Paola Gomez, BSSW (Knoxville)
As a third-year student in the Knoxville BSSW Honors program, Paola Gomez knows what it takes to get the job done. She is committed to social work and to UTK. She takes on leadership roles and connects with the freshman social work students.
Amanda Gandy, BSSW Academic Advisor, sees her commitment firsthand. “She continually amazes me with her ability to take on challenges with grace,” Amanda said. “She is extremely intelligent, empathic, and determined. She has a passion for social justice. Paola brings so much to our program and will continue to bring about positive change as a professional social worker. I had the chance to work with Paola as my Peer Mentor during the fall semester. Even in a pandemic and her first semester of our social work honors program she has done an exceptional job. She took time out of her summer to lesson plan and do everything she could to make sure our incoming social work freshman felt connected to UTK and our college.”
Paola values all of the leadership opportunities that she has been able to take up while at UT. “I am currently a Peer Mentor which allows me to connect with first year students and co-facilitate a class that discusses the many resources that our campus offers to students,” she explained. “I am a part of different organizations on campus such as Vols Against Cancer, where I am student organization relations chair, and I am a part of the Greek community.”
Her love of helping others, her desire to empower others, and her interest in behavior and mental health is what drew her to pursue a degree in social work. “After I took intro to social work with Amanda Gandy, I knew that I wanted to officially declare my major as social work because the class showed me how diverse the field is, the countless opportunities there are to help different populations, and how I can continue my passion of helping others through my career,” she said. “Once I graduate I plan on attending law school and pursue a career in family or immigration law.”
Rachel Watts, BSSW (Online)
Rachel Watts is a senior in the Online BSSW program and serves as an advocate on behalf of her fellow cohort as their Student Representative. Her cohort is the first in the online-only program.
Brittany Adams, Coordinator of Field Education for the Online BSSW program, appreciates Rachel’s passion about becoming an ethical social worker. “Rachel is always punctual and respectful in class,” Brittany said. “She is an outstanding student because she is always engaged and motivated to learn. She is driven and willing to do the work. I believe her commitment to UT comes from volunteering to advocate for her fellow students and she is actively pursuing to continue her education in the UTK Advanced Standing Program for next Fall. She has expressed her passion to become a therapist and own her own practice. She really is a stellar young woman and a great addition to our program.”
Rachel always wanted to graduate from UT, just like her mother. “One of my earliest memories was attending my mom’s graduation,” she recalled. “She was a single mother of three, and worked her way to her degree all on her own. That memory has been an ongoing inspiration for me. When I found out that UT was offering an online BSSW program, it was a done deal.”
After graduation, Rachel wants to work toward her ultimate goal of becoming a LCSW. “After I graduate in Spring 2021, I plan to go straight into graduate school to earn my MSSW,” she said. “I have always wanted to work in trauma and crisis intervention. I want to continue receiving education in sexual health and gender studies so that, at the very least, I can offer sex-positive practice. I would love to become certified in sex therapy as well. I was not aware of the wide range of work that social workers can be involved in until I started seeing a therapist years ago that was an intern earning her MSSW through UTK. I had no idea that social workers could be therapists! She inspired me to look into the different opportunities social workers have to make a difference in people’s lives, and it was an easy decision from there.”