From their deep-rooted passion for social justice to their unwavering dedication to helping vulnerable populations, these young social workers have been recognized with scholarships by the NASW Foundation for their devotion to the profession.
The NASW Foundation, committed to supporting social work students through its fellowships, offers financial resources to help students pursue various specialties within the field. This year, three scholarships— the Lawanna Renee Barron Scholarship, the Verne LaMarr Lyons Memorial Scholarship, and the Consuelo W. Gosnell Memorial Scholarship—were awarded to students whose work embodies compassion and action. The recipients all hail from diverse backgrounds and educational institutions. Each are committed to advancing the profession of social work.
The National Association of Social Workers Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that was founded in 2001 to support NASW’s charitable, educational and research initiatives through a wide range of projects that serve the profession, the practitioner, and the public.
Lawanna Renee Barron Scholars
Jalen Conyers, Winthrop University
Jalen Conyers was born and raised in Georgetown, South Carolina and later relocated to Hopkins, South Carolina. She graduated from the University of South Carolina Upstate, where she majored in Community Health. Jalen has always had a passion and interest in children and mental health. After graduating with her BA, she began her career as a student services coordinator at a nonprofit organization in Columbia, South Carolina. It was then that she began to discover the field of social work and her passion for social work and children/youth mental health. An NASW member, Jalen is certified as an instructor for Youth Mental Health First Aid, which is designed to teach adults how to help adolescents (age 12-18) who are experiencing mental health challenges or crises.
Jalen has always been passionate about helping others and decided that social work was a perfect combination of her love for people, her ability to be empathetic and compassionate, as well as her ability to advocate for others. After graduating from Winthrop’s MSW program, she hopes to obtain her LMSW, to contribute to improving the lives of the young people in rural South Carolina.
Gordon Culley, Minnesota State University Mankato
With a rich background in the field of human services, Gordon has dedicated himself to making a positive impact on the lives of others. Having worked as a direct support professional, he gained valuable experience in providing care and support to individuals with diverse needs.
Transitioning into the role of a mental health and substance use counselor further honed Gordon’s skills in understanding and addressing complex challenges facing those in need. Looking to the future, his aspirations are centered around conducting individual and group therapy with individuals from diverse backgrounds, with a specific focus on trauma.
2024 Verne LaMarr Lyons Scholars
Fatoumata Magassa, Columbia University
Fatoumata Magassa is a first year MSW student intending to become a forensic social worker. A native New Yorker, Fatoumata graduated from the University of Chicago in 2021 with a BA in Public Policy Studies and a specialization in criminal justice and critical race theory. Currently, Fatoumata is an advisor for the Action Lab for Social Justice at Columbia, a volunteer for Afrikana and CASA-NYC, and a committee member for Community Board 10. Fatoumata has worked and/or interned at the following organizations: The Bronx Defenders, Youth Sentencing and Reentry Project, Lawyers Without Borders, Illinois Coalition for Higher Education in Prison, Harlem Youth Court, Business & Professional People for the Public Interest, the Manhattan Borough President's Office, Dratel & Lewis, and Chicago HOPES for Kids.
During college, she served as co-president and content manager for the Bridge Writing Workshop Program, which helped participants at Cook County Jail unpack their traumatic experiences and share their narratives through various creative writing mediums.
Kim McDaniel, University of the Pacific
Social work is a career change for Kim McDaniel, a first-generation college graduate. This is after many years of serving in various administrative and program roles in education and child and youth-serving government agencies. Born and raised in Oakland, Calif., Kim’s experiences as an adolescent drive her commitment to provide services for youth of color, specifically African American girls and LGBTQIA+ youth residing in urban areas. Having firsthand experiences with how social determinants of health and well-being impact lives in her community, she plans to use her MSW degree to uplift and empower others. She earned a BA degree in Psychology from the University of California at Berkeley and holds a PhD from the University of Southern California.
Kim’s strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is a consistent theme throughout her work. She has conducted research on the overrepresentation of African American students in special education programs and led a women’s empowerment retreat to provide self-care and empowerment to motivate underserved women attending community college. After graduation Kim plans to become a professor of social work.
Kendall L. Straughter, University of Chicago
Kendall L. Straughter is a school administrator at The University of Chicago’s Laboratory School. He has held various leadership roles in Chicago Public Schools (CPS), including transition specialist in the Office of Incubation and Innovation, managing 106 charter schools with 60,000 students to promote equitable transitions and reduce students being unfairly dismissed from schools.
At 25, Kendall became the youngest Dean of Students in Chicago Public Schools while serving at Kenwood Academy High School. Other CPS roles included director of culture and climate, network attendance administrator, male mentor, and SEL consultant.
From 2015 to 2020, Kendall founded and operated Gifted and Talented Seven Inc. (GT7), raising more than $750,000 to mentor students in Chicago. As executive director, Kendall hosted a male summer enrichment program for boys of color. He organized and funded a trip to Ghana for the 400th Anniversary of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade for college students.
In Houston, Texas, Kendall was an Assistant Principal and Creative Director of The Black Butterfly, LLC. He established The Black Butterfly Scholarship for Mickey Leland College Prep Academy, raising $15,000 for first-generation college students.
Kendall is pursuing an MSW in Administration at The University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice. He is also the principal consultant at the Straughter Firm, LLC, an all-black-male mental health consulting firm.
Christiana Tyler, California State University, San Bernardino
Christiana Tyler is an online MSW student in the Pathways Distance Program at California State University, San Bernardino. In 2019, Christiana received her BA in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice from California State University, East Bay. While she was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, California, Ms. Tyler has spent the last nine years living in the San Francisco Bay Area. She currently works for a nonprofit organization based in Oakland that provides mental health services to youth and their families. Christiana’s personal mission is to advocate for historically disadvantaged communities and carry out social justice through a career in social work centered around criminal justice reform and providing community-based support services. Ms. Tyler desires to work with people with lived experience in the criminal justice system, individuals struggling with substance use disorder, and senior citizens, particularly within Black and Indigenous communities.
Christiana is a first-generation college student who believes in liberation and the power of education. She is a lifelong member of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology, and a member of the Bay Area Association of Black Social Workers, in addition to her membership with NASW.
2024 Consuelo W. Gosnell Scholars
Leidy Barrientos, Loyola University Chicago
Leidy Barrientos graduated from Aurora University in 2022 with a BA, majoring in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice. After a gap year, she started her career at a correctional facility, where she realized her passion for advocacy aligned more with the field of social work.
This fall Leidy will begin her second year enrolled in the clinical track at LUC. She is a first-generation college student and immigrant who was born in Guanajuato, Mexico.
She plans to work with immigrants or children of immigrants who have been sexually abused. Her hope is to be the bridge between educating parents about the signs of sexual abuse and facilitating the process of getting their children help.
Eventually, she plans to earn a doctoral degree in public policy and immerse herself in addressing the challenges and injustices that people of color face in the United States. Since her parents instilled in her the importance of education, she is driven to use her education to help individuals who have limited resources, guiding them as they lift themselves up and improve the quality of their lives.
Renee Booth, College of St. Scholastica
Renee Booth recently received her BSW from The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, Minnesota. After finishing her degree, she completed her licensure. She is currently in the MSW clinical track at The College of St. Scholastica.
In addition to her studies, Renee is completing an internship with St. Louis County Children and Families Services. She plans to start a new internship in a setting that provides treatment for co-occurring disorders, like alcohol addiction and depression, anxiety disorder and drug addiction or learning disability and mental illness.
Lisette Garcia, University of Chicago
Lisette Garcia, a Chicago native with a deep-rooted connection to her Hispanic-majority Belmont Cragin community, is currently pursuing her MSW at the University of Chicago's Crown Family School of Social Work Policy, and Practice. Lisette’s academic journey began with a full-tuition Posse Leadership scholarship to Carleton College, where she earned a BA with a double-major in Religion and Psychology.
After graduation, Lisette spent six years as an administrative assistant in a high-volume community health facility where she managed the equitable distribution of expedited referrals to providers. Lisette has also worked extensively in educational settings, teaching ESL classes to Spanish-speaking immigrants, working with high school students to improve their understanding of algebra, and providing support to children of all ages.
Most recently, she completed her first year of field placement at an addiction recovery facility, where she developed an understanding of how environmental and social stressors can influence the development and trajectory of addictions.
Lisette envisions a comprehensive and holistic approach to serving her community. She hopes to focus on providing equitable access to vital services for Chicago’s underserved Hispanic/Latino communities, ranging from healthcare to transportation.
Dulce Garcia Hernandez, Walden University
Dulce Garcia Hernandez was born in Mexico City, Mexico, and later emigrated with her parents to the United States when she was an infant. She completed her BA at Colorado State University, majoring in Clinical and Counseling Psychology. Dulce’s passion for psychology and mental health originated from witnessing and experiencing the mental health disparities in Latinx communities. She became keenly aware of Latinx individuals neglecting their mental well-being, due to poor mental health services for Spanish-speaking clients – and nonexistent services for undocumented immigrants.
From the ages of 7 to 18, Dulce was involved in the Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver where her passion for social work continued to grow. As a member, Dulce was further exposed to the disparities experienced by the youth who attended the Clubs, the majority of whom belonged to marginalized communities. After witnessing the struggles of Latinx and immigrant families, Dulce chose to focus on becoming a social worker to work with youth and their families to learn about mental health and connect them to services to improve their well-being.
Dulce is now a mental health professional with the Boys and Girls Clubs, where she runs social-emotional learning programs, does one-on-one counseling, and assists families. Dulce hopes to continue work with the Clubs to expand their outreach.
Monica Martinez, University of Houston
Monica Martinez is from Houston where they were born and raised by Mexican & Colombian immigrant parents. The youngest of five siblings, Monica is a clinical MSW candidate at the University of Houston, with anticipated graduation in May 2025. In 2020, Monica earned a BA in Sociology and a minor in Human Resource Development from UH as well. While pursuing her undergraduate degree, Monica worked as a Certified Senior Pharmacy Technician in an HIV-certified pharmacy. Monica developed a love for coaching, mental health, and forming community connections to improve collective wellness while working in a community pharmacy.
Monica works at The Menninger Clinic as an academic coordinator and program coordinator for the Baylor College of Medicine Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship (BCM APF). Through the BCM APF, works with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to manage an $800,000 grant, working with the program director to form community partnerships with underserved populations such as LGBTQ+, POC, and some pregnant/parenting persons.
Monica is a Senior Fellow with the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship of Galveston-Houston, using her expertise with the Sisters Building Sisters program. This after-school program for adolescent girls focuses on mental health, wellness, resilience, mentorship, age-appropriate reproductive health education, and harm reduction strategies.
Monica’s cultural heritage ignited an undying fire to learn about the healing power of psychedelic medicines. As an aspiring psychedelic therapist, Monica is eager to make psychedelic therapy, psychoeducation, and research more accessible to clients and communities who may benefit from these medicines.
Ana K. Olivera, Rutgers University
Ana K. Olivera is a two-time graduate from Rutgers University-Newark where she obtained a BA in public and nonprofit administration and a MA in public administration. She’s completing her trifecta at Rutgers University as an incoming student in the fall studying to earn an MSW.
As a program coordinator for The Washington Center, her daily interactions with students inspire her to push for change and motivate them to pursue professional goals at any stage of life. She is a first generation Latinx student who spotlights major barriers within her community and contributes to making a sustainable change. She hopes to bring her passion and dedication into the social work field and take part in communal change in mental health practices and norms.
Rolando Perez, Columbia University
Rolando Perez is a first-generation college student from Orange County, California. He graduated from Pitzer College in 2019, double majoring in Sociology and Spanish. Driven by his family's immigrant background, Rolando dedicated himself to various initiatives centered around immigrant rights throughout college including ESL tutoring for local day laborers, participating in protests against ICE facilities, and volunteering for the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice.
Rolando also engaged in Native initiatives on campus, contributing to participatory action research and strengthening relationships between the college and local Native communities. His passion for Native rights converged with his academic pursuits during a study abroad experience in Ecuador, where he volunteered at an Andean-Indigenous school and conducted research on Intercultural Bilingual Education.
In 2021, Rolando began his social work career with Seneca Family of Agencies’ Todo Por Mi Familia Program. He played a crucial role in locating and supporting families forcibly separated by the Zero Tolerance Policy at the US-Mexico border. He has provided case management services and trauma-informed psychoeducation to numerous families, primarily of Mayan-Indigenous descent.
Entering the second year of his MSW program at the Columbia School of Social Work, Rolando aims to leverage his academic and professional experience to advance civil and human rights for all. In the long-term, Rolando aims for a career in nonprofit management.
Roxy Sprowl, University of Michigan
Roxy Sprowl (Bezhigonoodinkwe) is a proud citizen of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe. She is a first-generation, recent graduate from Michigan State University and received her BSW in April 2024. She is currently a MSW student at the University of Michigan and is a 2024-2025 Child Welfare Program Scholar in the Advanced Standing Program.
Roxy has served several leadership roles at her alma mater, including leading an award-winning research lab on racial and ethnic representation in U.S. history textbooks, and leading the North American Indigenous Student Organization.
Outside of campus, Roxy serves as the youngest elected board member on the Michigan Indian Education Council; a national fellow for the Building Communities of Hope Fellowship with the Center for Native American Youth; a mentor for the Indigenous Youth Empowerment Program in Greater Lansing; and is a 2020 STARR Scholar and a 2023 National Udall Scholar.
Currently, Roxy is a student assistant in the Native American Affairs and Race Equity Office at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services’ Children’s Services Administration. Within her first year, she created the first ever Native Employee Resource Group at MDHHS.
As a former foster youth, Roxy is an enthusiastic advocate for Indian Child Welfare and education policy reform. Her advocacy focuses on spotlighting needs and cultural connections of Indigenous youth and communities.
Jordana Suriel, Columbia University
Jordana Suriel is Dominican American earned her BA in Sociology from Skidmore College and is pursuing her MSSW at Columbia School of Social Work, specializing in integrated practice and programming with a focus on contemporary social issues.
She is passionate about youth advocacy, equity in education, and working with systems-impacted individuals and immigrants. Her dedication to equity is both local and international, with work experience in New York City, Uganda, Guatemala, Colombia, and Spain. After graduation, she aims to work with organizations that invest in communities of color and conduct research to understand and explain criminal legal and immigration systems.
Working with communities and doing research will help with her long-term goals of connecting communities of color to mental health and educational resources. Jordana’s combination of hands-on experience, leadership, international work, and dedication to research and advocacy defines the social worker she aspires to become. Her unwavering commitment to supporting and uplifting marginalized communities is the cornerstone of her professional mission.
Jennifer Ugarte, Portland State University
Jennifer Ugarte is a second-generation Mexican American and a first-generation college graduate and graduate student. She graduated from Amherst College with a BA in psychology. She is currently pursuing her MSW at Portland State University.
Jennifer has spent more than a decade working as a domestic violence counselor, child welfare licensing specialist, and case manager at a community action agency. Currently, Jennifer is working as a direct services program coordinator at a nonprofit that strives to empower and enhance resiliency in girl-identified youth ages 10-18. She facilitates psychoeducational groups in schools and leads after-school groups like Latinx Comunidad y Charla, which was specifically created to serve Spanish-speaking Latinx youth. Next year, she will be a clinical intern where she will provide individual therapy to bilingual students in schools while working with the therapy program to create a waitlist management tool that will prioritize underserved communities.
Jennifer believes that social injustice drives mental health inequities, and it is important to have mental health providers who can speak the same language and who have an empathetic cultural understanding. Jennifer believes that you can’t help someone heal without understanding the broader societal systems and structures that they have grown up in and how that has influenced them. She is excited to continue her work with the Latinx community and become a bilingual and bicultural licensed clinical social worker.
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW), in Washington, DC, is the largest membership organization of professional social workers. It promotes, develops, and protects the practice of social work and social workers. NASW also seeks to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through its advocacy.
The National Association of Social Workers Foundation (NASWF) is a charitable organization created to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through the advancement of social work practice.
For more information, email NASW Director of Communications Greg Wright at gwright.nasw@socialworkers.org