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Curtis J VanderWaal

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Curtis J VanderWaal, PhD, ACSW

Personal profile

Biography

Curtis VanderWaal, MSW, Ph.D., is Professor of Social Work at Andrews University, where he has taught since 1990.  He is also Director of the Center for Community Impact Research at the Institute for Prevention of Addictions.  He teaches classes in program evaluation, substance abuse treatment, grief and loss, group therapy, and values & ethics.  The majority of his research has focused on substance abuse treatment & prevention, social capital, faith-based ministries, agency program evaluations, and faith-based LGBT issues.  He has been involved in over 30 funded research projects, including funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Institute of Justice, the DeVos Family Foundations, the United Way of Southwest Michigan, Berrien RESA, Area Agency on Aging, and the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.  He has authored or co-authored over 30 peer reviewed journal articles or book chapters and participated in more than 90 peer reviewed research presentations and poster sessions.  He currently serves on the editorial board of the journal "Social Work and Christianity."  He is also a member of the Impact Cabinet for the United Way and Vice-Chair of the Corewell Health Hospice and Palliative Care board.

Prior to coming to Andrews University, VanderWaal was a counselor at a community mental health center in Michigan.  He received his Master of Social Work (MSW) in 1987 from The University of Michigan, and his Ph.D. in 1995 from Case Western Reserve University, in Cleveland, Ohio.

Dr. VanderWaal is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and the Council on Social Work Education.  He has been inducted into the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society, Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Alpha Honor Societies. He received the J.N. Andrews Medallion (2014), the Sigfried H. Horn Scholarly Research Award (2012), Student Advising Award from Andrews University (1992), the Zapara Excellence in Teaching Award (1998) and the Andrews University Teacher of the Year award (1999).

Research interests

VanderWaal, C.J. and various students.  Since 2010, Curt VanderWaal and over 150 students have worked with the United Way of Southwest Michigan to evaluate a wide variety of funded programs in the areas of health, basic needs, education, and income. Combined evaluation projects have been funded for over $175,000.  The latest project is the United Way Community Conversations Evaluation. The purpose of the project was to better understand the priorities of community members in Southwestern Michigan.  When discussions among businesses, nonprofits, government and philanthropic organizations take place concerning community impact, a key voice is often left out of the conversation: members directly representing different groups in the community who have active roles in creating effective and lasting community solutions. To address this gap, the United Way conducted 15 focus groups and collected 159 surveys to explore community concerns, needs, and priorities.  Curt VanderWaal led a team of 26 Master’s level students in the analysis of these data and then wrote a comprehensive report that has been distributed to community groups for discussion and development of funding and policy priorities.

Contact Information

Office Location: Nethery Hall 016
Phone: (269) 471-6196

Related documents

Education/Academic qualification

BS, Andrews University

PhD, Case Western Reserve University

MSW, The University Of Michigan

Disciplines

  • Substance Abuse and Addiction
  • Social Work
View all 114 Research outputs
View all 6 press/media