The Social Work Opportunities for Leadership in Addiction and Recovery (SOLAR) program will graduate its inaugural cohort when the Stony Brook School of Social Welfare (SSW) hosts its annual commencement ceremony on May 20.
Nine students will earn Master of Social Work degrees through the SOLAR program, which aims to develop leadership in the addiction and recovery workforce.
A partnership between the SSW and Samaritan Daytop Village (SDV), SOLAR received initial funding from the New York Community Trust (NYCT) in 2022. The funding enabled SDV and Stony Brook to develop a program for frontline workers in SDV’s residential treatment, transitional housing, and outpatient programs to pursue graduate social work degrees – tuition-free – while continuing their vital work.
Tailored specifically for SDV employees, the SOLAR program features a customized curriculum of online courses, flexible schedules that accommodate professional commitments, and internships at SDV sites. Designed as a part-time program, student-employees complete their MSW degrees in three years.
“We are proud to celebrate the accomplishments of this first graduating class,” said Melissa J. Earle, Ph.D., LCSW, clinical associate professor and director of addiction education and online learning at the SSW.
“We urgently need programs that ensure our workforce is well-prepared to deliver substance-use services as well as mental healthcare,” Earle added. “The SOLAR program is a shining example of what’s possible when we invest in our workforce and create meaningful opportunities for growth and leadership. These graduates bring both academic expertise and lived experience to the field.”
SOLAR’s 2025 graduating cohort includes Jennifer Falu, June Hanley, Tanairi Mastarreno, Sarah March, Toi Jackson, Shirley Melendez, Magalie Levine, Lilias Edwards, and Jennifer Rodriguez. Their experiences speak to the program’s transformative impact.
“Earning my MSW expanded my skill set, deepened my understanding, and most importantly, broadened my worldview—none of which would have been possible without the SOLAR program,” said March.
“As a proud MSW graduate of 2025, I am reminded of the power of perseverance and the importance of community,” added Melendez. “Thanks to the support of SDV and the SSW, my dream became a reality. As members of the first SOLAR cohort — the ‘Solar Sisters’ — we exemplify resilience and commitment.”
This milestone represents a major step toward building a more skilled, representative, and resilient behavioral health workforce, especially in the critical area of addiction and recovery services. And for some, graduation day is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
“Since I was a little girl, I dreamed of becoming a social worker — to be the voice someone needs when they feel unheard,” shared Mastarreno. “The SOLAR program finally allowed me to make that dream come true.”
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