Marianna L. Colvin, PhD

 

 

Associate Professor Marianna Colvin received her PhD in Social Work at the University of Georgia and MSW from the University of Alabama. As a mixed-methods researcher, Marianna combines network analysis and qualitative methods to examine interorganizational human service delivery systems related to children and families. She approaches child welfare from a community-wide orientation, inclusive of multiple disciplines, and concentrates on interactions across organizations and multi-professional collaboration, theories of systems and complexity, family experiences and expertise, and implications for policy, practice, and network development. Her academic pursuits are guided by experiences as a social work practitioner in international, national, and local child welfare roles, including community development in India and U.S. based capacities in child protective services, family preservation, foster/adoptive home licensing, and supervision.

Similar to her research interests, Marianna’s teaching interests reflect a community orientation, and she enjoys building community within the classroom, facilitating community-based learning, and integrating a global-community perspective across content. She is passionate about social work education and through both teaching and research, aims to enhance the ways communities and organizations are knitted together in support of children and families.