NMU Social Work Department celebrates 50 years of accreditation

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - An NMU department celebrated a milestone anniversary Thursday.

The university’s Social Work Department was the very first department in Michigan to be accredited by the Council on Social Work Education in 1974. The department celebrated 50 years of accreditation Thursday at the Landmark Inn. Students, faculty and alumni gathered to honor the achievements, impacts and future of the department.

NMU Social Work Department Head LaMart Hightower says there are a lot of requirements the department must meet to stay accredited, but that’s the best way to set students up for success.

“By meeting these requirements, we’re guaranteeing that the people that graduate from our programs will be prepared to work with a variety of people in the community and be positive social workers not only here in the U.P. but wherever they decide to reside,” Hightower said.

You can learn more about the NMU Social Work Department at an open house Friday from noon until 2 p.m. at 2400 Jamrich Hall.