September 10, 1996 For Immediate Release

September is synonomous with 'back-to-school' and two University of Northern British Columbia graduates from Mackenzie have swapped the role of student for the position of teacher.

Liana Grant (Education) and Jackie Stokes (Social Work) recently became members of the first group of students to complete the requirements for a UNBC masters degree. Ms Grant's major research project identifies how the resilient capacities and characteristics of adult males enabled them to overcome childhood sexual abuse. Her paper examines the work of an Australian family therapist whose approach has been used successfully to help people overcome problems such as eating disorders, schizophrenia, and sexual abuse.

Ms Stokes' research project acknowledges a shift in social service delivery from government ministries to non-profit, community-based agencies, and her thesis asks how quality can be measured in community-based human services. To answer the question, she interviewed service providers and clients in three northern BC communities, and found that quality was defined in terms of accessibility, effectiveness, openness, and acceptability.

Liana Grant is now teaching alternate education classes at Mackenzie Secondary and Jackie Stokes is a UNBC Social Work instructor in Quesnel.

The Social Work and Education programs are UNBC's two most popular graduate program offerings.