Home >> Faculty directory/staff >> Robert A. Vander Beek (HERE)

Robert A. Vander Beek, MSW, LMSW

Robert A. Vander Beek

Clinical Assistant Professor and Field Director

School of Social Work
The University of Iowa

Phone: (319) 335-1222

Teaching Areas

Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Field Education, Service Learning

Research Interests

Cultural competency in practice, instruction, and recruiting/retention of students; living and learning student communities; the free thinker movement; ecological systems theory; field learning processes; social work and disabilities.

Education

• Case Western Reserve University, 1994-2000, ABD status January 1997
• University of Iowa, 1982-1984, Master's in Social Work

[ Curriculum Vitae ]

news

10.22.2009

Announcing the 2009-2010 All School Reads Selection
The School of Social Work will continue its tradition of conducting a community read and discussion as part of its diversity training.
Show Story

The Middle of Everywhere: The World's Refugees Come to Our Town by Mary Pipher (2002), NY: Harcourt.
The book addresses diversity in the Heartland and covers a wide variety of cultural and religious groups who are refugees from Pakistan, Vietnam, Bosnia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Kakuma refugees from Kenya whose parents were killed in the Sudanese Civil War. The author introduces an interesting concept, the "cultural broker," the role she plays in bridging the gap between the refugees and the local culture in Nebraska. There are lots of stories of refugees mixed in with the author's stories about working with the refugees.

We encourage all faculty and students to read the book over the summer. The School will sponsor forums in fall semester to discuss the book. Dates to be announced in the early fall. The book will also be discussed in various classes because its content relates to different aspects of the curriculum including human behavior, practice, and policy.

9.24.2009

Iowa City MSW Program-Prospective Student Meetings
Wednesdays 4:00 pm
301 North Hall
Dec. 2, 16

11.2.2009

Critical Cultural Competence Certificate
Information Sessions
Wed December 2 @ 3:00 pm
Room 301 North Hall

11.16.2009

AGING 360 PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST!
Sponsored by the Aging Studies Program
Submit 1 or 2 photographs that you have taken of someone aged 65 or older.
Photos can be color or black and white. They must be 8 x 10 and mounted.
Deadline for submission is Feb. 26. Open to all students.
Photos will be judged on the basis of interest and emotional connection. The first place award is $100, second place, $50, and third place, $25. Winners will be announced in April. The top entries will be displayed in Wild Bill’s Coffeeshop in North Hall.
For complete rules and entry form, go to uiowa.edu/~socialwk/aging

01.15.2010

Celebrating Diversity in Schools
Iowa School Social Workers Association Conference
January 15, 2010
West Des Moines Marriott
1250 Jordan Creek Parkway
West Des Moines, IA 50266
Phone: 1-515-267-1500

ISSWA 09-10 Conference Brochure

Why Iowa?

April Dirks-Bihun

April Dirks-Bihun, PhD 2007 Assistant Professor of Social Work, Mount Mercy College

The teaching opportunities while in the doctorate program at the UI School of Social Work provided me with the skills I needed to be an excellent teacher and mentor to both undergraduate and graduate students in the liberal arts setting. In addition, the advanced courses at Iowa provided me with knowledge in the areas of statistical analysis, research, and policy to provide the platform for an advanced career in scholarly research. In particular, the guidance I received by the faculty in the PhD program and my dissertation committee was an essential component in defending my dissertation and of graduating in a timely manner. I was delighted to have found a position as tenure track faculty within a year of graduating from the doctorate program and feel that my experience in the program was invaluable to my professional development.

More here

More Links

current events

Newsletters