Karen V. Harper-Dorton
Division of Social Work Chair and Professor
Principal Investigator, Title IV-E Child Welfare Project
Dr. Harper-Dorton joined the faculty in 1993 as Dean of the former School of Social Work and served as Director of the Beatrice Ruth Burgess Center for West Virginia Families and Communities from 1999 to 2007. She is Principal Investigator of the Public Social Services Education and Training Project: Multi-Level Training for Child Welfare Professionals in West Virginia, a Title IV-E funded project. Dr. Harper-Dorton teaches BSW and MSW coursework and is active in numerous professional organizations, as well as the West Virginia Social Work Educational Consortium.
Her professional practice experience in child welfare, health care, and mental health settings inform her research agenda in child welfare, group treatment, and social work practice with rural and disadvantaged populations. Throughout her teaching career in Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia, Dr. Harper-Dorton accumulated an impressive record of forty funded research and training awards. She is coauthor of four books and has published over sixty professional articles and book chapters. Dr. Harper-Dorton has presented at numerous national and international conferences and serves as a consultant for funded projects and grant development.
Contact Information
- Office – 111 Knapp Hall
- Phone – 304.293.5580
- Fax – 304.293.5936
- Email – karen.harper-dorton@mail.wvu.edu
Education
- PhD, Social Work, Ohio State University
- MA, Public Administration, Ohio State University
- MSW, West Virginia University
Research Interests
- Role of funding and technology in nonprofit agencies
- Cross-Cultural Social Work Practice
- Family Caregiving
- Child Welfare
- Rural Social Work
Professional Societies
- Child Welfare League of America
- Council on Social Work Education
- National Rural Social Work Caucus
- National Association of Social Workers
