Convocation Speaker Laura Lewis Tuesday, June 18, 2024, 10:00 a.m.
in 1919 after the First World War to respond to the needs of “shell shocked” veterans. The pursuit of this doctoral degree allowed her to deepen the mastery of her clinical social work skills and fostered the development of her research skills and interests, which ultimately led to securing a post-doctoral research position with the Centre for Studies in Family Medicine in London. She travelled the province of Ontario interviewing doctors and other primary health team members, researching primary health care teamwork as the province transitioned to a team- based model in primary health care delivery. Her doctoral research, however, established her research agenda upon her academic appointment, which has remained in the area of grief and bereavement. She has written and presented more than 65 journal articles, conference presentations and book chapters. Her doctoral research focused on the Use of Objects in Mourning by Midlife Daughters who had lost their mothers, and subsequent research and other published contributions have focused on Communication at the End of Life , Grief Rituals and Legacy , Bereavement Support Groups for Men , with autoethnographic offerings exploring Mothering Adolescent Daughters, Mothering and Social Work , and Secular Pilgrimage to Vimy Ridge and the Menin Gate . She and her husband reside in London with a very bossy brown tabby cat and are adjusting to their “empty nest” transitioning homelife, as their adult daughter and son are off pursuing their own academic, relational and employment goals in Toronto. Laura is particularly honoured to have this opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the efforts and accomplishments of this King’s graduating class of 2024 and wishes each King’s graduate much happiness and success in their unfolding lives.
Laura Lewis is an Associate Professor at King’s University College in the School of Social Work. She completed a Bachelor of Social Work degree at King’s University College over 30 years ago. After working in child protection at a Children’s Aid Society, she went on to earn her Master of Social Work degree at the University of Windsor. Her master’s degree facilitated a transition to a community counseling position at a Family Service organization. There she provided counselling services for many years to individuals, families, and groups, specializing in understanding, witnessing, and positively facilitating the impacts of traumatic life circumstances, intimate partner violence and sexual violence/incest. Her many years providing counseling services taught her a great deal about the human capacity to overcome adversity and guided her to a deep understanding of the resiliency in the human spirit. Laura continued to pursue education and had her doctoral degree conferred from Smith College, one of the oldest Schools of Social Work in North America. Smith College School of Social Work was established
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