Human Service Studies
Human Service Studies
The Human Service Studies Department of Elon University prepares students to understand human problems and to intervene effectively in them. The Human Services Studies major offers a multidisciplinary approach to creating change grounded in the social sciences. Course work develops the student’s ability to analyze human problems and apply informed practice to guide constructive actions. Experiential learning is emphasized to foster connections between field-based experiences and academic content. The Department of Human Service Studies supports a strong commitment to civic engagement and community well-being.
Statement from the Department of Human Service Studies Faculty on Black Lives Matter:
The faculty of the Elon University Department of Human Service Studies joins their voices with all of those who condemn the ongoing injustices and systematic discrimination that are an all too familiar part of our life in the United States. The deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor have served to remind us all that justice is being denied to people in our country solely because of the color of their skin. This discrimination runs counter to all that Human Services stands for – we believe that all people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, that all people should have the right of self-determination, that the well-being of all people contributes to the health of a community, and that the inclusion of all people is the only possible means to the creation of a just and equitable society.
The legacy of racial violence targeting Black bodies has plagued the United States since the arrival of the first group of enslaved Africans in 1619. Across the span of 401 years, racial violence directed at Black Americans has adapted and taken many forms. The over-surveillance and use of brutal militaristic style policing tactics have been used against members of the Black Americans indiscriminately. The Human Service studies department aligns itself with the Black community and the Black Lives Matter Movement in the wake of the most recent tragedies and:
- Denounces any form of police brutality and believes Every Black life matters.
- Declares that racism, and all of its many forms, must not be tolerated, and injustices must end.
- Assert that the HSS Faculty are committed to our principles of Valuing Human Difference and Inclusion and the pursuit of social justice.
Each of us can contribute to ending this injustice. Get involved in local politics. Call your representatives to express your thoughts and demands. Vote, help others get registered to vote. Join organizations that are working on policy and social justice. Do more than liking something on social media. Please become an active citizen, pursuing justice and goodness wherever and whenever you can. For too long we have heard the refrain of “no more”, “never again”, or “this must end”. We know that through collective action, inspired by a vision of a just society that values all people, change can occur. And we now see with renewed clarity the desperate need for change. We value your partnership as we continue on this pilgrimage, striving to end injustice and becoming better individuals, better families, better neighbors, better citizens, better human beings.
– Human Service Studies Faculty
Bud Warner, Judy Esposito, Sandra Reid, Vanessa Drew Branch, Monica Burney, Beth Warner