moines Center, advisory board members, former and current faculty and staff who have taught and served in the Center, adjunct faculty and practicum instructors/supervisors who have taught and mentored Des Moines Center students, and alumni and friends of the School who support it in so many ways. Ed also shared “best wishes” from two former Directors of the School who could not attend the event. In his introductory remarks, Ed shared a few observations from a favorite book: “14,000 Things to be Happy About.” Ed observed that he has yet to find any mention of a “p-value less than .05” among the 14,000 items—something that brings such obvious happiness to every social work researcher!—but did find “happy anniversaries” among the listings. “Retirement”—something enjoyed by many of the celebration attendees—was also among the happiness-listings. Ed commented: “Certainly celebrating 40 years of the Des Moines Center is a happy occasion. I count my 12 years teaching in the Des Moines Center [1985-1997] as among the happiest of my years at Iowa. I met so many gifted alumni of the School who were practicum instructors, our adjuncts, and ‘boosters’ of our program—helping us to recruit future generations of social workers to our program here. It always feels like home when I return to Des Moines.” At the end of the dinner, Ed reminded everyone to take home their souvenir cups imprinted with the University seal and “School of Social Work,” noting: “If you attend enough of these events, you’ll eventually have a nice place-setting for 8.” In closing, Ed extolled the group: “We’ll see you back here for the 50th!”
The Des Moines program began in 1967. Originally the carefully researched dream of professors Katy Kruse and Mildred Snider, the program was created to expand the repertoire of practicum possibilities for MSW students and was funded by a federal grant to train social workers in the mental health arena. An innovator and leader in both distance education and part-time social work education, the Des Moines site has grown from the first graduating class of thirteen to a current enrollment of 95 students.
The School appreciates the hard work of the following planning committee members: Ed Barnes (MSW ’99), Leila Carlson (’68), Janice Edmunds-Wells (MSW ’04), Mark Hillenbrand (MSW ’06), Bob Jackson, Jennifer Lock Oman (MSW ’87), Josh Lundahl (MSW ’07), Judy Rinehart (MSW ’70), Tiffany Smith (MSW ’06), Kelli Soyer (MSW ’94), and Bill Theisen.
