Catherine Marrs Fuchsel

Catherine Marrs Fuchsel is a Professor in the School of Social Work at the University of St. Thomas' Morrison Family College of Health. She has served for ten years in the School of Social Work and is currently beginning her third year as Director of the Doctor of Social Work program. Dr. Marrs Fuchsel teaches courses including History of Social Work, Education and Leadership Administration, Writing for Publication, and Methods of Clinical Social Work I for the Fall 2025 semester.

Her research focuses on the intervention and prevention of intimate partner violence and sexual abuse among immigrant Latinas, mental health services for the Latinx population, and culturally sensitive programs for immigrant Latina women and families. She has developed the Sí, Yo Puedo (Yes, I Can) empowerment program for immigrant Latina women in group settings, which is currently being implemented locally, nationally, and globally. Her methodological expertise includes qualitative and community-based participatory research approaches.

Her recent publications reveal a consistent focus on immigrant Latinas' experiences with violence, particularly examining how global crises like the pandemic impact access to services and support systems. The articles demonstrate her commitment to developing culturally appropriate interventions and evaluating their long-term effectiveness. Her work bridges academic scholarship with practical application in community settings, often involving collaboration with police departments and other service providers.

Dr. Marrs Fuchsel's teaching philosophy emphasizes close student-teacher relationships and cooperative learning approaches. She believes in understanding each student's unique learning style and adapting her teaching methods accordingly. Her commitment extends to developing bilingual Spanish-English social workers who can effectively serve Latinx communities.