Social Work Undergraduate Research Lab
Mission
The mission of the Social Work Undergraduate Research Lab is to provide undergraduate social work majors and minors, as well as students currently or previously enrolled in social work research and evaluation courses, the opportunity to actively engage in applied research projects. The primary goal of the lab is to immerse students in hands-on research experiences under faculty mentorship, with particular attention to conducting culturally-responsive research with marginalized populations. An additional goal is to establish a clear and meaningful connection between course content and Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved research projects.
Overview and Structure
The SWURL is structured to compliment the SOWK Research & Evaluation courses required of social work majors, providing students with more time to for practical application of course-related concepts. The value gained from the SWURL will offer students exposure to the various IRB-approved research projects within the School of Social Work. Students can expect to advance their research acumen through SWURL lab activities that will center the unit of analysis, individuals that identify as female. Various research activities for which students can or may be involved include developing research questions, conducting quantitative or qualitative analysis, writing up research results for publication and or academic presentations, and other forms of dissemination. Since each research project involved in the SWURL is at various stages of development, students can expect a range of exposure that centers the lived experiences of individuals that identify as female, while advancing their knowledge of social justice research methodology. Specifically, students will contribute to research initiatives focused on health and well-being. Students will volunteer and may receive extra credit in their undergraduate research & evaluation course for being active participants in the SWURL.
The SWURL sessions will meet for 10-12 weeks during the Fall and Spring semesters. Students enrolled in research courses will be notified of start dates and processes for signing up. As a deliberate attempt to reinforce the research course content, the SWURL, will meet weekly. For 1.5 hours students will reengage with concepts discussed in the lecture course for the first half of the session; the second half of the session, students will actively engage in research activities. For example, live qualitative coding, running quantitative tabulations and creating tables, and developing the manuscript outline for research results may be some of the activities involved in the lab/practice portion of the session. For the lecture portion, students will have the opportunity to engage with different researchers whose projects are made available for SWURL student engagement. Through the SWURL, undergraduate opportunities for students to solidify their research skills through faculty mentorship is immeasurable and an exciting opportunity for student’s interested in social justice research.
Students may be invited to join one of the presenting research teams and actively engage regularly in conducting various research related activities, from idea conception to dissemination. For regular attendees who will officially join a research team, students can expect to achieve the following objectives:
- Apply concepts and theories from social work coursework to real-world health-related research projects.
- Demonstrate research skills—such as data collection, analysis, and ethical engagement—by serving as research assistants on projects involving marginalized populations.
- Engage in and analyze the full research process, including developing research questions, reviewing literature, collecting and analyzing data, and interpreting findings.
- Produce scholarly outputs, such as research manuscripts and conference presentations, that effectively communicate research findings to academic and community audiences.
Significance
It is critical that undergraduate students preparing to enter helping professions develop an understanding not only of the clinical dimensions of the profession, but also of the research processes and implications that inform effective practice and policies impacting marginalized individuals, families, groups, communities, and broader societal systems. In order to provide dynamic research, learning experiences, students can expect various instructors to guide the lab, including Principal Investigators of the research projects presented in the lab. Students can expect to work on projects that engage social justice research with marginalized groups of females. Key projects involved in the SWURL include the EMPOWER Project and Heal togetHER :
EMPOWER, led by Principal Investigator Marquitta Dorsey, Ph.D., focuses on wellbeing outcomes and interventions related to Black women navigating various social systems. An emerging clinical practice within her work involves somatic experiencing—a therapeutic approach targeting embodied trauma. This practice combines physiological and neurological-based psychoeducation with attention to the ways past trauma influences the body’s capacity to regulate itself and respond prosocially to external stimuli. The EMPOWER curriculum is currently running weekly at the Cook County Department of Correction with groups of women in confinement. Given the disproportionate representation of Black women in carceral confinement and the stressors such environments impose, psychoeducational interventions that provide participants with knowledge about their bodies and strategies to manage physiological responses to external triggers may offer an important pathway to empowerment.
Heal togetHER, led by Principal Investigator Marion Malcome, Ph.D., is a peer support intervention for Black women facing barriers to accessing culturally-responsive mental health care. The intervention is adapted from models of care out of Zimbabwe and was developed through community-based participatory research in collaboration with Sista Afya Community Care. The Heal TogetHER model addresses the cultural stigma, limited access to Black providers, and systemic barriers that disproportionately impact Black women's mental health by centering community wisdom and peer connection. In Spring 2025, the research project expanded implementation to two additional organizations and communities, continuing to collect quantitative data through post-session surveys measuring emotional regulation, social connection, community belonging, and mental health awareness, while simultaneously analyzing qualitative data from focus groups to understand the mechanisms through which culturally-grounded peer support creates healing. This mixed-methods evaluation examines how community-centered interventions can advance health equity by providing accessible, affordable, and culturally-responsive mental wellness care that honors Black women's lived experiences and collective strength.
SWURL Welcome Video
Associate Professor Marquitta Dorsey, Ph.D. and Assistant Professor Marion Malcome, Ph.D. would like to introduce SWURL - a research opportunity for BSW students to engage in research that directly impacts the lives of marginalized communities!
Mission
The mission of the Social Work Undergraduate Research Lab is to provide undergraduate social work majors and minors, as well as students currently or previously enrolled in social work research and evaluation courses, the opportunity to actively engage in applied research projects. The primary goal of the lab is to immerse students in hands-on research experiences under faculty mentorship, with particular attention to conducting culturally-responsive research with marginalized populations. An additional goal is to establish a clear and meaningful connection between course content and Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved research projects.
Overview and Structure
The SWURL is structured to compliment the SOWK Research & Evaluation courses required of social work majors, providing students with more time to for practical application of course-related concepts. The value gained from the SWURL will offer students exposure to the various IRB-approved research projects within the School of Social Work. Students can expect to advance their research acumen through SWURL lab activities that will center the unit of analysis, individuals that identify as female. Various research activities for which students can or may be involved include developing research questions, conducting quantitative or qualitative analysis, writing up research results for publication and or academic presentations, and other forms of dissemination. Since each research project involved in the SWURL is at various stages of development, students can expect a range of exposure that centers the lived experiences of individuals that identify as female, while advancing their knowledge of social justice research methodology. Specifically, students will contribute to research initiatives focused on health and well-being. Students will volunteer and may receive extra credit in their undergraduate research & evaluation course for being active participants in the SWURL.
The SWURL sessions will meet for 10-12 weeks during the Fall and Spring semesters. Students enrolled in research courses will be notified of start dates and processes for signing up. As a deliberate attempt to reinforce the research course content, the SWURL, will meet weekly. For 1.5 hours students will reengage with concepts discussed in the lecture course for the first half of the session; the second half of the session, students will actively engage in research activities. For example, live qualitative coding, running quantitative tabulations and creating tables, and developing the manuscript outline for research results may be some of the activities involved in the lab/practice portion of the session. For the lecture portion, students will have the opportunity to engage with different researchers whose projects are made available for SWURL student engagement. Through the SWURL, undergraduate opportunities for students to solidify their research skills through faculty mentorship is immeasurable and an exciting opportunity for student’s interested in social justice research.
Students may be invited to join one of the presenting research teams and actively engage regularly in conducting various research related activities, from idea conception to dissemination. For regular attendees who will officially join a research team, students can expect to achieve the following objectives:
- Apply concepts and theories from social work coursework to real-world health-related research projects.
- Demonstrate research skills—such as data collection, analysis, and ethical engagement—by serving as research assistants on projects involving marginalized populations.
- Engage in and analyze the full research process, including developing research questions, reviewing literature, collecting and analyzing data, and interpreting findings.
- Produce scholarly outputs, such as research manuscripts and conference presentations, that effectively communicate research findings to academic and community audiences.
Significance
It is critical that undergraduate students preparing to enter helping professions develop an understanding not only of the clinical dimensions of the profession, but also of the research processes and implications that inform effective practice and policies impacting marginalized individuals, families, groups, communities, and broader societal systems. In order to provide dynamic research, learning experiences, students can expect various instructors to guide the lab, including Principal Investigators of the research projects presented in the lab. Students can expect to work on projects that engage social justice research with marginalized groups of females. Key projects involved in the SWURL include the EMPOWER Project and Heal togetHER :
EMPOWER, led by Principal Investigator Marquitta Dorsey, Ph.D., focuses on wellbeing outcomes and interventions related to Black women navigating various social systems. An emerging clinical practice within her work involves somatic experiencing—a therapeutic approach targeting embodied trauma. This practice combines physiological and neurological-based psychoeducation with attention to the ways past trauma influences the body’s capacity to regulate itself and respond prosocially to external stimuli. The EMPOWER curriculum is currently running weekly at the Cook County Department of Correction with groups of women in confinement. Given the disproportionate representation of Black women in carceral confinement and the stressors such environments impose, psychoeducational interventions that provide participants with knowledge about their bodies and strategies to manage physiological responses to external triggers may offer an important pathway to empowerment.
Heal togetHER, led by Principal Investigator Marion Malcome, Ph.D., is a peer support intervention for Black women facing barriers to accessing culturally-responsive mental health care. The intervention is adapted from models of care out of Zimbabwe and was developed through community-based participatory research in collaboration with Sista Afya Community Care. The Heal TogetHER model addresses the cultural stigma, limited access to Black providers, and systemic barriers that disproportionately impact Black women's mental health by centering community wisdom and peer connection. In Spring 2025, the research project expanded implementation to two additional organizations and communities, continuing to collect quantitative data through post-session surveys measuring emotional regulation, social connection, community belonging, and mental health awareness, while simultaneously analyzing qualitative data from focus groups to understand the mechanisms through which culturally-grounded peer support creates healing. This mixed-methods evaluation examines how community-centered interventions can advance health equity by providing accessible, affordable, and culturally-responsive mental wellness care that honors Black women's lived experiences and collective strength.