Faculty/Staff Directory
Dr. Kelisa Underwood
478.757.2665
Assistant Professor
Credentials: LCSW, PhD
| Office Hours: | Tuesday: 9 AM to 4 PM Thursday: 9 AM to 4 PM |
| Locations: (Campus & Office) |
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| Biography: | Hello! My name is Kelisa Underwood and I am so excited to be a faculty member with the Middle GA Social Work department! As a Macon native, I graduated from Central High (Go Chargers!), then left Georgia to attend Western Carolina University, a small college nestled in the mountains of North Carolina. I earned my Bachelor’s in Psychology from Western where I received the best advice I have ever gotten- to transition from Psychology to Social Work. My advisor saw that I didn’t want to just study people, I wanted to “do the work.” So I went to a HUGE school, the University of Southern California, for my MSW. There, I specialized in military trauma and community organization. After a while of working with people and communities, I felt the need to figure out what was causing the massive disadvantages that I was seeing every day. I decided to go back to school….again, for my PhD in Social Psychology. |
| Syllabi: |
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| Teaching and Research Interests: | My interests at this stage encompass everything that I have seen as large social challenges throughout my career. I love looking at how communities interact. |
| Courses: | SOCW 2400: Critical Thinking and Writing https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2023-2024/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/2000/socw-2400 SOCW 2700: Social Welfare Systems https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2023-2024/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/2000/socw-2700 SOCW 3000: Cultural Competency https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2022-2023/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/3000/socw-3000 SOCW 3005: Forensic Social Work https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2022-2023/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/3000/socw-3005 SOCW 3100: Human Behavior in the Social Environment https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2022-2023/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/3000/socw-3100 SOCW 3250: Mental Health https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2022-2023/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/3000/socw-3250 SOCW 3300: Practice with Groups https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2024-2025/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/3000/socw-3300 SOCW 3500: Social Work Practice with Communities and Organizations https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2022-2023/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/3000/socw-3500 SOCW 3700: Social Welfare and Policy Practice https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2022-2023/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/3000/socw-3700 SOCW 4000: Direct Practice https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2022-2023/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/4000/socw-4000 SOCW/CRJU 4220: Family Violence & Abuse https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2022-2023/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/4000/socw-4220 SOCW 4300: Field Seminar I https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2022-2023/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/4000/socw-4300 SOCW 4500: Change in Organizations and Communities https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2022-2023/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/4000/socw-4500 SOCW 4600: Field Seminar II https://mga.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2022-2023/undergraduate-catalog/courses/socw-social-welfare/4000/socw-4600 |
| Education: (All institutions attended and degrees or credentials earned) | Bachelors of Science in Psychology (BS)- Western Carolina University Masters of Social Work (MSW)- University of Southern California Doctorate of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)- Saybrook University |
| Professional Experience: | I began my teaching career in Macon in 2018 at Mercer University- but no worries, I will be a loyal Knight! Before finding that teaching was truly my passion, I had many career opportunities in the field of Social Work. As a military spouse, we traveled the country and had to move frequently, meaning that I had to find new jobs frequently. As a result, I have worked in a number of settings including private practice, child welfare, forensic social work, non-profits, and hospitals to name a few. |
| Publications and Scholarships: (Last 5 Years) | Dissertation on Leveraging Opportunities |
| Professional Affiliations: | NASW- National Association of Social Workers |
| Organizations: | Middle Georgia State University |
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