Northwestern Social Work Celebrates Social Work Month

March 4, 2026

Haylee Durrence (left) of Stroud and Isabella Burden (right) of Medicine Lodge, Kansas, pose with the 2026 Social Work Month banner. This year’s theme is “Uplift. Defend. Transform.”

ALVA, Okla. — The Northwestern Oklahoma State University Department of Social Work is proud to celebrate Social Work Month in March with the theme “Social Work: Uplift. Defend. Transform.”

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) launched the annual Social Work Month campaign in 1963 to build public support for the profession. The 2026 theme honors the central mission of social work: to enhance human well-being, meet the basic needs of all people and empower communities.

According to NASW, the ability of social workers to uplift, defend and positively transform the millions of people they work with each day is needed now more than ever. There are more than 810,000 social workers in the United States, and the profession is among the fastest growing in the nation, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The annual campaign is a time to inform the public, policymakers and legislators about how social workers enrich society by empowering people and communities to overcome hurdles that prevent them from living life to the fullest.

“Social workers stand alongside individuals and communities with an unwavering belief in their strength,” said Dr. Kylene Rehder, Northwestern Department of Social Work chair and professor of social work. “To uplift is our calling, to defend is our duty and to transform is our promise because every person deserves the chance to thrive. During Social Work Month, we urge you to educate yourself about this amazing profession, thank social workers and help support the profession.”

These professionals work in a wide range of settings, including hospitals, mental health care facilities, child welfare agencies, hospice programs, schools, veterans’ centers, public policy and in local, state and federal government.

For more information, contact Rehder at kdrehder@nwosu.edu or (580) 327-8135 or visit the Northwestern Department of Social Work webpage.

-NW-

Media Contact:
Sean J. Doherty, University Relations Specialist
Email: sjdoherty@nwosu.edu
Phone: (580) 327-8480