Office: WRNH 2130 | Phone: (308) 865-8741 | Email: younesm@unk.edu
Dr. Maha Younes is the Associate Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Engagement at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. In her role, she highlights the critical role of campus engagement and lifelong learning to support faculty and staff innovation and enhance the retention and success of all students. As a servant leader, she is dedicated to cultivating an environment where people feel empowered to thrive. Her approach is rooted in the ecological systems theory, emphasizing the interconnectedness of people and their environments, and employing holistic strategies to address their needs.
With over twenty years of experience in mental health, more than thirty years as a social work educator, and fifteen years of departmental leadership, she is in constant pursuit of sustainable impacts. She founded the International Social Work Experiences program, which studied social policies in Israel, China, Australia, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and South Korea. She was selected as a Fulbright Scholar to Thailand & Myanmar and taught a Substance Abuse and Addictions course in South Korea.
A passionate advocate for rural communities, Dr. Younes works to expand access to higher education opportunities and mental health services. Her past legislative efforts advanced graduate social work education in Central and Western Nebraska, secured funding for scholarships, and contributed to the professionalization of child welfare in the state. Dr. Younes supported the development of the Behavioral Health Education Center in Central Nebraska and collaborated to secure grant funding to promote mental health literacy on campus and addressing the behavioral health workforce shortage.
Dr. Younes’s dedication to service and advocacy has earned her various awards including the 2019 UNO Alumni Award for Excellence in Public Service, the UNK 2018 Leland Holdt/Security Mutual Life Insurance Company Distinguished Faculty Award, the NASW 2009 Nebraska Social Worker of the Year, the 1999 Governor’s Recognition Award for Commitment to Nebraska’s Children, and the 1985 Outstanding Young Woman of America.
Witt, H., Younes, M., Goldblatt, H., & Franklin, C. (2022). Examining Social Work Students Knowledge of and Attitudes about Abortion. Affilia: p.88610992110682-https://doi.org/10.1177/08861099211068241.
Younes, M., Goldblatt, H., Witt, H., & Franklin, C. (2021). A call to action: Addressing ambivalence and promoting advocacy for reproductive rights in social work education. Journal of Social Work Education, DOI: 10.1080/10437797.2021.1895930
Witt, H., Franklin, C., Goldblatt, H., & Younes, M. (2019). Self-determination and abortion access: A pro-choice perspective on the international social work code of ethics. In S. M. Marson, & R. E. McKinney (Eds.). Handbook of Social Work Ethics and Values. Routledge Publishing.
Younes, M. & Van Laningham, J. (2017). In the hot seat: Teaching students through experience with self-help groups. Journal of Baccalaureate Social Work, 22 (1). 163-179.
Younes, M. (2015). Grief and bereavement in Israel: Jewish, Muslim, and Christian Perspectives. In J. Cacciatore, & J. DeFrain (Eds.). Death and grief from a cultural perspective. Springer Publishing Co.
Younes, M. & Klein, S. A. (2014). The international adoption experience: Do they live happily ever after? Adoption Quarterly, 17 (1). 65-83. DOI: 10.1080/10926755.2014.875090.
Younes, M. (2013). Contextualizing oppression and family violence in Israel. In S. Asay, J. DeFrain, M. Metzger, B. Moyer (Eds.), Family violence from a global Perspective: A strengths-based approach. Sage Publications.
Younes, M. (2011). Unveiling prostitution and human trafficking in Israel. In R. L. Dalla, J. DeFrain, Baker, L., and C. Williamson (Eds.), Global perspective of prostitution and sex trafficking (Vol.1: Africa, Middle East, Asia, and Oceania). Lanham, MD: Lexington Publishers, Inc.
Younes, M., & Killip, E. (2010). Forever changed: The transformation of rural American through immigration. Contemporary Rural Social Work, (2). 1-16.
Younes, M. (2007). The resilience of families in Israel: Understanding their struggles and appreciating their strengths. In J. DeFrain & S. Asay (Eds.), Strong families around the world: Strengths-based research and perspective (pp. 101-117). Binghamton, N.Y: Haworth.
Younes, M. (2007). The resilience of families in Israel: Understanding their struggles and appreciating their strengths. Marriage and Family Review, 41(1/2). 101-117.
Younes, M., & Harp, M. (2007). Addressing the impact of foster care on biological children and their families. Child Welfare Journal, 86(4). 21-40.
Asay, S. M., Younes, M. N., & Moore, T. (2006). The cultural transformation model: Promoting cultural competence through international study experiences. In R. R. Hamon (Ed.)., International family studies: Developing curricula and teaching tools (pp. 85-99). New York: Haworth Press, Inc.
Younes, M.N., & Asay, S. M. (2003). The world as a classroom: The impact of international study tours on students. College Teaching, 51(4), 141-147.
Younes, M. (Spring, 2003). Coming full circle: Putting advocacy ethics into action. The New Social Worker, 10 (2). 8-9.
Younes, M., & Asay, S.M. (1998). Resilient women: How female graduate students negotiate their multiple roles. College Students Journal, 32(3).
Younes, M. (1996). The gatekeeping dilemma in undergraduate social work programs: Collision of ideal and reality. International Social Work, 41(2).
