Shane Garrard ‘08, pictured, was a well-known DSU Social Work alumnus.CLEVELAND, Miss.—Delta State University’s Department of Social Work will celebrate its inaugural “Shane Garrard Memorial Day” on Friday, Oct. 15, with a virtual “Lunch and Learn” lecture featuring Dr. William Ash-Houchen.
Shane Garrard ‘08, a well-known DSU Social Work alumnus, passed away earlier this year. Garrard served as a field instructor, volunteer supervisor and speaker, helping countless students, colleagues and clients. He used his social work degree to make monumental contributions to the mental health and substance abuse treatment programs across the state of Mississippi.
Dr. William Ash-Houchen
During the “Lunch and Learn” hosted in Garrard’s honor, Ash-Houchen, who serves as an assistant professor in Justice Studies at Prairie View A&M University, will present research findings on substance abuse trends among youth populations in the U.S. during his lecture, entitled “Racial/Ethnic Differences in Illicit Substance Abuse: A Temporal Ordered Test of General Strain Theory.”
Pre-registration is currently open through Oct. 8 for the event, which will be hosted via Zoom from noon to 1 p.m. The pre-registration fee is $20, and one (1) CE in cultural diversity will be available to attendees. To complete the registration form, visit www.deltastate.edu/sgm.
“Shane was truly a giant in his field, and his passing was a profound loss in so many ways,” said Taylor Skelton, instructor of Social Work and director of field education at Delta State. “On Oct. 15, the Department of Social Work will honor his memory by hosting our first Shane Garrard Memorial Day, and we invite everyone to join us.”
A scholarship to benefit deserving Delta State students pursuing a Bachelor of Social Work has also been created in Garrard’s honor.
To support this scholarship fund, visit https://deltastategiving.org/campaign/shaneg/
For questions or more information, please call (662) 846-4407 or e-mail tskelton@deltastate.edu.
