Rate My Professor Michelle Livermore

Michelle Livermore, LMSW, PhD, serves as Director and Janet D. & Hermann Moyse III Professor of Social Work at Louisiana State University School of Social Work. She holds a BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders (1991), MSW in Social Work (1994), and PhD in Sociology with a minor in Social Work (2000), all from LSU, complemented by studies in the International Student Exchange Program at Universiteit Utrecht, The Netherlands (1990-1991). Livermore began her professional career as Research Associate at LSU's Community University Partnership, Human Services Research Unit (1994-1998), coordinating community outreach and contract research. From 2000 to 2004, she was Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University College of Social Work, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in practice, policy, and research, chairing curriculum groups, and coordinating study abroad in India. Returning to LSU in 2004 as Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work, she advanced to Associate Professor in 2010 and full Professor in 2023. She developed the Bachelor of Social Work program, directed the MSW program (2012-2014), led community-university partnerships, and teaches PhD and MSW courses in macro social work practice, policy, research methods, and generalist practice. Currently, she serves as Vice Chair of Programs for the Association of Community Organization and Social Action.

Her research specializes in the intersection between social and economic activities and outcomes among low-resource populations, applying a social development approach to community development and social policy. Key interests encompass internet technology as opportunity and barrier, alternative financial service use, work program outcomes, employment barriers, informal employment, civic engagement, community social capital, and inter-organizational collaboration. Livermore co-edited Handbook of Social Policy (1st ed. 2000 with J. Midgley and M. Tracy; 2nd ed. 2009 with J. Midgley). Selected publications include Livermore et al., 'Organizational Social Media Use and Community Social Capital: Disparities by Poverty and Racial Composition' (Journal of Poverty, 2022); Chen & Livermore, 'The Negative Association between Alternative Financial Services Usage and Financial Well-being: Variations by Income' (Social Work Research, 2020); Livermore et al., 'Predicting Material Hardship: An Income and Resource Packaging Model' (Journal of Social Service Research, 2014); and earlier works on EITC recipients, social capital in India, and developmental social work. Awards include LSU Rainmaker (2008), Heberle Graduate Student Award (1999), Regents Scholar Award (1991), and LSU Honors Scholarship (1987-1991). She has contributed editorially as Book Review Editor for Social Development Issues (2010-2013) and served extensively on LSU committees, Faculty Senate, and promotion/tenure panels.