“I am a Licensed Master of Social Work working as a Counselor for STARS Nashville. STARS is an agency with the mission of providing access to mental health services through hope, health, connection, and compassion to students in the Metro Nashville Public School system. I carry a caseload of 30-50 students in an elementary school in which I provide individual and group counseling to students, while also responding to crises within the school.”

“I find being a social worker in the school setting to be rewarding through building relationships with students and being able to use psychoeducation to teach students and their parents healthy coping skills. While being a social worker is rewarding, it does come with challenges like finding unique ways to support students. Through these challenges, I am reminded of how each student is uniquely created by God.”

“My education from Franciscan has been invaluable to my career as a social worker. I was provided opportunities to go outside of my comfort zone and learn new things. The professors at Franciscan bring so much knowledge from their careers, creating students who are trauma-informed social workers who use evidence-based practices to support diverse populations. Franciscan not only formed me academically but spiritually through household life, ministries on campus, and mission trips. Through my classes, extracurriculars, and life-long friendships, Franciscan gave me all the tools needed to go out into the world and be a successful social worker. Having worked in the field these last few years I can recognize that social work is more than a career–it is a mission the Lord had called me to and my time at Franciscan helped me to say yes to that call.”