Ilan Kwon

Ilan Kwon serves as Assistant Professor of Social Work at Our Lady of the Lake University, conducting research at the intersection of aging populations and mental healthcare systems with emphasis on vulnerable demographic groups.

His academic credentials include:

• PhD in Social Work from Michigan State University
• Master of Social Work from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
• Master of Arts in Child Psychology and Education from Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea
• Bachelor of Arts in Child Psychology and Education from Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Korea

Research spans gerontological social work with critical focus on multimorbidity challenges, dementia care pathways, substance abuse in aging cohorts, and social determinants impacting minority elders. His work integrates cultural humility frameworks to address intimate partner violence, help-seeking barriers, and gerontechnology adoption while examining intergenerational dynamics in immigrant communities.

Professional recognition includes:

• OLLU Hearst Research Awards

Dr. Kwon maintains active leadership through key affiliations:

• Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work
• Council on Social Work Education
• Gerontological Society of America
• Society for Social Work Research

His pedagogical approach centers on cultivating professional identity formation, establishing culturally humble classroom environments, and bridging research-practice-policy gaps for future social work practitioners.