Dr. Furness is writing a book titled, "Bringing Action to Faith: Social Work Education as Innovation in Evangelical Institutions, 1960-1985."
WAYNE, PA, May 30, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Janet Furness with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Janet Furness celebrates many years' experience in her professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes she has accrued in her field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Dr. Furness retired from social work education at the close of the 2023 academic year, closing out a 54-year career as a leading practitioner in child welfare, children's mental health, and congregational social work. For the last 30 years, her roles have been as faculty and director of graduate schools of social work: the Carver School of Church Social Work in Louisville, KY; Roberts Wesleyan College, Rochester, NY; Union University, Jackson, TN; Ramapo University, Mahwah, NJ; Nyack University, New York City; and Eastern University, St. Davids, PA.
Before starting her professional journey, Dr. Furness earned a Bachelor of Science in Bible social work from Philadelphia College of Bible in 1970. Subsequently, she expanded her knowledge by completing a Master of Social Work in administration, policy, and planning from Rutgers School of Social Work and an EdD in higher education leadership from the University of Rochester. Driven to remain abreast of ongoing industry changes, Dr. Furness has been affiliated with several organizations, including as President of the North American Association of Christians in Social Work, and a member of the National Association of Social Workers, the Inter-Agency Adoption Council, and the Family Based Services Association.
Due to her vast industry knowledge and experience, Dr. Furness is writing a book titled, "Bringing Action to Faith: Social Work Education as Innovation in Evangelical Institutions, 1960-1985." Likewise, she has been recognized for excellence with an Alumni Recognition Award from Cairn University, previously known as the Philadelphia College of Bible. Throughout her career, Dr. Furness also won the Woman of the Year Award from the Episcopal Diocese of Newark, NJ and an Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award.
She participated in a humanitarian visit to South Africa in partnership with chapters of Lifetime Hospice Care of Rochester, NY and Cape Town. Its mission was to deliver medical supplies and nutrition particular to meeting the needs of drug-resistant TB/AIDS patients living in the bush areas.
In conjunction with her work, Dr. Furness has contributed to her community by integrating social work into her church. This practice, called congregational social work, helps individuals access needed services and programs. While her career has been filled with highlights, she takes the most pride in watching her students go on to achieve great things and mentoring other social workers. Though hard work and dedication have brought her far in her career, she credits her success to her commitment to justice and advocating for the marginalized. Looking forward, Dr. Furness intends to finish the book she is writing and publish in the spring of 2024.
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