Professor Jennifer Hughes, MSW, LISW-S, Ph.D. candidate
Social work program director
Associate professor of Social Work
Professor Hughes began her social work career as a day treatment specialist at the Mental Health Center of Wood County, then worked at Lucas County Children Services and St. Rita’s Medical Center. She comes to Bluffton after more than eight years in a successful private counseling practice, which she continues part-time. She earned her MSW from The Ohio State University. She is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Utah, currently completing work on her dissertation. She is well-connected with the local social services community in this area, having previously served as field director and as a chairperson of the Allen County Children Services Board for many years.
Professor Heather Koontz, MSW, LISW-S
Field work director
Professor Koontz began her career in community mental health, and worked her way from community support provider to director of emergency services. In that position she provided training and supervision to 30 professional employees. She wrote the grant that initiated the We Care Program, a collaborative program between Lutheran Social Services and St. Rita's Medical Center. She earned her MSW with a focus on social administration from The Ohio State University.
Walter Paquin, Ph.D.
Assistant professor of social work
B.S., Western Carolina University, 1992; M.S.W., Ph.D., Washington University in St. Louis, 1996, 2007
60 seconds with Walter Paquin
Office: Centennial Hall, 335
Phone: 419.358.3386
E-mail: paquinw@bluffton.edu
The Advisory Council is comprised of practicing social workers from the area and students representing the four classes. It meets three times per academic year to advise the program director on curriculum content, program policies, fieldwork policies, program goals, recruitment strategies, accreditation self-study matters and other program matters. The social workers serving during the 2011-12 academic year are:
