Jason Mallonee
Clinical Assistant Professor, Former Social Work/Online MSW Program Coordinator
Jason Mallonee is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Social Work at The University of Texas at El Paso and also serves as the coordinator for the online Master of Social Work program.
He began his career as an elementary school teacher in 2006 teaching primarily in under-resourced regions. Seeing the great need for social services and advocacy, he returned to school to earn a Master of Social Work degree in 2013 and worked as a clinical social worker and program administrator in the nonprofit sector for several years.
He later returned to school tor his doctorate in social work at the University of Pennsylvania and then took on the role of Online Field Education Coordinator and MSW Program Coordinator at New Mexico State University (NMSU), where he remained for two years prior to joining UTEP. In 2021, he began as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work and transitioned to a Clinical Assistant Professor position in 2023.
It was during this transition that the department decided to develop and launch an online MSW Program, and Dr. Mallonee spearheaded the process. As a clinician and as a professor, he specializes in mental and behavioral health treatment, particularly trauma treatment. He serves on the Steering Committee for the National Initiative for Trauma Education and Workforce Development and played a key role in bringing this national curriculum to UTEP in 2023.
Subjects he teaches:
I primarily teach Clinical Assessment, Culturally Grounded Social Work, and Core Components and Skills of Trauma-Informed Practice.
On what ignited her passion for these subjects:
Working in underserved communities as an elementary school teacher ignited my passion for social work. Social work is such a broad field where graduates can engage in a range of professions that have a high impact on individuals, families, and communities most in need. I was always drawn to the micro level of social work practice (working directly with individuals and families), but teaching Culturally Grounded Social Work ignited an additional passion for bridging the different levels of social work practice – from individual, community, to policy arenas.
In terms of teaching trauma treatment, as a trauma therapist for several years, I saw new clinicians who had recently graduated struggle to understand the foundation of how trauma impacts individuals, families, and communities at multiple levels as well as engage in best practices for treating trauma. When I was invited to be part of the inaugural faculty cohort for the National Initiative for Trauma Education and Workforce Development in 2022, I seized at the opportunity. I fell in love with this curriculum and inquiry-based learning model and have taught the course four times, as well as collaborated to develop a new case of an unaccompanied minor to be used in the course. This was a great accomplishment in integrating real community challenges social workers in El Paso and throughout the country face into this national curriculum. My overarching passion for teaching anything is to prepare future social workers for competent, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive social work practice with diverse populations.
His proudest accomplishment and biggest challenge as an online instructor:
I’ve always had a passion for taking educational opportunities online, as I think it increases accessibility to high-quality education while reducing barriers for individuals to return to school, particularly for individuals in rural and underserved communities.
My proudest accomplishment has been the development and launch of the online MSW Program here at UTEP. This was a team effort with Extended University, UTEP Online, the Graduate School, and the Provost’s Office to plan, launch and achieve accreditation for this program option. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to lead the process.
As an online instructor, my proudest accomplishment has been designing engaging learning experiences that think outside the in-person classroom box. Employing strategies to increase engagement in the virtual environment and then seeing students make connections between their learning, lived experience, and professional or internship experiences has been very rewarding.
While this is my proudest teaching accomplishment, it is also the biggest challenge I have faced. In the online environment, we need to be very intentional and creative with how we set expectations for student involvement by designing highly engaging learning opportunities that employ a variety of instructional strategies to reduce screen time burnout and meet the needs of different learning styles. This challenge is exciting to take on, though, as it requires creativity, flexibility, and adaptability – all great social work skills to model and implement.
On what makes a successful online student:
To be a successful online student, one must view it the same way they would if they were attending an on-ground program. What this means is that prospective students really need to reflect on whether it is the right timing and if they have the right resources to be successful. This regularly includes being able to manage multiple demands – school, work, family, internships, etc. Great time management and organizational skills are a must.
It is also helpful for students to be self-directed in a sense in terms of ensuring that their level of engagement matches the expectations of the program. Just because the program is online does not mean that it does not retain the same high level of expectations that we would have of any learners particularly at the graduate level.
Additionally, I have noticed that students who engage with other learners outside of the classroom environment have a better experience of the program. For online students, this needs to be more intentional and proactive, as they are often located in different communities and different states. While they gain the benefit of learning from such a diverse set of experiences, building connections with their classmates takes a little more effort.
A successful online student is also prepared to prioritize their learning – ultimately, with any program, you get from the program what you put into it. Staying engaged in class, keeping on top of assignments, and planning for the time necessary to be successful is what enables students to gain the most out of the program.
On his experience working with UTEP Online:
My experience as a nonprofit organizational administrator and in coordinating programs at NMSU really prepared me to collaborate with UTEP Online to develop and launch what quickly became a thriving online MSW Program at UTEP where we currently serve 52 students in that format. UTEP Online has been such a great partner to work with, and we couldn’t have achieved this without their continued guidance and support. The Department of Social Work is very grateful for their commitment to offering high quality online educational experiences.
His advice to online students:
My advice to online students would be to build relationships with your faculty, other students and social work leaders in your community. It is also important that you ensure you have the time to devote to the intensive study and requirements of the program, and to be proactive in supporting your own educational growth and achieving your goals.
