School of Social Policy and Practice celebrates 100 years with awareness month | Interactive timeline

Penn's School of Social Policy and Practice turns 100 this year - and there's no better time to celebrate the centennial than "Social Work Awareness Month."

March, also designated "Women's History Month," marks the beginning of a contest for female SP2 graduates to win a three-day trip in August to television personality Joan Lunden's getaway in Naples, Maine. Called "Camp Reveille," the camp is in its third year and aims to promote "women's fitness and happiness," according to its Web site.

"Social work is traditionally a largely female occupation," explained Nadina Deigh, SP2 director of Development and Alumni Relations. She estimated that around 80 percent of social workers are female.

As a result, she said, selecting a camp tailored specifically to women, "especially those that have given a lot," made sense, particularly in conjunction with Women's History Month.

Though the contest is only open to women, a "comparable contest" will be held for men in the future, according to SP2's Web site.

Applicants are asked to submit an 150-word essay on women pioneers in social work, the deadline for which is April 15. The top 10 finalists will be announced in Penn Matters, SP2's monthly newsletter, after which all SP2 alumni will be able to vote for a winner.

"The idea is that social workers have such demanding schedules - they give so much of themselves," Deigh added. "This is a way for us to give back."

In addition to the contest, award-winning producer Dan Keplinger, who is battling cerebral palsy, will come to Irvine Auditorium's Amado Recital Hall on Thursday to discuss his film King Gimp, of which he is the subject. The event starts at 2:00 p.m. and also includes a screening of the film.

Richard Gelles, dean of SP2, said the King Gimp event is designed to bring the issue of disabilities - which he said is often overlooked - to the forefront of the public's attention.

Social workers, he explained, are traditionally seen as working almost exclusively with the poor, when in reality they work with many other segments of the population, such as people with disabilities. The event aims to "lay out the less stereotypical view of what social workers actually do," Gelles said.

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