Dr. Cathy Beck-Cross

Title: Associate Prof of Social Work & Program Dir
Dept.: Social Work
Office: Rasmussen Center 130
Phone: (515) 263-2969
Email: cbeck-cross @ grandview.edu

Prior to joining Grand View in 2013, Dr. Beck-Cross practiced individual, family, and community social work in the areas of mental health, substance abuse, child protection, and pre K-12 public education.

Educational Background

  • B.S. in Psychology from Iowa State University (1982)
  • M.S.W. in Social Work from University of Iowa (1997)
  • Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Drake University (2012)

GV Start Date

  • August 19, 2013

Areas of Expertise

  • Predictors of adolescent suicidal behaviors
  • Community organization
  • Program development and project management
  • Suicide prevention and postvention
  • Grant writing

Certificates

  • Licensed Master Social Worker, State of Iowa
  • Family Development Specialist, University of Iowa
  • Certificate of Nonprofit Management, Iowa State University
  • Critical Incident Stress Management (individual, group), American Red Cross
  • Tregoe, basic and advanced processes training

Honors & Awards

  • Distinguished Research Award, Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association, Iowa City, IA, December 2013
  • Selected for Early Career Faculty & Researchers Mentoring Seminar at the American Educational Research Association conference, Philadelphia, PA, April 2014
  • Phi Alpha Honor Society, University of Iowa

Research

  • Micro- and Macrosystem Predictors of High School Male Suicidal Behaviors, accepted for publication in October 2015 Children & Schools (NASW Press). Advance publication available electronically August 6, 2015. Conducted in partnership with Dr. Robyn Cooper, Drake University.

Personal Interests

  • Traveling (my motto is "anywhere clean and safe")
  • Eating at ethnic restaurants (and practicing cooking of various cuisines)
  • Yoga
  • Baking decadent cheesecakes

Questions & Answers

What makes Grand View unique among other universities?
Students at Grand View get the personal attention they need to be successful both as students and as future practitioners in their future fields.
What is your favorite part about working at Grand View?
I appreciate the opportunity to develop positive and supportive relationships with students, and see them grow and change over the course of their educational journey. It is amazing to watch students develop into future colleagues. 
Cathy Beck-Cross