At Case Western Reserve University’s Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, a group of passionate students is quietly making a powerful impact. Through the Survivor Link + Public Health AmeriCorps program, these students have contributed thousands of service hours focused solely on addressing domestic violence—providing real help, raising awareness and building stronger, safer communities.
Now finishing its third year at the Mandel School, the Survivor Link program has grown into a robust and meaningful training experience:
- 13-member cohort in 2025
- Provided 8,775 service hours over the course of the 2024–25 academic year
- Completed 39 domestic violence trainings, building the knowledge and skills to support survivors and advocate for prevention in a wide range of public health settings
Survivor Link began in Arizona State University's Office of Gender-Based Violence to provide social workers the skills to implement evidence-based domestic violence intervention and support healthy relationships. Through funding from AmeriCorps and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Survivor Link expanded to 14 universities across 11 states with 136 members.
Guided by Professor and Co-Director of the Center on Trauma and Adversity Megan Holmes and Associate Professor Laura Voith, Mandel School students have become part of a national effort to address domestic violence as a public health crisis—delivering direct service, education and outreach in partnership with community organizations.
As we prepare for a new academic year, the Mandel School is now recruiting for the next Survivor Link AmeriCorps cohort. Students who join will become part of a nationwide network dedicated to promoting safety, resilience and healing for survivors of domestic violence.
The Survivor Link AmeriCorps program provided me with valuable information that I was able to bring back to my field placement. I had the opportunity to share knowledge (e.g., an evidence-based intervention that supports individuals experiencing domestic violence) that even experienced professionals were not yet aware of, which felt incredibly rewarding. It was empowering to introduce new insights that will benefit both staff and clients.
This experience also supported my professional growth—learning something new, then figuring out how to teach it to others and present it with confidence helped me build essential skills for my future career. I aspire to be a clinical social worker who is grounded in evidence-based practice and deeply passionate about research, and this program was a meaningful step toward that goal.
I could not be more grateful to the professors at Arizona State University who lead the program, as well as to Dr. Holmes and Dr. Voith at the Mandel School for supporting me and my fellow students in this work.
— Emily Axner, 2025 Cohort
Learn more about the SurvivorLink AmeriCorps program and apply today