From Tallahassee to Florida Atlantic: Online DSW Student Brings Learning to New FSU Faculty Role

From her home in Tallahassee, Kimberly Harvey is pursuing a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) online at Florida Atlantic University’s College of Social Work and Criminal Justice Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work while beginning a new role as Assistant Teaching Professor at Florida State University’s College of Social Work. The opportunity allows her to apply knowledge gained from her Florida Atlantic doctoral learning as she helps prepare the next generation of Florida State social workers.

 

Learning While Leading

In her new role at Florida State, Harvey works with the Field Education Office and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses. Florida Atlantic’s online DSW program allows her to continue her doctoral studies while building her career in Tallahassee.

A three-time FSU graduate, Harvey earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology in 2001, a master’s degree in criminology in 2005, and a Master of Social Work in 2010. She began her career in criminology and criminal justice, then found her calling in social work while working in child protective services.

“The Florida Atlantic DSW program has been instrumental in shaping my identity as both a social work educator and scholar-practitioner. Through my capstone, graduate assistantship, and coursework, I learned how to critically examine practice challenges, apply research to real-world problems, and create meaningful learning experiences for students. Those skills have prepared me to bring both academic rigor and real-world practice perspectives to my new role as Teaching Faculty at Florida State University,” said Harvey.

A Career Grounded in Child Welfare

Harvey has held child welfare roles with the Children’s Home Society, Florida Department of Children and Families, and Northwest Florida Health Network. In 2022, she returned to FSU as an adjunct professor and joined the Florida Institute for Child Welfare, where she helped develop and deliver leadership programming for child welfare professionals across the state.

Her doctoral work at Florida Atlantic focuses on child welfare supervision, leadership development, workforce well-being, and strategies to strengthen employee retention and resilience.

“Congratulations to Kimberly on her new faculty role at Florida State University. She brings deep experience in child welfare and a commitment to supporting both practitioners and students. It is exciting to see her apply what she is learning in our Florida Atlantic College of Social Work and Criminal Justice Sandler School of Social Work online DSW program to the classroom while continuing to serve the Tallahassee community,” said DSW Program Coordinator Danielle Groton, Ph.D.

Harvey’s path also reflects the broader purpose of Florida Atlantic’s online DSW program: expanding access to advanced education while preparing experienced professionals to lead in their fields and communities. Founding Dean Naelys Luna, Ph.D., said Harvey exemplifies how doctoral learning can translate into meaningful impact across Florida and beyond.

“Kimberly’s journey reflects the power of accessible doctoral education to cross county lines throughout Florida and beyond, strengthening both the social work profession and the communities our graduates serve. Her ability to bring advanced scholarship, extensive child welfare experience and a commitment to student success into the classroom demonstrates how Florida Atlantic’s academic excellence and reputation are reflected in meaningful community impact and service. She embodies the kind of leadership we are proud to cultivate through our online DSW program,” said Naelys Luna, Ph.D., founding dean of Florida Atlantic University’s College of Social Work and Criminal Justice.

Turning Knowledge Into Statewide Impact

As she continues her doctoral studies from Tallahassee, Harvey is turning advanced learning into immediate impact - bringing insights from the classroom and child welfare field to her research while sharing lessons from Florida Atlantic with the students she teaches. Her journey demonstrates how Florida Atlantic’s online DSW program extends throughout the state and beyond, equipping experienced social work professionals to lead, educate and strengthen communities without stepping away from their careers. Through graduates such as Harvey, the university’s academic excellence and reputation are translated into community impact and service far beyond campus.