Professor Karen E. Edmond, LMSW has over 20 years of experience in Social Work Education. Currently, she is The Interim Director of Practicum Education for the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) Program at Charter Oak State College (COSC). Given her years in higher education, she understands the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) accreditation process for social work programs. She participated in re-accreditation with the 2008 and 2015 CSWE Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards.
As a field/practicum director she is instrumental in field/practicum education
development, orientation, training, placement, and assessment. Working with students through the field/practicum process has allowed her to create multiple community partnerships between Western New York and Canada. While in post social work practice, she supported interns from various CSWE Accredited Programs from 2002-2008. She serves on the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Council for Field Education (COFE) as a Field Commissioner. She actively participates in supporting training around emerging topics relevant to field directors across the CSWE membership.
Before her role at COSC, Ms. Edmond taught courses at the BSW level from
Introduction to Social Work to Field/Practicum Education. She worked to redevelop courses across the curriculum such as family social work, mental health, and capstone senior courses. She participated in curriculum development, mapping, and assessment. She utilized her passion for social work education to train and mentor other faculty including adjuncts to teach courses throughout the social work curriculum. Her teaching experience goes beyond the bachelor’s level as she taught courses at the master’s level as well.
As a clinician, Ms. Edmond has over 30 years of experience with various client
populations such as children, adults and families ranging from addictions, mental health, medical transitions, special needs to teen pregnancy. She has a specific focus on infant/toddler mental health/wellness. She supervised professionals and staff on average 20-25. She managed and monitored social work programs and services on average 40-45 programs which impacted thousands of individuals, families, communities, and organizations across the Erie County region of Western New York. She continues to maintain her relationship to agencies through her community service and activities.
Her research interests are related to student retention and support, equity, diversity and inclusion in social work education and practice, employment-based practicum and social work education and technology. Ms. Edmond’s goal is to bring her experience and research interests to COSC’s BSW program to support the integration of curriculum with field/practicum education.