Habiba Ibrahim

Habiba Ibrahim is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work at St. Catherine University. She holds a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis and a PhD in Public Policy Analysis from Saint Louis University. Her research focuses on immigrant and refugee integration, economic mobility, health disparities, and racial justice in K-12 education systems. Dr. Ibrahim examines how institutions and policies impact marginalized communities, particularly low-income households and Black immigrant youth.

Her teaching portfolio includes courses on social work theory, research methods, policy analysis, and immigrant/refugee issues. She has conducted interdisciplinary research on school discipline disparities, STEM equity for minority girls, and the socio-economic impacts of pandemics on vulnerable populations. Her work has been presented at national and international conferences.

Key research themes include:

• Immigrant health practices and healthcare access
• Racialized disciplinary practices in schools
• Economic resilience strategies among African immigrants
• COVID-19's disproportionate effects on marginalized communities

Habiba's publications analyze topics like rotating savings associations among immigrants, college savings impacts on math achievement, and the intersection of policing and immigrant communities. Her research bridges policy analysis with grassroots community needs, emphasizing structural solutions to systemic inequities.