Jackson State University’s Dr. Brian Anderson, associate professor of social work, is one of the founding members of the National Association of Social Workers in Sports (NASWIS).
Established in 2015, the NASWIS aims to elevate the channels in which the practice of social work can benefit the sports sector on a grand scale.
Anderson said he is excited about the formulation of such a unique organization that has been diligently working to provide workshops and conferences that cater directly to their clients.
“It is definitely an honor to be a part of a founding group of like-minded social work colleagues that maintain a strong interest in enhancing the welfare of sports,” Anderson said.
According to NASWIS president Dr. Emmett L. Gill Jr., the NASWIS is the only group that uses expert techniques of social workers as a means of addressing needs of the professional athletes and their communities.
The NASWIS also acts as a platform for the promulgation of social work and educates others about the range of perspectives that social work can bring to the culture of athletics.
In a letter to the university, Gill said, “We are pleased and honored to have Dr. Anderson on board as a founding member of our association. … [He] brings our group a wealth of understanding, passion and insight as we move forward.”
Anderson has long-standing coaching experience with high school athletes, college basketball players and young people involved in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU). Also, he recently was appointed to a three-year term on the national accrediting body of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Commission on Educational Policy (COEP).