Professor

Office Address: 
369C DeVos Center
School of Social Work
401 Fulton Street West
Grand Rapids, MI 49504

Phone Number: 
(616) 331-6590

Email Address:
[email protected]

Office Hours (no summer office hours):
Monday: 1 pm - 3 pm
Wednesday: 1 pm - 3 pm
(in person or virtual)

Teaching Areas:
Macro social work
Global social work
Human rights
Introduction to Social Work
Social welfare history
Social welfare policy

Experience:
Joseph Kuilema began his social work career working for eight years at Camp Tall Turf, a non-traditional summer camp focused on racial justice.  After briefly working abroad in Nigeria doing community development and domestically in community organizing and residential treatment units, he became a social work educator in 2008.  He has developed and led study abroad programs in Liberia and Ghana and has significant experience in anglophone West Africa.  Before coming to GVSU he taught for 14 years at Calvin University, including in their Prison Initiative at the Handlon Correctional Facility in Ionia.  His research interest areas include global social work, social work history, racism and white supremacy, and the intersections between faith and LGBTQ rights in society and social work education. 

Education: Dr. Kuilema’s curriculum vitae. 
2016: PhD - Michigan State University 
2006: MSW - Major: Community Organizing with Communities and Social Systems - University of Michigan
2004: BSW - Calvin College