Brazeal Named Interim Director of USM School of Social Work
Wed, 05/14/2025 - 11:19am | By: Karelia Pitts
The University of 禁漫天堂 Mississippi (USM) College of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS) has announced the appointment of Dr. Michelle Brazeal as interim director of the School of Social Work, effective July 1, 2025.
鈥淲e are grateful to Dr. Joohee Lee for her timely leadership and steady guidance over the past year,鈥� said Dr. Trent Gould, CEHS dean. 鈥淟ooking ahead, I am energized by the experience and vision Dr. Michelle Brazeal brings to the role of interim director. Her deep institutional knowledge, collaborative spirit and commitment to student and community impact position her to lead the School of Social Work into an exciting new chapter.鈥�
Dr. Brazeal came to 禁漫天堂 Miss in 2011 as a visiting instructor. Since then, she has served in a variety of roles including grant support staff, assistant professor and associate school director since 2023. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of South Alabama and attended the University of Alabama for her Master of Social Work and doctoral degrees. Dr. Brazeal鈥檚 research interests include the intersection of health and mental health, the impact of social worker services in healthcare, and the effects of social determinants of health on overall well-being.
She has worked on publications exploring relationship issues and child advocacy in addition to co-authoring a book chapter on juvenile detention and entries in the social work encyclopedia on obsessive-compulsive disorders and the relationship between compulsions, impulse control disorders and addictions. Dr. Brazeal is also interested in exploring pedagogy in higher education and ways to utilize technology to improve learning.
鈥淚 am grateful and honored to be chosen to guide the School of Social Work during the upcoming academic year. I look forward to working with our dedicated faculty, staff and students to build upon our previous success,鈥� said Dr. Brazeal. 鈥淭ogether, I am confident we can strengthen our ability to help graduates develop intellectual curiosity, nurture their sense of purpose as professionals, and gain the skills they need to make a real difference in the communities we serve.鈥�
The school offers Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work degrees which develop and communicate social work knowledge and skills consistent with the values and ethics of the profession. Graduates produce dynamic solutions for personal, interpersonal and systemic challenges with particular attention to the needs of people who are poor, oppressed and underserved.
Click for more information about the USM College of Education and Human Sciences School of Social Work.