Due to the weather events forecasted for Thursday, November 7, and Friday, November 8, the Las Vegas campus and Santa Fe center operations and all classes are canceled, effective at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 6.

Bachelor of Social Work

Are you looking for a career that promotes social change, social action, and respect of cultural and language differences? If you want to help improve the life of others, your career in social work begins at New Mexico Highlands University.

Social work is a career that provides students with the opportunity to work with individuals, groups, families, organizations and communities. The professional social worker makes a positive difference by empowering others to improve their lives.

The social work program offers B.S.W. and M.S.W. degrees in three concentrations: Clinical practice, Leadership and Administration, and Bilingual/Bicultural studies. We also have a dual MBA/MSW program for students seeking admission into the two-year M.S.W. program. It takes 52 credit units of combined junior and senior level courses to finish the B.S.W program.

Students are required to complete 448 hours of field practicum during their senior year. This experience provides the chance to work directly with a specific target group as you use what you have learned in class in practical settings. The curriculum’s focus on multicultural practice will give you the knowledge and understanding of cultural and ethnic differences — critical for social workers to help their clients successfully.

Students who achieve high academic standards are eligible to apply to the school’s Advanced Standing M.S.W. honors program. This track will allow you to complete the M.S.W. degree in two or three academic semesters.

Our curriculum prepares students for entry-level generalist practice, and will train you in the skills and knowledge to work in public and private social service agencies. Alumni from the School of Social Work are successfully working in a variety of fields: mental health and health care, substance abuse programs, schools, child welfare, hospice, gerontology and many other areas.

Are you ready?

Photo: Five young adults are sitting at a picnic table outside on a fall day. They are smiling and chatting.

Social Work Courses and Requirements

Undergraduate Requirements: Social Work

Major in Social Work (undergraduate)

Undergraduate Courses in Social Work

The New Mexico Highlands undergraduate catalog outlines your options and the steps you need to take to complete degree requirements for your chosen major. To ensure the seamless completion of your degree, consult often with your academic adviser and utilize Highlands’ Degree Audit tool to keep track of your academic progress.

Want to continue? Here’s some information about graduate studies:

Master’s degree in Social Work

Graduate courses in Social Work

Administration

Cesar Abarca, Ph.D., MSW

DEAN

cabarca@nmhu.edu@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6183

Kristin Stephenson

SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

kstephenson@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6181

Faculty

Rey Martinez, Ph.D.

PROFESSOR

rcmartinez@nmhu.edu

P: 505-566-3047

Rebecca Moore, Ph.D., LMSW

PROFESSOR

rmmoore@nmhu.edu

P: 505-426-2053

Judy Barnstone, Ph.D., MSW

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR & MSW PROGRAM COORDINATOR

jebarnstone@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6188

Dolores Ortega, Ph.D.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

ortegad@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-3567

Erik Rolstad, Ph.D., LCSW

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

erolstad@nmhu.edu

Annie Allen, Ph.D., LCSW

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

annie@nmhu.edu

Jeannette Baca, DSW, LISW, LCSW

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR & MSW PROGRAM COORDINATOR

jmbaca@nmhu.edu

P: 505-426-2054

Benjamin Bencomo, DSW, LISW/LCSW, Ph.D.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
BSW PROGRAM COORDINATOR

bbencomo@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-3326

Jedediah Bragg, Ph.D., LMSW, ASCW

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

jebragg@nmhu.edu

Sreyashi Chakravarty, Ph.D.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

schakravarty@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6189

Craig Stern, DSW, LSW, MSW

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

castern@nmhu.edu@nmhu.edu

Rachell Tenorio, Ph.D.

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

rachelletenorio@nmhu.edu

John M. Tourangeau, Ph.D., MDIV, MBA, LADAC, LCSW

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

jtourangeau@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-3515

Caroline Dailey, MSW, LCSW

FULL-TIME CONTINGENT PROFESSOR

cdailey@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6185

Emet Ma’ayan, MSW, LCSW

FULL-TIME CONTINGENT PROFESSOR

emetmayan@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6198

Leasa Medina, LCSW

FULL-TIME CONTINGENT PROFESSOR

lmmedina@nmhu.edu

Frances Ortega, Ph.D.

FULL-TIME CONTINGENT PROFESSOR

fortega@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6195

Samantha Nelums, MSW, LCSW

FULL-TIME CONTINGENT PROFESSOR

samanthanelums@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6912

Reyna Rivera, MSW, LCSW

FULL-TIME CONTINGENT PROFESSOR

reyna@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6193

Staff

Marian Vargas, MSW

STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

mrvargas@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6191

Lawrence Montano, MSW

STUDENT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

lmmontano@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-3310

Summer Charley

SOCIAL WORK ADMIN. ASSISTANT- FARM

summercharley@nmhu.edu

Sharen Maldonado

SOCIAL WORK FIELD EDUCATION SR. ADMIN. ASSISTANT

skmaldonado@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-2058

Nicole DeHerrera, MSW, LCSW

SOCIAL WORK FIELD EDUCATION COORDINATOR- FARM

ndeherrera@nmhu.edu

P: 505-566-3805

Faith Eldridge, MSW, LCSW

MSW FIELD EDUCATION COORDINATOR

feldridge@nmhu.edu

Christine Floyd, MSW, MAED

MSW ONLINE FIELD COORDNATOR

christinefloyd@nmhu.edu

Sara Hurtado, MSW, LCSW

FIELD COORDINATOR

sarahurtado@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-5186

Tamara Thiedeman, LCSW

FIELD EDUCATION DIRECTOR

tthiedeman@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6196

Melissa Williamson, MSW, LCSW

SOCIAL WORK FIELD COORDINATOR- LV AND SF

mawilliamson@nmhu.edu

P: 505-454-3326

Patricia Miera

MSW ONLINE INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNER

prmiera@nmhu.edu

Ruth Sandoval

MSW ONLINE INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGNER

ruthsandoval@nmhu.edu

Janice Dowsett, MA

MSW ONLINE PROGRAM COORDINATOR

jdowsett@nmhu.edu

P: 505-429-8043

Anna Nelson, Ph.D.

DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN SOCIAL WORK

annelson@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6194

Monica Otero, MSW

SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR, CESW

mrotero@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6194

Joey Jimenez Jr., MSW

SENIOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, CESW

jcjimenez@nmhu.edu

P: 505-429-1340

Amber Vilas, MSW

CONTINUING EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE COORDINATOR

acvilas@nmhu.edu

Helen Robertson, MIRLS

LIBRARY ASSOCIATE/EVENING COORDINATOR

hsrobertson@nmhu.edu

P: 505-232-6000

Melissa Riley, Ph.D.

DIRECTOR,
NATIVE AMERICAN SOCIAL WORK STUDIES INSTITUTE

meriley@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6192

Elizabeth Garcia, MSW

SWEEP SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR

elizabethgarcia@nmhu.edu

Velinda Pearson, MSW, LCSW

SWEEP-RAICES OUTREACH COORDINATOR

vmpearson@nmhu.edu

Valerie Valles-Pedroza, MSW, LCSW

SWEEP ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR.

vevalles@nmhu.edu

P: 505-260-6187

Our Mission

The New Mexico Highlands University Board of Regents approved, on December 17, 2015, a change in the name to the School of Social Work to honor the founder of the School, Facundo Valdez. The mission of the Facundo Valdez School of Social Work is to educate students to practice social work competently with the diverse, multicultural populations of New Mexico and the Southwest. This context of cultural and regional responsiveness informs the school’s creation and implementation of all its educational programs.

The School has a primary commitment to Hispanic and Native American people. Our curriculum grounds students in core professional social work values and skills and ethical principles and promotes a focused awareness and respect for cultural differences and how poverty affects the well-being of people in the region.