EMU HOME Sept. 16, 2008 Volume 59, No. 05 ocu Featured EMU professor named NASW's Social Worker of the Year 1\ rticJes The old woman sat with Eastern Michigan University social work professo· Elvia Krajewski-Jaime in a Morelia, Mexico, nursing home, trying to read along with the professor, who'd brought a group of students to experience community sx1al work at ground level. EMU professor named NASW's Social Worker "I cannot read. I went blind a long time ago," the woman said. of the Year EMU professor receives "Blind?" Krajewski-Jaime said. "But, you can see me." grant to study mother­ infant relationships EMU Historic The woman explained that yes, she Preservation group could see people, but the words on the 'Raisin' awareness of page were a jumble. 1812 battlefield EMU Honors College "I took my eyeglasses off and put them receives $749,000 grant on her and said, 'Can you read now?"' to provide scholarships Krajewski-Jaime said. "And she started for teacher education to cry." students Reichenbach reveals Krajewski-Jaime left that pair of glasses "Survivor" secrets behind and, the next year, her EMU September contingent returned with some 50 pairs anniversaries of eyeglasses in different prescriptions Photo: Kumar goes to to give to the elderly people from the Eastern Michigan to poor rural areas around Morelia. pump up voter registration Photo: (un)Civil Defense Krajewski-Jaime, 70, has built a career art exhibit of teaching, outreach and advocacy on Photo: EMU students the principle that, "You are only and their therapy dogs successful to the extent that, at the end stroll campus of a particular project, you have left the Photo: Football in the community stronger and more capable rain than before." Briefs SOCIAL STATUS: Elvia Krajewski-Jaime, obsline Her efforts haven't gone unnoticed. In an Eastern Michigan University professor Why I work at Eastern August, the National Association of of social work, was named the 2008 Social Michigan University Social Workers named Krajewski-Jaime Worker of the Year by the National its 2008 Social Worker of the Year. Association of Socia Workers (NASW). She'll be honored by the NASW, the largest professional social work organization in the country, in a yet-to-be scheduled virtual ceremony. "I just thought she should be recognized for her quiet work she does tr a: has such a big impact on so many people," said Guadeloupe G. Lara, who nominated Krajewski-Jaime for the national award. " ... She's published a lot in the area of OJltural awareness and serving the elderly and, of course, her commitment to people wtiere they are at - to understanding their history and their background - is very imp:,rtant." More on this story... EMU HOM:: The old woman sat with Eastern Michigan Univer:;ity social work professor Elvia Krajewski-Jaime in a Morelia, Mexico, nursi1g home, trying to read along with the professor, who'd brought a group of stud=nts to Experience Sept. 16, 2008issue community social work at ground level. EMU professor named NASW's Social Worker of the Year "I cannot read. I went blind a long time ago," the woman s-aid. "Blind?" Krajewski-Jaime said. "But you can see me." By Amy E. Whitesall The woman explained that yes, she could see pE<>ple, but the words on the page were a jumble. "I took my eyeglasses offand put them on her and said, Can you read now?"' Krajewski-Jaime said. "And she started to cry." Krajewski-Jaime left that pair of glasses behind and, the next year, her EMU contingent returned with some 50 pairs of eyeglasses in different prescriptions to give to the elderly people from the poor rural areas around Morelia. Krajewski-Jaime, 70, has built a career of teaching, outreach and advocacy on the principle that, "You are only successful to the extent that, at the end of a particular project, you have left the community stronger and more capable than before." Her efforts haven't gone unnoticed. In August, the SOCIAL STATUS: Elvia Krajewski-Jaime, National Association of an Eastern Michigan University professor Social Workers (NASW) of social work, was named the 2008 Social named Krajewski-Jaime Work r f the Yea by th.e Mational its 2008Social Worker of � � � Assoc1at1on of Sooal Workers (J>.iASW). the Year. She'll be honored by the NASW, the largest professional social wcr< organization in the country, in a yet-to-be scheduled virtual ce-emony. "I just thought she should be recognized for her quiet Nl)rk she does that has such a big impact on so many people," said Guadelcupe G. Lara, wh,J nominated Krajewski-Jaime for the national aw3rd. "... She's pJblished c lot in the area of cultural awareness and servinJ the ek:!erly and, of course, her commitment to people where they are at - to unde-standi1g their history and their background - is very important." Lara finished her term as president of the NASW's Michigan chapter in June and also taught with Krajewski-Jaime at EMU, where she'� been an adjunct professor in the School of Social Work. Lara and <rajewsk.J-Jaime were among the founders of the National Organization of Latinc Social Workers. "It's still hard for me to believe I was selected," said Kr2jewski-Jaime, 70. "I feel so pri11ileged and, of course, for my (Latin:>) culture, it means so much to me. It's such an honor, and I would hope that mv university benefits from that honor, too. Because, if it were not for ny university, I would not hove been able to do my work." Born and raised in Mexico, Krajewski-Jaime came to the United States with a sixth-grade education, a few years of bilingual secretari31 school, and some Frenct· and English language training. Truth be told she was just passing through on her way to study French in P3ris when she stopped in Philadelphia to visit a friend and met the guy ne;::t door, Eugene Krajewski. They fell in love, got married, settled in Philadelphia and had two daughters before Krajewski-Jaime (pronounced l::ry-EV-3�i - HIGH may) turned her attention back to her own education. At 37, she set out to earn her GED and, for the next 13 y:ars, she steadily climbed the educational ladder, starting with a bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. "Psychology was more of a research-oriented degree, a1d I wanted to be working with people," said Krajewski-Jaime, who has si1ce learned to appreciate research, too. "Someone told me 'Wt-y don't you try social work?' I'd never heard of that but, at the time, I wanted :o work in the community, to do community organization. (I w,mted to) plan programs so we could provide services to people in the community who were vulnerable. I wanted the hands-on experience. -hat's how I went to Temple University to get my master's. I got it (masters degree) in planning and administration, with lots of community organizing in it. I really love that area." Next came a doctorate fellowship at the University of Texas­ Austin, which awarded her a Ph.D. when she was 50. A member of her doctoral committee mentioned that EMU was looking for beginning faculty and, at TOTAL ACCESS: Elvia Krajewski-Jaime (above, the suggestion second from left), an Eastern Michigan Un.versity of others, she professor of social work, poses with EMU graduate applied to EMU students, and community partners from Latino and the Family Services, Alternatives for Girls, and the Arab University of Community Center for Economic and Social Servic�s Michigan. (ACCESS) in Dearborn. Funded by the Department of Justice, this meeting's purpose was to help "I came to solidify plans for EMU's work with the center's interview with Latino, Arab and African-American community both of them, partner agencies. but I fell in love with EMU," she said. "I felt it was a much better fit for what I wanted to do." Krajewski-Jaime brings social work to life for her students by taking them out into the communities that social workers serve, both locally and abroad. "I work with Latino, African-American and Arab-American communities, and it's very difficult to translate them in a book and have students get a feel for them. I have students do studies, surveys, focus groups. They speak to people about an issue and get a feel for how social workers can really help them. The students really love it, and they appreciate it because it's better than me standing in front of the classroom, talking to them." She created an international program for social work students that provides them field experience working in community agencies in Mexico and England. "She's somebody who gets things done," said David Clifford, an EMU health administration professor who, with Krajewski-Jaime, co-founded what would become the U.S. Department of Justice-funded Center for Community Building and Civic Engagement. "She is an incredibly good organizer, very good at getting people on task, and very good at taking a complex task, breaking it down and implementing it. She's very effective, in particular, working with students - bringing students into the process of providing a program." Through the Center for Community Building and Civic Engagement, she helped connect EMU faculty with organizations in Southeastern Michigan's minority communities and establish long-term working relationships. One partnership, with a Hispanic development association in Detroit, recruited young gang members, helping them use their leadership skills to give young Hispanics a voice in the voting system.