Terrell Brown appointed director of the JSU Master of Social Work Program

The Jackson State University (JSU) School of Social Work has named Terrell Brown, Ph.D.,director of the Master of Social Work (MSW) program. Brown is a tenured associate professor in the College of Health Sciences.

“Dr. Brown has proven to be a strong and dedicated leader who demonstrates student centeredness and support for faculty and staff. His knowledge and commitment have added synergy to our mission and vision for the School of Social Work at JSU. We congratulate and welcome him to our JSU family,” said Interim Dean Russell Bennett, Ph.D., College of Health Sciences.

Brown previously served as a tenured faculty member for Florida A&M University in the College of Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities, Department of Social Work. He also taught at Barry University’s Ellen Whiteside McDonnell School of Social Work in Miami Shores, Florida.

“As a teacher, scholar, and researcher, I seek to analyze problems and create new knowledge individually and collectively with colleagues who work to promote social justice,” explained Brown. “Some of the goals include enhancing our MSW degree program offerings, expanding the curriculum, enrollment, community, and university partnerships.”

Brown provides instruction across the curriculum at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, including human behavior, social welfare policy, social work practice, aging/gerontology, and HIV/AIDS courses.

“I appreciate the University’s commitment to providing a challenging educational experience to a diverse student body, particularly its commitment to the rural and urban communities, and its historic commitment to the education of African Americans,” said Brown.

Prior to entering academia, Brown worked as a gerontological social worker for the Prince George’s County Department of Social Services’ Adult Resources Bureau, and the Health Department in the division of Adult and Geriatric Health for the Maryland Department of Human Services.

Brown was a Frederick Douglass Doctoral Fellow at Howard University, and a former intern for the United States Senate Special Committee on aging, and AARP. His interests and publications have broadly included aging and diversity issues such as ethnogerontology, health and well-being, HIV/AIDS, cancer health disparities, social work education, and social welfare policy.

After attending Morehouse College, Brown completed his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Florida Memorial University. He earned his master’s in higher, adult, and lifelong education from Michigan State University and both an MSW in community, administration, and policy practice with a specialization in social gerontology. He received his Ph.D. in social work/social gerontology from Howard University.