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Sociology Professor Presented Paper in Baltimore

Posted on Thursday, April 2, 2009

Dr. Danielle Ficco, Westminster College visiting assistant professor of sociology, presented "Women Stepping Out: Intersections of Welfare Policy, Work and Abuse" at the Eastern Sociological Society March 19-22 in Baltimore.

The paper, part of Ficco's dissertation research, was presented in a session on "Race, Class and Domestic Violence."

"In this project, I use a qualitative approach to explore the relationship between women's experiences with battering, work, and welfare use," Ficco said. "I interviewed 20 women enrolled in a Work First program in Pittsburgh. By gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the obstacles faced by women attempting to secure and maintain employment, policy makers, welfare caseworkers, and even employers will be able to adopt new ways to assist women making this transition from welfare to work."

Ficco, who has been with Westminster since 2007, earned undergraduate and master's degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.

Contact Ficco at (724) 946-6033 or e-mail ficcod@westminster.edu for additional information.

Dr. Danielle Ficco