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Lisa M Deskins

Assistant Professor, BSW Program

Bio

Lisa has been an Adjunct Instructor at the University of Saint Francis for the Bachelor of Social Work program since 2009, and an Assistant Professor for the BSW program since December of 2023. She received her Master of Social Work from the Western Michigan University with a concentration in Policy, Planning, and Administration. Lisa has been teaching since 2008 for various colleges, including the University of Saint Francis. She has taught in-person, Zoom, and online. Her goal is for each student to learn new knowledge they can apply to life outside the classroom. She wants them to develop skills that will allow them to be successful in their future career. Finally, she wants students to feel seen and valued in and outside her classroom.

In addition to teaching, since completing her graduate degree in 2000, Lisa has supervised and managed programs for sexual assault survivors, victims and families of violent crime, at-risk youth and those on probation, and individuals receiving substance abuse and/or behavioral health services. Lisa has supervised both undergraduate and graduate interns from colleges and universities. She has successfully written and monitored grants, and has developed and monitored program budgets. Furthermore, Lisa has facilitated groups and provided classroom presentations from kindergarten through college age. Settings have included schools, detention centers, community centers, and colleges.

Areas of Interest

  • Youth
  • Social Justice and Advocacy
  • Victims’ Rights
  • Grant Writing
  • Program Development
  • Administration and Management

Courses Taught

  • Introduction to Social Work (SOCW125)
  • Grief and Loss (SOCW160)
  • Human Behavior in the Social Environment (SOCW192)
  • Social Work Service Learning (SOCW210)
  • Social Work Ethics (SOCW220)
  • Interpersonal Skills (SOCW250)
  • Junior Practicum & Seminar (SOCW352)
  • Cultural Diversity & Human Rights (SOCW377)
  • Social Work Practice with Individuals and Families (SOCW384)
  • Social Work Practice with Groups (SOCW406)
  • Social Work Practice Organizations and Communities (SOCW471)

What Students Are Saying

  • Loved Lisa!!! She was a great professor and the class did a great job at teaching us how to lead groups.
  • I loved Ethics with Lisa! She made the class fun, while also giving me a headache. Ethics has helped me try and picture a real life situation that I could encounter, and it helps put my skills to use and makes me think.
  • This was by far my favorite class. Lisa was amazing! She really had the class thinking hard, and everyone enjoyed her teaching.