Dear Members of the Korean American Social Work Educators Association (KASWEA),

Greetings!

It is our sincere pleasure to reconnect with you and to an important initiative that calls for our collective support: the 2027-2028 KASWEA Junior Faculty Seed Grant and Doctoral Scholarship Awards (Outstanding Dissertation Award and Outstanding Dissertation Proposal Award), as well as KASWEA's professional networking activities.

In 2026, we are excited to continue supporting gatherings at key events, particularly the KASWEA Annual Meeting at the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) annual program meeting and the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) conference.

Our shared commitment to excellence and support for emerging talent continues to drive us forward. This year, we aim to raise $5,000 to support our Junior Faculty Seed Grant and Doctoral Scholarship Awards, as well as our community networking activities. Your contribution will have a direct impact on the careers of our junior faculty and doctoral students, helping them to achieve their full potential and advance innovation within our field.

2025-2026 Award Recipients

Junior Faculty Seed Grant

• KASWEA plans to announce the next application cycle with a December 2026 deadline. The specific date and application instructions will be shared separately.

Outstanding Dissertation Award

• Jeesoo Jeon, Ph.D., Awarded, Case Western Reserve University. Current Affiliation: University of Missouri-Kansas City Department of Social Work

o Title : Child Maltreatment Prevention: An Exploration of the Role of Social Support on Parenting

• Nari Yoo, Ph.D., Awarded, New York University. Current Affiliation: University of Michigan School of Social Work

o Title: Unraveling Ethnic Disparities: Spatial and Virtual Access to Mental Health Services among Immigrants with Language Barriers

Outstanding Dissertation Proposal Award

• Jeesoo Jung, Ph.D. Candidate, University at Albany, State University of New York School of Social Welfare

o Title: Disconnectedness among Emerging Adults in the United States: Early Risks and Collective Efficacy

How You Can Support

We seek your invaluable support to achieve our fundraising goal. Your kind contribution will go a long way in helping our doctoral students and junior faculty members achieve their career goals.

How to donate?

• You can donate without creating a GoFundMe account. Contributions of any amount are deeply appreciated. If you are unsure of how much to give, we suggest $20 or more.

*Important Note: GoFundMe automatically adds a 15% tip to support their platform. This amount does not go to KASWEA, and you are not required to pay it.

When to donate?

Our fundraising campaign runs from September 7 through October 15, 2026. Please make your contributions by October 15, 2026.

How the funds will be administered

• Grant and scholarship recipient selection will be overseen by the KASWEA Award Review Committee.

• Funds will be used to support:

o Doctoral students and junior faculty in the United States or Canada

o The KASWEA Annual Meeting at CSWE and the SSWR Conferences

o Award amounts:

 Junior Faculty Seed Grant: $2,000 per project

 Doctoral Scholarship: $500 per recipient

• No more than 10% of the funds raised each year will be allocated to community networking activities at CSWE and SSWR.

Tax-deductible contribution

KASWEA is a federally incorporated nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)). Your donation is tax-deductible.

We sincerely thank you for your steadfast support and commitment to the growth of emerging young scholars. For questions or more information, please contact Dr. Heehyul Moon at [email redacted]

Together, let's empower the future of Korean scholars in academia and make a lasting impact.

Your contribution matters!

Warm regards,

Fundraising Committee, KASWEA