Biography
Shikeal Harris is an Assistant Professor and Assistant MSW Program Director in the Marshall University Social Work Department, where he also serves as the Admissions and Recruitment Coordinator. He holds a BSW and MSW from Marshall University and an MBA from Northern Kentucky University, with a concentration in Human Resource Management and Leadership. Currently pursuing a Doctorate in Social Work at the University of Alabama, Mr. Harris is passionate about child and adolescent mental health, leadership, and culturally responsive clinical practice.
Since joining the faculty in 2021, Mr. Harris has drawn on nearly a decade of direct social work experience in foster care, behavioral health, and substance use treatment. He continues to practice as a therapist in both university and private settings and is working toward independent licensure (LICSW) and Registered Play Therapist (RPT) certification.
Mr. Harris teaches a range of MSW courses, including Human Behavior in the Social Environment, Advanced Practice with Children and Adolescents, Administrative Practice in Behavioral Health, and Policy Practice. His scholarly interests focus on the relational perspective in clinical practice, play-based interventions, and transformative leadership in social work education. He has coordinated major behavioral health grant initiatives and has been a featured speaker on panels and podcasts highlighting minority mental health and behavioral health workforce development.
Deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of practitioners, Mr. Harris actively supports student leadership as an advisor to the Phi Alpha Honor Society and the MU Student Social Welfare Organization. His work centers on promoting mental wellness, advancing equity, and strengthening the behavioral health pipeline in underserved communities.