School of Social Work

Prior to coming to VCU full-time, Qasarah served as adjunct faculty for the VCU School of Social Work (starting in 2019) and as a field instructor (starting in 2010). Previous undergraduate and graduate courses taught include Person in Society I/Writing Intensive; Social Work Practice with Individuals, Groups, and Families I & II; Human Behavior and the Social Environment I & II; Foundations of Research in Social Work Practice; Social Work & Social Justice (now Power, Privilege and Oppression); and Social Work Practice in Organizations and Communities for Advance Standing Students.

Most recently, Qasarah served as the lower school administrator for Anna Julia Cooper Episcopal School in Richmond. She formerly served full-time as principal of Richmond Prep. The focus for her leadership in this role was developing teacher leaders who are skilled in practices grounded in equity, social and emotional learning, and trauma-informed practices. She also served as the school's director of admissions and assistant principal.

A macro practitioner, Qasarah has a unique career experience that highlights her commitment to equity, accountability, and public and private education. As program director for Embrace Richmond, Qasarah coached indigenous community leaders in under-resourced communities using asset-based community development principles. She nurtured partner relationships with area churches, local public agencies and private organizations in support of initiatives spearheaded by indigenous leaders. As program director for the Micah Association, she cultivated collaborations between faith-community volunteers and Richmond Public Schools. She created the Year End Snapshot, an outcome evaluation measure for reporting to Richmond Public Schools and the Micah Board, and a volunteer handbook as a guide for new and long-time volunteers.

Qasarah served as a trained facilitator in the first cohort for Unpacking the 2010 Census, a public education process designed to examine the intersectional realities of race, class, education and jurisdiction in metropolitan Richmond and to mobilize community support for action. She led curriculum development and andragogy as part of the founding faculty of the Koinonia School of Race & Justice at Richmond Hill. As founding dean of the school for two years, Qasarah worked to equip participants to address issues of racism and injustice individually, inter-relationally and within society. She created a University Fellows program as a faculty/staff member of Seven Hills School for Boys (Richmond). The University Fellows program was designed to expose aspiring college majors in education and social work with an alternative learning model – learning through relationship as envisioned by Dr. David Dorsey.

Qasarah has earned the Bachelor of Social Work degree from Norfolk State University, the Master of Divinity and the Master of Social Work from the School of Theology at Virginia Union University and Virginia Commonwealth University, and the Doctor of Educational Leadership from Virginia Commonwealth University. Her doctoral studies centered on best practices for social and emotional learning programs at the middle school level. She has also completed the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute's Minority Political Leadership Institute and the Initiatives of Change (IofC) Connecting Communities Fellowship Program where she was immersed in principles of servant-leadership, community leadership and honest dialogue.

Education and credentials

Ed.D., Virginia Commonwealth University

M.S.W., Virginia Commonwealth University

M.Div., School of Theology, Virginia Union University

B.S.W., Norfolk State University

View Qasarah Bey Spencer's curriculum vitae.