Professor Jim Smalley, who directs the social work program at SMSU, juggles teaching, serving as a Marshall Food 4 Kids organization board member, and participating in both the Minnesota School Social Workers Association and National Association of Social Workers. All of this while married and raising children, so it is no wonder he is preparing to take a sabbatical soon.  

Whatever the case, Smalley loves his work as the program director. He said, “seeing graduates in the social work field as professionals and knowing that I was able to help them get to that point” motivates him. Smalley is gratified at the high rate of SMSU social work student success, with 80% competency for licensure and 99% job placement after graduation. 

Smalley will be taking a sabbatical for the Fall of 2025, where he will continue the focus on SMSU students with the creation of a Master of Social Work program.  

This is the kind of thing he wants his legacy to be. “I want to know that I impacted at least one person,” Smalley said. The BSW program at SMSU has seen an increased and maintained retention rate from 67% to 69.5% since Smalley became a professor and department head in 2017. 

A 28-year resident of Marshall, Smalley started his career at SMSU in 2005 as an adjunct professor before getting his Ph.D. He has also taught at Minnesota State University Mankato for four years.  

While accomplishing a BSW, LISW licensure, and obtaining a Ph.D., the journey had many obstacles, the biggest being getting his doctorate.  

Smalley was living in Marshall and raising three children with his wife while pursuing his Ph.D. two hours away at Mankato State University. Smalley had to rent an apartment in Mankato and stay overnight three days a week, which he says was one of the toughest obstacles to overcome. 

As the youngest of six children, Smalley knows a good deal about family dynamics. He describes his upbringing in a Catholic home as “traditional…But!” He said his family lived a typical Midwest life, and his father was a doctor. Although they kept up appearances, he said, Smalley’s father struggled with alcoholism, which helps him connect with people in similar situations. 

Smalley credits one of the most defining moments of his life as being an experience he had at 15 years old. One of his older sisters worked at a group home for people with disabilities, and one of the clients was both blind and deaf. This sparked the discovery of a world of communication between people that he had not even realized existed. The experience, along with his sister telling him about the field, drove his desire to enter the social work profession. 

Some advice that Smalley would give to students or people considering an education and later career in social work is, “go to class and ask questions.” He would also tell new and prospective students to “read more,” as this will help in their long-term success in social work.