A 2025 graduate of Barry University’s Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program is making an important contribution to conversations about family engagement, educational advocacy and culturally responsive social work.

Dr. Stephanie Liebowitz, recently had her capstone manuscript, “Engaging Undocumented Latinx Parents in Their Children’s Educational Career Through Trauma-Informed Expressive Arts,” published in the Journal of Family Social Work.

Her manuscript explores how immigration-related stress, fear of deportation, family separation, language barriers and other challenges can influence the ways undocumented Latinx parents participate in their children’s education.

Dr. Liebowitz proposes a trauma-informed expressive arts model designed to help school social workers strengthen relationships between families and schools. Through structured workshops and creative engagement activities, the model encourages parent-child connection, builds trust and supports parents in advocating for their children’s educational needs.

The approach brings together trauma-informed principles, intergenerational resilience and expressive arts as accessible tools for family engagement.

The publication marks an exciting milestone for Dr. Liebowitz and highlights the value of research that addresses real-world challenges while advancing more inclusive and responsive social work practices.

Read the full article here.