Understanding how Molly Calhoun champions student success through social work and scholarship shows us the real impact one educator can have in higher education. This isn’t just a story about awards or titles it’s about how meaningful mentorship, strategic funding, and hands-on teaching can change student lives.
Calhoun’s approach blends academic excellence with real-world action, offering both support and opportunity to students from all backgrounds. In this piece, I’ll break down exactly how she supports her students, secures resources, and leads with purpose providing a clear example of how powerful and practical social work can be when it’s rooted in equity and impact.
Grants and Financial Support for Students
Calhoun’s grant writing efforts have generated over $8 million in funding in just two years most of which goes directly to students. This financial support helps cover essentials like tuition, housing, and basic living expenses, making education more accessible to students who face economic challenges.
By removing financial barriers, she ensures that students can focus on learning and building careers in social work. Additionally, her grants support tenure-track faculty positions, contributing to program stability and continuity. Her funding strategy empowers students to stay in school and thrive, while also strengthening the infrastructure of the social work department at Chico State.
- Detail the over $8 million in grants secured in two years
- Emphasize how this funding directly supports students with tuition, housing, and essentials
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Mentorship and Student Advocacy
Beyond the classroom, Calhoun actively mentors students through structured programs and individual support. She has chaired seven MSW student theses, guided three Adelante research scholars, and currently mentors a CDIP fellow. Her mentorship style centres on collaboration, personal growth, and professional development.
She encourages students to explore research, ask difficult questions, and develop confidence in their academic and career goals. Her commitment to student advocacy helps ensure learners from diverse backgrounds have the tools and guidance they need to succeed. Calhoun believes strong mentorship is a powerful way to build future leaders and strengthen the social work field.
- Discuss her mentorship of MSW students, research scholars, and CDIP fellows
- Explain how her guidance helps students develop research skills, confidence, and career paths
- Highlight the impact of hands-on, personal support for student success
Teaching and Classroom Impact
In her courses on social policy, program development and evaluation, and foundational practice, Calhoun uses real-world examples and equity-focused content to engage students. Her teaching style encourages critical thinking and practical application, preparing students for the real challenges they will face in social work settings.
Drawing on 15 years of hands-on community work, she brings lived experience into the classroom, giving students tools to address housing justice, mental health, and systemic inequality. She creates an inclusive, interactive environment where students feel supported and challenged. Her goal is to empower students to become effective advocates and practitioners who create meaningful change in communities.
- List the courses she teaches: social policy, program development, foundational practice
- Explain her teaching style real-world focus, equity-driven content, inclusive learning
- Point out her passion for housing justice and how it shapes her classes
Read: Giving a Home to Fund a Scholarship – Union College
Research That Drives Change
Calhoun’s research addresses urgent issues in housing, race, and social work policy. Her PhD work focused on the effects of gentrification on youth in public housing, and today she continues exploring how systemic forces impact vulnerable populations. She examines how race, privilege, and power influence housing policy and social services, offering practical solutions for reform.
Her recent work includes strategies to improve student housing access and address neoliberal trends in social work. By combining academic rigour with real-world relevance, her research helps inform better policy, support marginalized communities, and inspire students to think critically about their role in social justice.
- Share her research focus: race, power, housing policy, and social work practice
- Mention her PhD work on gentrification and public housing
- Connect her research to practical solutions in student housing and policy
Legacy of Leadership and Service
Before Chico State, Calhoun served as executive director of the Bridge Project at the University of Denver, where she supported children and families living in public housing. That experience shaped her leadership style and her commitment to equity and access. At Chico State, she continues to lead by example both in the classroom and through her outreach efforts.
Her leadership builds strong student-faculty relationships, enhances the department’s impact, and ensures programs are rooted in justice and community service. Her long-standing dedication to service positions her as a role model for students, faculty, and professionals across the field of social work.
- Highlight her post as executive director of the Bridge Project
- Show how she uses her experience to drive positive change at Chico State
- Reinforce how she helps shape future social work leaders
Why Molly Calhoun Matters to Students and the Field
Molly Calhoun’s influence extends far beyond the campus. Her work helps students succeed academically, personally, and professionally by removing barriers, providing mentorship, and leading with compassion. In a field that requires both heart and expertise, she delivers both, preparing students not just to graduate but to lead meaningful change in their communities.
Her research informs housing and social policies, while her teaching empowers the next generation of social workers. For students at Chico State and future professionals across the field, Calhoun represents what it means to combine scholarship, service, and social justice in one powerful, lasting legacy.
- Recap how her work improves student lives, education access, and community outcomes
- Position her as a role model in higher education and social work
- Show the real-world results of her teaching, research, and support
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Molly Calhoun, an associate professor at Chico State, is recognized for her outstanding work in promoting student success through social work and scholarship. She has secured over $8 million in grant funding to support students and faculty, mentors future social work leaders, and teaches with a focus on equity and real-world impact.
Her research addresses housing justice, race, and social policy, and her leadership continues to shape both the academic community and the social work field. Through funding, mentorship, teaching, and advocacy, Calhoun exemplifies how one educator can make a lasting difference in students’ lives and their communities.
