Professor

Office Address:  
369C DEV

Phone Number:  
(616)331-6590

Email Address: 
[email protected]

Fall 2023 Office Hours:
Wednesday: 1-4pm In person or virtual
Thursday 1-4pm 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:

BSW - Calvin College (2004)
MSW - University of Michigan (2006)
PhD - Michigan State University (2016)