Jeffry Thigpen

B.S., Indiana University; M.S.W., Wayne State University; Ph.D., University of Chicago

Bio:

Jeffry W. Thigpen, Ph.D., M.S.W., is associate professor of Social Work at Methodist University.  He currently serves as Head of the Human Services Division in the College of Health Sciences and Human Services and Director of the Social Work program. At Methodist, Dr. Thigpen teaches research methods, social welfare policy, and human behavior and development.  His research explores normative sexual behavior and development in pre-adolescent children.  Dr. Thigpen has received internal and external funding for his research and has disseminated the findings of his research at national and international conferences and in disciplinary and interdisciplinary scholarly journals.  He has also received several national awards for his research and scholarship.  Dr. Thigpen is a member of the editorial board of Advances in Social Work, an open access scholarly journal committed to enhancing the linkage among social work practice, research, and education.  He has also served as an accreditation site visitor for the Council on Social Work Education, the national association representing social work education in the United States.  Prior to his appointment at Methodist, Dr. Thigpen was a member of the faculty in the School of Social Work at Indiana University.  At Indiana, he held several leadership roles to include BSW Program Director, Senior MSW Program Director, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and interim Dean.  Dr. Thigpen earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from Indiana University, a Master of Social Work degree from Wayne State University, and a doctoral degree in Social Work from the University of Chicago.