UTEP Professor Emeritus Named Social Work Pioneer
UTEP Professor Emeritus Mark Lusk, Ed.D., MSW, has been selected by the National Association for Social Work Foundation as a Social Work Pioneer. Nominated by his peers, this honor recognizes his decades of work in the field of social work and his pioneering contributions to the progress of the profession.
“Dr. Mark Lusk’s selection as a Social Work Pioneer by the National Association of Social Workers is a reflection of his continued commitment to the field and his tireless efforts to elevate his commitment to help others as a mentor, teacher, scholar and advocate,” said William Robertson, Ph.D., dean of the College of Health Sciences. “This is one of the highest honors in the social work profession and highlights an individual who continues to strive to uphold values of honor and integrity for all. The College of Health Sciences celebrates Professor Emeritus Dr. Mark Lusk with this wonderful career recognition and distinction.”
Awarded annually, the Pioneer program launched in 1994 both to recognize the important work accomplished by social workers in the United States and to preserve their work and their stories. Since its launch, more than 900 social workers who have made significant contributions to the field have been given the recognition and added to the index of biographies available on the NASW Foundation website chronicling their lives and careers.
Pioneers are selected and announced by the foundation in June of each year. To be nominated, social workers must have a career in the field spanning more than 25 years and must be nominated by someone who is not direct family. Lusk’s career spans four decades, eight states and more than 40 countries. He has been a member of the NASW since 1978.
“It’s fantastic to be selected as a Pioneer, not just for me, but for the awareness of at-risk and vulnerable people to which it can draw attention,” Lusk said.
A twice-awarded Senior Fulbright Fellow, Lusk had the opportunity to conduct research and work for universities in both Peru and Brazil. He previously led international programs departments at the University of Georgia, the University of Montana and Oregon State University, and served as the founding director of the School of Social Work at Boise State University in Idaho.
At UTEP, he previously served as the associate dean of the College of Health Sciences and was the founding director and department chair for the Department of Social Work, where he developed the Master of Social Work program. Capitalizing on UTEP’s unique location, this program is designed with an emphasis on the unique needs of people on the border.
“I relocated to UTEP because I wanted to be in the border region and focus on immigration and migrants from Mexico and beyond,” Lusk said. “El Paso is an ideal location for international experience.”
Originally a journalism major, Lusk made the switch to social work because of his drive to help those in need and his innate ability to serve as a confidant and helper to the people around him.
“As a young man and even in high school, people shared and talked and were open and trusting with me,” Lusk said. “I always wondered what I could do with that strength. That led me to social work, and I’ve stayed with it since.”
Lusk has focused his scholarship on helping children in Latin America who live and work “in the streets” to support themselves and their families, as well as immigrants crossing from Mexico and beyond through the border in the El Paso area. As a social worker, he conducts his work and research through a lens of mental health and by finding the strengths, assets and capabilities of the people with whom he works.
“I’ve found that street children are adaptable, resilient and have positive self-concept,” Lusk said. “Similarly, migrants, too, are resilient, strong, faithful and driven by hope. The individuals I’ve worked with have the capacity for strength that brings them together. I’m happy to be recognized [as a Pioneer] by the NASW because it draws attention to these issues.”
Lusk and his fellow Pioneers will be honored at a ceremony in Washington D.C. on Oct. 14. To learn more about the NASW Foundation and the other social worker pioneers, visit www.naswfoundation.org/Our-Work/NASW-Social-Work-Pioneers/NASW-Social-Workers-Pioneers-Bio-Index.
Last Updated on July 05, 2023 at 12:00 AM | Originally published July 05, 2023
By Julia Hettiger UTEP Marketing and Communications
