Florida State University’s College of Social Work held its annual Scholarship and Awards dinner for 2025, where six alumni were recognized for their achievements and more than 90 students received scholarships.
The college awarded over $109,625 in scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students. The recipients have interests ranging from child welfare to international social work and services for military veterans.
This year marked the introduction of the Dean’s Award, created to honor individuals or groups who have contributed significantly to the college’s mission of enhancing well-being, building community, and shaping policy. The inaugural Dean’s Award was presented to the MSW Class of 1975. According to the university, “The MSW Class of 1975 not only endowed a scholarship to represent its class, but members of this class have endowed four additional scholarships.” Members of this class were also recognized for their contributions to society and human rights over five decades.
The Distinguished Emeritus Alumni Award went to Doby Flowers (BS ’71, MS ’73), a Tallahassee native who became Florida State University’s first African American homecoming queen in 1970. She is known for preserving the Magnolia Leaf House in Thomasville, Georgia, which now operates as a bed and breakfast. Flowers joined her brother at his law firm in 1997 and co-founded FSU’s Civil Rights Institute.
Oluremi “Remi” Abiodun (MSW/JD ’21) received the Distinguished Young Alumni Award. She works at the Vera Institute of Justice on reforms related to violent crime and mass incarceration. Previously she worked with children facing life sentences at the Louisiana Center for Children’s Rights.
Karen Sowers (MSW ’77, Ph.D. ’86) was honored with the Distinguished Social Work Educator Alumni Award. Sowers is professor emerita at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville College of Social Work and has served in several leadership roles during her career. Her research covers topics such as juvenile justice and evidence-based social work practice.
Matthew “Matt” Claps (MSW ’00) received the Distinguished Social Work Practice Alumni Award. He leads Matthew Claps Consulting, LLC and will soon serve as executive director at Child Welfare Policy and Practice Group. Claps has worked across government agencies and non-profits focusing on child welfare systems improvement.
Gwynn Virostek (MSW ’22) earned the Distinguished Social Policy and Administration Alumni Award. After a long banking career that included an executive role at Washington Mutual integrating operations across branches nationwide, Virostek now serves as president and CEO at Capital City Youth Services in Tallahassee. She volunteers as a Guardian ad Litem in Florida and supports family literacy initiatives through philanthropy.
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