Galloway, N.J. - Guia Calicdan-Apostle, associate professor of Social Work, was recently named 2021 Outstanding Social Worker of the Philippines in the field of International Social Work Education and Clinical Practice Setting by the Philippine Association of Social Workers (PASWI). 

This award is given by PASWI to a social worker who has made distinctive contributions in the achievement of their agency's/organization's vision, mission; unending commitment to the Social Work Profession in their specific field and dedication for the advancement of PASWI. The organization is a national association of close to 7,000 social work practitioners from over 7,641 islands, making this award that much more impressive.

Calicdan-Apostle, who has taught at Stockton since 2011, was formally recognized during a convention on Zoom on Oct. 19. In attendance were over 1,000 participants of the 2021 Social Work Convention.

"Community engagement does not only include local professional service. It involves global or international engagement. The social work profession has a longtime commitment to serve internationally through education and training," Calicdan-Apostle said. "After all, social work crosses international waters to assist colleagues and help people in need. The pandemic opened the doors to teaching and training via Zoom."

Calicdan-Apostle has made vast contributions to PASWI throughout her membership, especially pertaining to the pandemic. In March 2021, the PASWI Virtual Trainers' Training was held, where she acted as a faculty trainer/facilitator to social workers, frontline workers and community responders of the pandemic and complex emergencies. Important topics she covered included "A Proposed Mental Health Framework, Principles and Importance of Mental Health" and "The Role of a Filipino Social Worker in Mental Health Care." In November 2020, Calicdan-Apostle hosted a virtual presentation on grief and loss for social workers during the pandemic.

In September 2020, her work with PASWI was featured by the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE), which is the only accreditation agency for colleges and universities that offer social work in the United States.

In February-March 2021, she designed and conducted an 18-hour virtual social work course training for the social work faculty of Technical University of Ambato, Ecuador. The training focused on introduction to clinical social work and cognitive behavior therapy.

In June 2021, in celebration of the Philippine Social Workers Day organized by ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Social Work Consortium, Calicdan-Apostle was especially mentioned by Honorable Lorna Gabad, Chair of the Philippine Regulatory Board of Social Workers, via Zoom for her contribution to the revision of the Philippine Social Work Code of Ethics.

Calicdan-Apostle completed her bachelor's degree in Social Work at the Philippine School of Social Work, Philippine Women's University, her master's degree in Social Work at Asian Social Institute, and doctorate in Social Work (Clinical Social Work) at School of Social Policy and Practice, University of Pennsylvania. 

She is currently a coordinator of the Victimology and Victim Services minor, and a Diversity Faculty Fellow of the Center for Teaching and Learning Design at Stockton. Calicdan-Apostle also serves as a longtime advisor to the Pilipino American Student Association of Stockton (PASAS), which has about 50 student members. 

Reported by Mandee McCullough