Oakland University - Sociology
Assistant Professor at Eastern Michigan University
Higher Education
Cassandra
Barragan
New Baltimore, Michigan
My diverse career has exposed me to a wide variety of settings including non-profits, for-profit health care facilities, private business enterprise, and higher education. I teach others about the importance of social support and social networks as we grow older through courses at EMU and research I'm doing in the community.
Older adults and their participation in fitness-related activities is my current specialization and area of interest and research. I have nationally and internationally on this research, including the Gerontological Society of America, IAGG, and two sessions at the Health Aging Summit this summer in Washington DC.
I am also President of Restorative Mind & Body, LLC, a company dedicated to enhancing well-being of older adults and those who have dedicated their work to marginalized and minoritized populations through wellness-focused staffing services.
Part-time Faculty
SW4810 - SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH METHODS I
Fall 2014
SW4010 - SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE METHOD III (Mezzo)
A major focus of SW4010 is on the development and utilization of communication, relationships and group membership skills. Instructed BSW students to become familiar with planning group, clarifying a group purpose, and assessing process and outcome.
This course incorporates content on types of groups, group development, problem-solving and decision making in groups. It also explores the interaction between groups and systems with their external environment
SW4020 - SOCIAL WORK MACRO THEORY AND PRACTICE
The course focuses on content relevant to the context in which macro practice occurs, i.e. neighborhoods and communities, organizations, and the legislative arena. Instructed BSW students to develop an understanding and appreciation of the reciprocal relationships people have with the larger social systems in which they live. Students were presented with information about building and managing power and human resources, planning, marketing, developing organizations, advocacy, taking action and evaluating change.
SW7050 - FOUNDATION GROUP THEORY AND PRACTICE
The course uses an ecological systems perspective by instructing MSW students to examine mezzo theories that guide social work assessments and that provides the overarching framework for group work practice in social work.
Research Assistant
Under the supervision of the Principle Investigator (PI) and in collaboration with researchers at Wayne State University and affiliated organizations, worked on a variety of research projects.
TEAM:
-attended team planning and reporting meetings
-prepared necessary results reports for team input and recommendations
-managed interview lists and coordinated interview schedule for field interviews in Denver, CO
COMMUNITY COORDINATION & MANAGEMENT:
-coordination with non-profit for data entry
-attended team meetings in community organization to determine research goals and agenda
QUANTITATIVE:
-Survey design, launch, and implementation using Zoomerang with subsequent analysis of using SPSS.
-Integration of research questions and agenda in to non-profit intake and assessment forms
-Data collection for non-profit to evaluate grant funded program
-Use of SPSS
QUALITATIVE:
-conducted individual and group interviews in the field: Denver, CO.
-transcription of group and individual interviews
-examination of open-ended questions and integration from multiple sources to identify themes and trends in responses
-use of NVivo9 and AtlasTI.
Assistant Professor
Cassandra worked at Eastern Michigan University as a Assistant Professor
Assessment Coordinator
Working in the Office of Institutional Research and Administration to support the planning, decision-making and self-assessment activities of the university community by providing and coordinating information about the progress of its efforts to continuously improve Oakland University
I am an active member of the General Education Committee and work with the committee to determine and evaluate the most effective assessment strategies. Through working directly with faculty who teach and design General Education classes, the assessment process has been changed dramatically from previous assessment cycles to a more efficient and individualized approach.
I am primarily responsible for the administration and oversight of several student surveys throughout the year, including the NSSE, CIRP and this year, the NASCE and next year IDEALS. All survey data is examined, analyzed and reported through various methods to the campus community.
Member
Cassandra worked at NASW-ASIG as a Member
Quality of Life Consultant
Knowledgeable of all aspects of the long-term care industry and specializing in compliance and quality assurance measures. Worked with over a dozen companies in the Midwest and have consulted in over 50 facilities through nearly 150 annual, complaint, and follow-up survey inspections.
-audits and examination of systems to ensure regulatory compliance is met as well as the psychosocial needs of the residents.
-Behavior management program implementation
-Staff training for behavioral interventions
-administrative training for staff management and retention
-team building
-implementation of systems for psychotropic medication tracking and psychiatric support services monitoring
BSW
Social Work
MSW
Social Work
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Social Work
My dissertation was a secondary data analysis of the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS) with analysis conducted with both SPSS and STATA. I investigated the buffering effect of social support, autonomy, and financial security of the sense of well-being of the aging population following a stressful life event. I found that all three personal resources did buffer the impact of stressful life events. Consideration of non-medical influences on health and non-health outcomes is highly relevant in healthcare utilization and healthy aging in place initiatives.
Part-time Faculty
SW4810 - SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH METHODS I
Fall 2014
SW4010 - SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE METHOD III (Mezzo)
A major focus of SW4010 is on the development and utilization of communication, relationships and group membership skills. Instructed BSW students to become familiar with planning group, clarifying a group purpose, and assessing process and outcome.
This course incorporates content on types of groups, group development, problem-solving and decision making in groups. It also explores the interaction between groups and systems with their external environment
SW4020 - SOCIAL WORK MACRO THEORY AND PRACTICE
The course focuses on content relevant to the context in which macro practice occurs, i.e. neighborhoods and communities, organizations, and the legislative arena. Instructed BSW students to develop an understanding and appreciation of the reciprocal relationships people have with the larger social systems in which they live. Students were presented with information about building and managing power and human resources, planning, marketing, developing organizations, advocacy, taking action and evaluating change.
SW7050 - FOUNDATION GROUP THEORY AND PRACTICE
The course uses an ecological systems perspective by instructing MSW students to examine mezzo theories that guide social work assessments and that provides the overarching framework for group work practice in social work.
Research Assistant
Under the supervision of the Principle Investigator (PI) and in collaboration with researchers at Wayne State University and affiliated organizations, worked on a variety of research projects.
TEAM:
-attended team planning and reporting meetings
-prepared necessary results reports for team input and recommendations
-managed interview lists and coordinated interview schedule for field interviews in Denver, CO
COMMUNITY COORDINATION & MANAGEMENT:
-coordination with non-profit for data entry
-attended team meetings in community organization to determine research goals and agenda
QUANTITATIVE:
-Survey design, launch, and implementation using Zoomerang with subsequent analysis of using SPSS.
-Integration of research questions and agenda in to non-profit intake and assessment forms
-Data collection for non-profit to evaluate grant funded program
-Use of SPSS
QUALITATIVE:
-conducted individual and group interviews in the field: Denver, CO.
-transcription of group and individual interviews
-examination of open-ended questions and integration from multiple sources to identify themes and trends in responses
-use of NVivo9 and AtlasTI.