As a middle school teacher in the 1970s, Prof. Jeff Jenson found himself drawn to his students who took drugs, missed class or consistently ended up in the principal's office. It took him down a career path dedicated to finding out why kids get into trouble--and how that troubled behavior could be prevented.
Today, Jeff Jenson is the Philip D. and Eleanor G. Winn Professor for Children and Youth at Risk, the first endowed GSSW professorship. He received the University of Denver Distinguished Scholar Award in 2003 and the University Lecturer award in 2007.
"Jeff provides an outstanding foundation for our faculty," says GSSW Dean James Herbert William, a long-time colleague of Jenson's. "He's a terrific scholar and a terrific person."
Jenson has worked closely with GSSW's Bridge Project since 2002, when he was named Bridge Professor for Children, Youth and Families. He helps to assess the academic and behavioral progress of children and youth participating in the program, which is located in three Denver public housing neighborhoods.
Evolving interventions
Jenson's most recent project for improving the lives of young students was "Youth Matters," a federally funded anti-bullying program conducted in partnership with Denver Public Schools. Results were impressive, with bullying in participating schools reduced by 10 percent.
Although he has little time to reflect on his accomplishments, Jenson says he appreciates the recognition he's received from his colleagues and the University of Denver. But the recognition he values most, he says, lies in the children no longer teetering on the edge of society.
"It's been invigorating to see intervention evolve as a field of study," Jenson says. "I think we need to do more of that in social work."
