UT Arlington School of Social Work professor, Dr. Catheleen Jordan, received official notification from NASW-TX President, Mary Bishop, she is the 2013 NASW-TX Lifetime Achievement awardee. Dr. Jordan completed her MSSW from UT Arlington in 1979.

UT Arlington School of Social Work, Dean Scott Ryan, says “Dr. Jordan is a rare individual who has the capacity to excel in multiple areas of social work. I have been amazed to witness how she keenly integrates her professional skills and sense of ethics and values in each of her roles as a social work educator, scholar and practitioner. She has also proven to be a leader and mentor in each of these roles.”

Catheleen Jordan began her social work career in 1974 as a child protective services worker, spending the next 12 years working in a variety of settings (including the Parenting Center of Fort Worth and MHMR Tarrant County) and obtaining her graduate degrees. She received her Ph.D. in 1986 (Berkley) and began her tenure as an Assistant Professor with the UT Arlington School of Social Work. Her dedication to the profession of social work was evident from the beginning.

Teaching and scholarship have been a strong focus for Dr. Jordan during the last 28 years and she has always placed a strong emphasis on evidence-based scholarship and practice. Evidence of her strengths as an outstanding educator can be found in her student evaluations. Also, in 1988, just two years after joining the UT Arlington School of Social Work, she was awarded the Fernando Torgeson Award for Teaching Excellence, one of the school’s most prestigious awards. More recently, in 2012, she was nominated for the UT Arlington Academy of Distinguished Teachers Award. Additionally, she was recognized in 2010 when she was appointed as the inaugural Cheryl Milkes Moore Professor in Mental Health Research. She has received countless university recognitions, awards and nominations from 1988-2012 for her achievements in teaching and student advising. Supervision of her students is another indicator of Dr. Jordan’s commitment to excellence in social work education. She has chaired 13 PhD dissertations and served as a member on 27 others. She has also chaired 19 MSSW theses and served on 29 other thesis committees. She has shown innovation in the classroom developing on-line classes and using social media to effectively engage her students.

Highlights of Dr. Jordan’s remarkable leadership in the profession of social work include membership in the National Association of Social Workers, the Society for Social Work Research the Council on Social Work Education. Former NASW affiliations include holding the office of President for NASW-Texas from 2007-2009 and she leadership roles as Secretary and Co-Chair of the International Committee. Additionally, she was NASW-Tarrant County Branch Chair and the faculty sponsor for the former NASW-UTA Student Chapter.

Dr. Jordan will be the focus of the October issue of Network and will be featured in the “In the Public Eye” section of the NASW-TX website under “About NASW/Texas.” Her nomination will be submitted next year for national consideration.