Matthew Biddle

2 weeks ago | buffalo.edu | Matthew Biddle

As a PhD candidate in the School of Social Work, Ogechi Kalu is studying how intimate partner violence affects children in her native Nigeria, with the goal of developing effective interventions and policy solutions. Kalu’s work received a major boost this spring, as the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) awarded her a 2025-26 CSWE Doctoral Student Policy Fellowship. CSWE is the sole accrediting agency for social work education in the United States.

3 weeks ago | buffalo.edu | Matthew Biddle

After a day at the United Nations, Emma McCarthy says she felt more empowered than ever to pursue a career in social work. “Being at the UN offered a rare chance for me to see how social justice issues are addressed on an international scale — something that can deeply inform my perspective as I work with youth facing systemic pressures and educational inequities,” she says. McCarthy is a student in the School of Social Work’s part-time, online MSW program.

2 months ago | buffalospree.com | Matthew Biddle

Emergency medicine was Lance Smeal’s “one-year plan,” but after thirty-two years, he can’t imagine doing anything else. “I love my job,” says Smeal, an advanced Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and field training officer for American Medical Response (AMR) in Niagara Falls. “I know the fire department, I know the staff, I know everybody there. It’s just a comfort thing; Niagara Falls is my city.”As a college student in the early nineties, Smeal wasn’t sure what career he wanted.

Mar 28, 2025 | buffalospree.com | Matthew Biddle

At a Buffalo coffeeshop, Rhonda (RJ) Bent poses a question to both a male and female patron: “When was the last time you were concerned about your security or your safety?” The man can’t recall, but the woman answers quickly: “Every day.”Bent has heard this countless times from clients and friends—and she’s on a mission to help.

Feb 18, 2025 | buffalo.edu | Matthew Biddle

Susan A. Green, clinical professor in the UB School of Social Work, has been appointed to the advisory council for the New York State Trauma-Informed Network and Resource Center (TINRC). Funded by the state’s Office of Mental Health (OMH), the TINRC aims to uplift the principles of trauma-informed care by strengthening resources, collaboration and communication among individuals and agencies implementing trauma-responsive, equity-focused practices.