Hilary Joyce

Hilary Joyce is an Associate Professor and Director of the BASW Program at Auburn University's Department of Sociology, Anthropology & Social Work, within the College of Liberal Arts. She has been a faculty member since 2013 and teaches courses including Introduction to Social Work, History of Social Welfare, Child Welfare, and Social Work Methods I.

Her research focuses on youth development, adolescent mental health, school climate, and school-based mental health services. She has published in journals such as Social Work in Mental Health and Children & Schools, and co-authored chapters in the School Services Sourcebook. Joyce is a member of the Mental Health Education Integration Consortium (MHEDIC) and serves on the editorial board of Children & Schools.

She holds a PhD from The Ohio State University, an MSW from the University of Kentucky, and a BA from Miami University. With seven years of practice as a medical social worker at Dayton Children’s Medical Center, she brings clinical expertise to her academic work. Joyce is also involved in community initiatives, serving on the Auburn University Women’s Center Advisory Board and the Twin Cedars Child Advocacy Center Board of Directors.

Her research explores school connectedness, teacher-student relationships, and mental health interventions for adolescents. She has presented at national conferences, including the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) and the Annual Conference on Advancing School Mental Health.