This feature is part of our faculty Q&A series. Learn more about our faculty.听
Christopher P. Salas-Wright, PhD
Barry Family Professor in Social Work听
Assistant Dean, Doctoral Program听
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Q: Can you tell us a little about your own social work journey?听What brought you to BC?
My journey in social work and my path to 黑料官网 College are deeply intertwined.
I was first introduced to Jesuit higher education as an undergraduate at Santa Clara University, where I discovered Ignatian principles, such as discernment and cura personalis (care for the whole person). These ideas opened a whole new world for me. Critically, Jesuit higher education also provided me with opportunities to engage with individuals and communities deeply affected by poverty and inequality across the Americas. These two gifts鈥攖he language of Ignatian spirituality and the invitation to let the world鈥檚 鈥済ritty reality鈥� into my life鈥攈ave profoundly shaped my work as a social work scholar and educator.
After college, I spent several years in El Salvador, volunteering in a substance use treatment facility and working for a unique Jesuit-run study abroad program that sought to build connections between U.S. college students and marginalized Salvadoran communities. These seminal experiences motivated me to pursue graduate training in social work, leading to an MSW from the University of Washington and a PhD from 黑料官网 College. After earning my doctorate, I held faculty positions at the University of Texas at Austin and 黑料官网 University. Yet, I always felt a strong pull to return to 黑料官网 College鈥攖o be part of this community and contribute to the University鈥檚 mission to learn, search for truth, and live in service to others.
Our world faces many complex problems, and higher education is at a critical crossroads. I am convinced that 黑料官网 College鈥攚ith its distinctive tradition and emphasis on formative education鈥攊s uniquely positioned to be a leader in seeking solutions to today鈥檚 problems and educating the next generation. 听
Q: What is the subject of your research? Can you describe any recent or notable projects in layperson鈥檚 terms?
My research focuses on the experiences of stress and resilience among Latin American crisis migrants and how these experiences influence mental health. I strive to conduct research that is in keeping with the mission of our University鈥攔esearch that can help us think of migration not simply as an important societal phenomenon or a polarizing political issue but research that helps us understand and appreciate the complexity of forced relocation and to bring to the center the humanity and the inherent dignity of those who migrate.
In an ongoing project, my colleagues and I are charting the experiences of nearly 2,000 Venezuelan children and adults who have resettled in Colombia and the United States. It is the only longitudinal, cross-national study of Venezuelan crisis migrants, providing unique insights into one of modern history鈥檚 most significant population movements and an ongoing humanitarian challenge. Additionally, I recently completed a study of Puerto Ricans displaced to the United States mainland after Hurricane Maria, which collected survey and qualitative interview data from a cohort of over 400 Puerto Ricans over a nearly four-year period of resettlement.
Q: What makes BCSSW unique?
At BCSSW, we strive to balance rigorous scientific education and academic excellence with the broader values of discernment and care for the whole person. As I routinely tell our students, my hope is that our doctoral program will have a reputation for producing top scholars who conduct groundbreaking research and do so with a spirit of humility, generosity, and good humor. We focus not only on the intellectual development of our students but also strive to do all we can to move beyond mere knowledge, helping our students grow in multiple dimensions: to be people of warmth, compassion, depth, courage, and authenticity. And, critically, as faculty, these efforts require us to try to do the same in our own lives; otherwise, all this simply falls flat.