Social Worker of The Year Award
Dana Harley, PhD, MSW, LISW-S
Dr. Dana Harley is a national award-winning social work scholar and educator who has made extraordinary accomplishments in the areas of teaching, student support, research, and service as a Professor and Master of Social Work Program Director at the University of Cincinnati (UC), College of Allied Sciences (CAHS), School of Social Work (SSW). Notably, Dr. Harley was the recipient of the 2024 NASW Ohio Statewide Social Worker of the year, and 2024 NASW Ohio Chapter Region 6 Social Worker of the Year.
Dr. Harley is an excellent educator; she has made significant contributions in social work education and on the lives of her students.Dr. Harley received the 2013 SAGE/CSWE (Council on Social Work Education) Innovative Teaching Award.This national recognition represents one of the highest teaching honors in social work education, awarded by the accrediting body of social work, CSWE. Dr. Harley received the 2017 UC College of Allied Health Sciences Excellence in Teaching Award and the 2022 UC College of Allied Health Sciences Excellence in Research and Scholarly Works Award. In 2021, Dr. Harley was inducted into the UC Academy of Fellows for Teaching and Learning (AFTL) at UC. This honor reflects excellence in teaching for a sustained period of time. Dr. Harley was the 2018 UC Marian Spencer Equity Ambassador Award faculty recipient. This university-wide award recognized the outstanding accomplishments of faculty in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion through teaching, service, and research. She also received the 2015 College of Allied Health Sciences Distinguished Alumni Award and the 2014 School of Social Work Distinguished Alumni Award. These awards recognize alumni that have made a significant contribution in their chosen profession through practice, teaching, administration, education, research, writing, organizational work involving health care or an innovation in health care.
Dr. Harley’s commitment to student mentorship and support is outstanding. Dr. Harley’s mentoring philosophy is simple, “meet them where they are, and watch them rise.” She is a faculty mentor for the UC McNair Scholars Program.This program prepares undergraduate students with the necessary tools to gain entrance into graduate programs through various scholarly activities. She received the 2023 UC Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentorship Award. She has also mentored social work students from around the country through the CSWE Minority Fellowship Program. Dr. Harley was recognized for her excellent service and support to students as the recipient of the 2019 College of Allied Health Sciences Faculty Excellence in Service Award. She received the UC 2024 Inaugural Graduate College Mentorship Award for outstanding mentorship of graduate students. Dr. Harley spearheads pipeline recruitment projects that support students with economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The pipeline project boasts a 94% retention rate and uses evidenced-based recruitment and retention strategies, and year-long mentoring to support MSW students’ persistence to graduation. Dr. Harley was the recipient of the 2024 UC Alumni 4A Lawrence C. Hawkins Tower of Strength Award. This award recognizes a UC faculty member for shaping students’ personal and professional development.
Dr. Harley has been the principal investigator or co-investigator on over $12 million in federal, state, and local grant awards. About $10 million of this funding has supported MSW students with scholarships, stipends, and training to expand the behavioral health workforce. Dr. Harley is a community-based researcher, specializing in photovoice methodology. She is committed to giving voice and centering the experiences of historically marginalized and underserved communities related to behavioral health and wellness and other important issues.
Dr. Harley has numerous peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. She serves on various community and organization boards, advisory committees, and task forces in the region and nationally.Dr. Harley loves spending time with her husband and son.Their favorite activities include traveling, cooking together, and watching movies. Dr. Harley also enjoys line dancing, attending concerts, and hanging out with family and friends.