AROL SHACK DISSERTATION AWARD (2025-2026)

Doctoral Program

Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences

Case Western Reserve University

Program Guidelines[i]

The Arol Shack Dissertation fund honors the many years of work and dedication Arol Shack devoted to the doctoral program, its students and faculty as the department assistant.  The Doctoral Program’s Arol Shack Dissertation Award was established through donations from friends and alumni of the program and a matching gift from Dr. Gigi Nordquist.  

Funds will support the following:

Doctoral Dissertation Awards – One award will be made this year (2025-26). Funds are to be used to support the student’s work on his/her/their dissertation.  Examples of eligible expenses include fees for research instruments, travel expenses and costs of visits to MSASS (if you live out of state), hiring of statistical or methodological consultants, software costs, payments for study participants, as well as costs directly connected to the dissertation (e.g., printing services, postage, childcare expenses while collecting dissertation data).  Budgets cannot exceed $1000.

Requirements

The student works with an MSASS faculty member on their dissertation research.  The expectation is that the work funded through this award will be completed by the end of the one year grant award period.  

Eligibility

Full-time and part-time students who have passed the Qualifying Exam, have an approved prospectus, and have a dissertation chair are eligible to apply.  Any dissertation topic is eligible.

Funding is available for only one time.  The award is given as a scholarship of up to $1,000.00.  Applications should be submitted by December 15, 2025 with the student being notified of the award decision by the early 2026.  

Application procedure and deadline

Applications for this award must be signed by both the student and their dissertation chair and should include the following information: 1) a 3-5 page summary of the student’s proposed research; 2) a budget showing how the funds will be used to help the student complete the study & an explanation of each budget item; 3) a statement of when the prospectus was approved and a timeline for completion of the dissertation research; and, 4) a statement discussing any other funds awarded from other sources to complete the study.  Applications should be submitted to victor.groza@case.edu.

Decision-making process

A committee of MSASS faculty will review the applications for the dissertation award and make recommendations to the Chair of the doctoral program based on the merits of the proposals and financial need of the applicant.

Recognition

Formal recognition of this award will occur at the Graduate Studies awards ceremony held each spring.

Arol Shack Dissertation Award Past Recipients

2022-2023 Emily Miller (post-doc)

2021-2022 Tyrone Hamler (at University of Denver), Fei Wang (at University of Tennessee) and Kylie Evans (at Gannon University)

2020-2021 Weidi Qin (at the University of Wisconsin)

2007 – 2017

Meredith Francis, Arol Shack Dissertation Award ($500), 2017-2018, graduates. She is on the faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Kristen Berg, Arol Shack Dissertation Award ($500), 2017-2018, graduate. On the faculty at Metro Health/CWRU School of Medicine.

Leigh Taylor, Arol Shack Dissertation Award, 2016-2017, graduates August 2017 and has a postdoctoral position at Yale University. Dissertation: "The mediating role of social support and self-efficacy on the relationship between trauma and substance use outcomes among low income women" . Has been out of the workforce.

Hyunyong Park, Arol Shack Dissertation Award, 2015-2016, Graduated May 2016 and had a postdoctoral position with the Family Medicine at CWRU for a year. He recently took a position as Assistant Professor in Social Welfare at Sungshin University in Korea. His Dissertation: “Patterns of Personal Networks and theirRelationships to Treatment Outcomes among Women with Substance Use Disorders.” Lost contact with her but she returned to Korea.

Ching Wen Chang, Arol Shack Dissertation Award, 2014, Graduated May 2015. Her Dissertation: “Effects of Prenatal Risk and Early Life Care on Behavioral Problems, Self-Regulation, and Modulation of Physiological Stress Response in 6 to 7-year-old Children of Intercountry Adoption.” On the faculty at Taipei University.

Debra Hrouda, Arol Shack Dissertation Award, 2013, Graduated August 2014. Her Dissertation: “Factors Associated with Readiness for Treatment in a Sample of Substance-Dependent, Trauma Exposed, Incarcerated Women." Out of the workforce.

Amy Roberts, Arol Shack Dissertation Award, 2012, Graduated August 2013. Her Dissertation: “A Longitudinal Study of the Influence of Social Engagement on Quality of Life Among Older Adults Living in Senior Housing.” She is on the faculty at Miami University of Ohio

Susan Smalling, Arol Shack Dissertation Award, 2011, Graduated May 2012. Her Dissertation: “American Indians and Social Work Education: Addressing Issues of Recruitment, Retention, and Inclusion.” She is now on the faculty at St. Olaf College in Minnesota.

Heehyul Moon, Arol Shack Dissertation Award, 2010, Graduated January 2013. Her Dissertation: “The Effect of Incongruence about Care Values between Caregivers and Care Recipients with Early-Stage Dementia on Caregiver and Care Recipient Quality of Life: The Mediating Effects of the Negative Dyadic Relationship Quality.” On the faculty at the University of Louisville.

Karen Ishler, Arol Shack Dissertation Award, 2009, Graduated August 2013. Her Dissertation: “Pain and Psychological Distress in Middle-Aged and Older Married Couples.” Research Associate at CWRU, MSASS.

Marisa Allen, Arol Shack Dissertation Award, 2008, Graduated May 2010

Dissertation: “Steeping the Organization’s Tea: Examining the Relationship Between Evaluation Use, Organizational Context and Evaluator Characteristics.” RuOwns & operates a private program evaluation business.

Mandy Fauble, Arol Shack Dissertation Award, 2007, Graduated May 2009. Her Dissertation: How Maternal Childhood Maltreatment Negatively Impacts Children’s Mental Outcomes among Polysubstance Exposed Children. She is Director of Clinical Services at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.