Scott Coble, MSW, LMSW, is a faculty member in the Department of Social Work at Middle Tennessee State University and a PhD student in the School of Social Work at Saint Louis University. His teaching and scholarship are informed by lived experience shaped through trauma and recovery. He has published on minority rights, educational access for incarcerated individuals, and behavioral health disparities among sexual minority adults with substance use disorder. His current research focuses on theory-driven approaches to mentorship in higher education, with particular attention to empowerment, belonging, self-efficacy, and student persistence. He has also received grant funding to support the development of high-impact learning initiatives and experiential learning opportunities, including open educational resources designed to enhance student engagement and access. Additional scholarly interests include social work sustainability and innovative approaches to student success. As a former clinician, he continues to draw on his practice experience to inform his teaching and research.

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Textbooks
Coble, S., & Dotson, C. L. (in preparation). Introduction to substance use and misuse. Middle Tennessee State University.

Book Chapters
Dotson, C. L., & Coble, S. (accepted for publication). Reflection as resistance: A justice-centered framework for transformative social work education. In Teaching for Transformation: Embedding Justice and Sustainability in the Social Work Curriculum.

Coble, S., & Dotson, C. L. (in press). Building connection through sustainability: A three-week team learning module for social work education. In S. V. Ouedraogo, C. Gyan, & A. Taiwo (Eds.), Social Work and Sustainability: An Inseparable Relationship to the Natural World.

Journal Articles
Coble, S. (2024). LGBTQ rights policy analysis. Scientia et Humanitas: A Journal of Student Research, 14(1), 94–106. https://libjournals.mtsu.edu/index.php/scientia/article/view/2491

Manuscripts Under Review
Story, C. R., Dotson, C. L., Coble, S., Ekundayo, O., Dopwell, D., Weakley, A., & Dixon, L. (2026). Building community capacity (BCC) project to address mental illness in the context of COVID-19. Manuscript submitted for publication to Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action.

Policy Reports & Other Publications
Stickle, B., Coble, S., & Schuster, S. S. (2025). Futures reclaimed: The power of education in prisons. Mackinac Center for Public Policy. https://www.mackinac.org/s2024-13

Manuscripts in Preparation
Coble, S., Dotson, C. L., & Smith, C. M. (2026, in preparation). P.O.W.E.R. mentorship program development: An exploratory assessment of student support, belonging, and mentorship needs in undergraduate social work education.

Coble, S., Vaughn, M., & Chen, J. (2026, in preparation). Access without adequacy: Psychological distress and unmet mental health need among sexual minority adults with substance use disorder.

Coble, S. (2026, in preparation). Empowerment-structured mentorship: A critical review and conceptual framework.

Coble, S., Dotson, C. L., & Smith, C. M. (in preparation). Building mentorship pathways in BSW education: Preparing students for an evolving profession.

Dotson, C. L., Coble, S., & Smith, C. M. (in preparation). Critical pedagogy in contested times: A case report from a BSW capstone seminar course.

Dotson, C. L., Postlethwait, A., Sullenberger, S., & Coble, S. (in preparation). DEI field preparation manual.

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Presenter — National Conferences
Coble, S. (2026, April 13–15). From crisis to calling: Rebuilding a life through resilience and recovery [Workshop presentation]. ResilienceCon 2026, Nashville, TN.

Coble, S., Dotson, C. L., & Smith, C. M. (2026, February 26–28). Building mentorship pathways in BSW education: Preparing students for an evolving profession [Workshop presentation]. 43rd Annual BPD Conference: Social Work Education in a Time of Accelerated Change, New Orleans, LA.

Dotson, C. L., & Coble, S. (2026, February 26–28). Transforming BSW curriculum through experiential learning: A multi-model response to rapid change [Workshop presentation]. 43rd Annual BPD Conference: Social Work Education in a Time of Accelerated Change, New Orleans, LA.

Story, C., Dotson, C. L., Dopwell, D., Townsend, J., Coble, S., & Weakly, A. (2024, October 27–30). Building community trust and capacity for mental health through culturally appropriate assessment [Poster presentation]. American Public Health Association Annual Meeting & Expo, Minneapolis, MN.

Contributor — National Conferences
Gibson, D., Dotson, C. L., Coble, S., & Robinson, S. (2024, March 6–10). The impact of religion on attitudes towards LGBTQ+ inclusion with child adoption [Workshop presentation]. 41st Annual BPD Conference, New Orleans, LA.

Gibson, D., Dotson, C. L., & Coble, S. (2022, November 10–13). African Americans’ plight from Civil Rights to DEI in society: The importance of self-care [Workshop presentation]. Council on Social Work Education 68th Annual Program Meeting, Anaheim, CA.

Presenter — Regional Conferences
Coble, S. (2024, September 26–27). Inclusive substance use disorder recovery: Advancing equity for LGBTQ individuals [Workshop presentation]. 6th Annual East Tennessee State University Equity and Inclusion Conference, Johnson City, TN.

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