Pier Cicerelle, LSW, MSW, DSW
Assistant Professor
PCicerelle@wcupa.edu
Degrees
- BA Anthropology: Penn State University
- MSW: West Chester University
- DSW: The University of Pennsylvania
"The educator has the duty of not being neutral" - Paulo Freire
Main areas of interest
- Social work practice in medical settings
- Social Determinants of Health, ACEs, and Trauma-informed care
- Educational gag orders and academic freedom
- Inclusivity, representation, and social justice issues within the LGBTQ+ community including LGBTQ+ healthcare
Bio
Dr. Cicerelle's background in cultural anthropology drives her commitment to examining how power, culture, and social context shape social work practice and ethics. With 15 years in emergency rooms and trauma ICUs, she has supported individuals and families facing crisis after illness, accidents, interpersonal violence, and suicidality. Her teaching and scholarship orient students to advanced practice through an anti-oppressive and anti-capitalist lens, emphasizing intersectionality, harm reduction, and community care. Her dissertation explored the relationship between community-level ACEs and adherence to preventive healthcare. Her current research focuses on inequities within the social work licensure process and the growing threats to academic freedom in social work education.