December 17, 2009

Rogers honoured for vision

Rogers is in the final year of her deanship.

A strong advocate of holistic leadership, Rogers says she believes in using heart, hands, head and soul to work for "social wellbeing and just societies," to quote the Faculty of Social Work'’s vision which she champions with conviction.

During her tenure as dean, she was instrumental in encouraging the Alberta government to invest in social work education across the province at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. Under her leadership, the faculty expanded access to its Bachelor of Social Work degree by offering a culturally relevant program for rural, northern and Aboriginal communities across Alberta.

Her vision also brought the Master of Social Work degree to both the Edmonton and Lethbridge regions of the faculty, opening the doors of graduate education to social workers across the province.

The faculty's first-ever endowed research chair, the Brenda Strafford Chair in the Prevention of Domestic Violence, was established under Rogers' leadership, as were a significant number of research grants, community-based projects and awards and scholarships for students.

Rogers also initiated the Pulse of Social Work awards, a program that honours social workers of Calgary and area and highlights the many collaborative efforts of the major employers, funders and educators of social workers.

"Gayla has a clear vision of the role of social workers and their critical place in supporting those most vulnerable in our community," says one of her nominators, Robbie Babins-Wagner, CEO of the Calgary Counselling Centre.

This is the second recent honour for Rogers, who received a Woman of Influence award from Deloitte Women of Influence Inc. in October. Now in the final year of her deanship, these two prestigious awards serve as a fitting tribute to her legacy.

As Calgary's latest Woman of Vision, Rogers will be honoured with a five-minute segment on Global TV, which will air on the morning news on Monday, Jan. 4, then again at noon and 6 p.m. The Calgary Herald will run a follow-up story on Jan. 5; and along with other Women of Vision, Rogers will be recognized at an awards luncheon in March.