Tell us a little about yourself!

I am a proud Champaign-Urbana townie, first generation college student and a UIUC Graduate alumna. I am currently the Director of Quality improvement at a local non-profit organization with previous experience working as an inpatient psychiatric and substance abuse case manager and outpatient therapist. I received my LCSW licensure in 2021.

What inspired you to pursue social work (or your current profession)?

I was raised by a single mother of 4, me being the oldest. I always felt a sense of responsibility to take care and support others. My inspiration for perusing social work was personal. Witnessing the impact impact of mental health challenges within my own family sparked a strong interest in understanding mental health, not just at the individual level but across families, communities and systems. Ultimately, I wanted to be someone who could offer support, guidance and hope to people who may feel overwhelmed or unseen.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with current School of Social Work students or recent graduates?

Social work can be incredibly challenging, especially when there is uncertainty in the world around us. Despite the challenges and uncertainty that may come, always remember why you started and that the impact you make is real and long lasting. Lean on your supports, take care of your well-being and stay connected to the purpose that initially brought you to this field.

What is your favorite Illini memory?

Growing up, I used to go to the Men’s Basketball games with my grandpa and I will always remember watching the 2004-2005 team play and make it to the National Championship.

A fun fact about yourself!

I am a lover of all things spooky! October/Halloween are my favorite time of year to rewatch all of my favorite scary movies, go to corn mazes, pumpkin patches and bonfires in the backyard. I also played the violin for 6 years growing up and recently took to it again over the past couple or years.

Tell us a little about yourself!

I am an LCSW from the Southside of Chicago but living in the Western Suburbs. I have built my social work career in mental health and suicide prevention. I currently work for the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Office of Suicide Prevention as the Associate Director, Legislative Affairs. I am a proud Illini and love cheering on the teams and encouraging my kids to become future Illini.

What inspired you to pursue social work (or your current profession)?

I always knew I wanted to work in a helping profession and after volunteering for Rape Crisis Services, I realized that I wanted to shift my studies to social work.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with current School of Social Work students or recent graduates?

Remember why you started! Stay connected to your passions and whatever mission you are supporting.

What is your favorite Illini memory?

Flooding Green Street with so many fellow Illini when the basketball team won in the Final Four.

A fun fact about yourself!

I have a Charcuterie Board business and I do sideline sports photography!

Tell us a little about yourself!

I am born and raised in Chicago, IL. I am currently employed as a transplant social worker in the Chicago area.

What inspired you to pursue social work (or your current profession)?

I always knew I wanted to help people and my initial thought was to go into the medical field. Fortunately, I took the class “Intro to Social Work” and I fell in love with the social work profession.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with current School of Social Work students or recent graduates?

The skills and knowledge obtain will always stay with you and will be applicable to any role you part take in. The world of social work is immense and there are so many ways to be a social worker, don’t be afraid try new paths.

What is your favorite Illini memory?

Overall, being on campus in fall when the leaves are changing and you get to see how beautiful our campus is.

A fun fact about yourself!

I love to read books and watch series. Unfortunately, I don’t have the patience to wait for a new book or a new season. So, I only read completed book series and only watch shows once the final season is out.

Tell us a little about yourself!

Hi! My name is Ashante White-Walker, and I was born and raised in the beautiful city of Chicago. I currently serve as the Associate Director of Social Work at the Department of Human Services but my favorite role by far is being a mom!

What inspired you to pursue social work (or your current profession)?

I have a deep-rooted commitment to advancing human dignity, equity, and overall well-being. I’ve always been driven by a passion for helping others grow, transform, and reach their fullest potential so they can lead fulfilling and prosperous lives.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with current School of Social Work students or recent graduates?

Pursue your clinical license. It will transform your career and open doors to new, meaningful opportunities.

What is your favorite Illini memory?

I’ve always loved Homecoming season, it’s such a special time filled with energy, tradition, and connection.

A fun fact about yourself!

I love traveling with my family!

Tell us a little about yourself!

I am proud to call myself a “townie” as I grew up on the state streets of Urbana, and although I have lived in the southwest for a few years, this has been home for all but about a dozen years of my time on earth. The diversity and values of this community have shaped me and have contributed much to my call to the field of social work. It is here that I raised 10 children, with 6 of them adopted through foster care, and that I enjoy my 17 grandchildren. I am retired from nearly 20 years of social work with a concentration in mental health. I have worked primarily in integrative healthcare and in private practice. Since retiring, I have become ordained as a Roman Catholic Woman Priest (yes, there is such a thing). I pastor a small inclusive Catholic community in east Urbana where we work to ally with marginalized people, and to serve the needs of the vulnerable in our community and around the world.

What inspired you to pursue social work (or your current profession)?

When I was a child, I wanted to be either a priest, or a rock and roll DJ. My parents rolled their eyes at both possibilities but steered me towards social work as a close compromise. I had a unique drive back then, to see that the needs of children without parents were met in stable, loving homes and so social work seemed like the perfect fit. It was through my experience as a foster/adoptive parent that I came to realize that it was often the clinical social worker’s opinion that changed the outcome for these children and so when I returned to school as an older adult, I chose mental health as my concentration.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with current School of Social Work students or recent graduates?

Take your time. So often we want to be on the fast track in developing our careers, in setting up shop and turning a profit. To me, the call to social work, is a call to be social change agents. We work with people others have given up on, those who can’t afford the kind of assistance they need, and people who have no voice. We are grounded in our knowledge of systems, and our interconnectedness. We understand that to lift up the most vulnerable, is to make the world better for everyone. We serve the common good and we owe those we serve, the best practices, mature skills, and broad understandings of the problems they face. That doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t make us rich, but it is innate to who we are and what we do, and nothing is more rewarding.

What is your favorite Illini memory?

Watching my dad walk to work each day with his briefcase swinging by his side, all the way to Nevada street where he taught his classes, and my teaching there in the school of Social Work years later. He never lived to see me graduate from college, but he was the one who steered me in this direction. Somehow, I feel his heart swell at the fruits of his labor, and that makes me happy.

A fun fact about yourself!

I am hooked on British murder mysteries, and once did a tour of the Cotswolds where Fr. Brown is filmed. I play the cello though not very well, and I have a thing for koi ponds and the fostering of natural habitats.

Tell us a little about yourself!

I am from Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Currently I am a representative for the Vernon Township Mental Health board. I am also on the board of a local National Alliance on Mental Illinois chapter. For fun I like to golf and bowl.

What inspired you to pursue social work (or your current profession)?

I got my degree in social work in order to keep my 1S student deferral and avoid the military draft.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with current School of Social Work students or recent graduates?

Be flexible with your life and career. Things can take some crazy turns.

What is your favorite Illini memory?

Meeting with fellow students at the local pub.

A fun fact about yourself!

A book that really impressed me in grad school was Saul Alinsky’s “Rules For Radicals” on how to get organized.

Tell us a little about yourself!

I grew up in Mahomet, when it was a wee bit smaller. I joined the Army, learned Russian. Subsequently I moved to Russia and developed programs helping orphans for 15 years.

What inspired you to pursue social work (or your current profession)?

Social Work and Therapy are my heart and soul.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with current School of Social Work students or recent graduates?

Your toughest client is likely to be the one you help the most.

What is your favorite Illini memory?

Meeting Rose Bowl team, I got a an autographed team photo for my father.

A fun fact about yourself!

I am an unashamed bibliophile.

Tell us a little about yourself!

I am from O’Fallon, IL, and am currently owner of Trauma Treatment & Training PLLC, providing clinical treatment, mentorship for early career therapists, and professional training.

What inspired you to pursue social work (or your current profession)?

I have always loved working with people, especially when they are lost, stuck, and/or hurting. Volunteering with families at a local jail showed me that I wanted to work in the community rather than a psychology lab or law office. Social worker is a label I am proud to have, and strive to be worthy of.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with current School of Social Work students or recent graduates?

Seek out varied internships and volunteer opportunities-especially ones that challenge you. You never know what will light you up! Also, build strong self care habits early and try to stick to them. This is something I wish I had done sooner!

What is your favorite Illini memory?

I loved riding my bike to classes. I would ride through campus listening to music. It was always so beautiful, especially in fall and spring!

A fun fact about yourself!

I am a lifelong Star Trek fan.

Tell us a little about yourself!

Born and Raised— Detroit, MI, National Director of Alumni Relations and Career Opportunities for the Council for Opportunity in Education.

What inspired you to pursue social work (or your current profession)?

To perform macro level leadership to youth and professional agencies.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with current School of Social Work students or recent graduates?

You interview for your next job everyday. Work hard and make essential and meaningful connections.

What is your favorite Illini memory?

Homecoming at U of I.

A fun fact about yourself!

I had a private dinner and limousine ride with Denzel Washington

Tell us a little about yourself!

I am a licensed clinical social worker and therapist who’s made Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, my home for the last 15+ years (though originally hailing from near Springfield). My areas of practice expertise include gender-based violence, LGBTQIA+ support, anxiety, neurodivergence, chronic illness, and reproductive health including infertility and pregnancy loss. In early 2024, I opened Molly McLay Counseling & Consultation Services, PLLC, an organization that provides psychotherapy, clinical supervision, and medical advocacy virtually to individuals across the state. I have spent time working toward a PhD in social work at Washington University in St. Louis, and I previously worked at a group therapy practice, the University of Illinois Women’s Resources Center, and a federally qualified health center with at-risk pregnant and parenting women. I have also been a member of the Champaign County Mental Health Board since May 2022 and became president of the board in June 2024. I love watching witty half-hour comedies, dramas that make you think, the occasional rom-com, Disney, Marvel, and Doctor Who. I love singing karaoke, writing poems, listening to most genres of music but especially jazz and musical theater, and talking about whatever is important to you.

What inspired you to pursue social work (or your current profession)?

In college I studied creative writing and picked up a second major in gender and women’s studies. I did a lot of volunteering for community organizations in college, I cared a lot about social justice and women’s issues, and the idea of being in a helping profession crossed my mind a few times. But it wasn’t until I graduated and took a job in my field (I worked in publishing for a few years) that I realized what I was missing from my career—I was intellectually challenged but I didn’t feel I was making a strong contribution to helping others. One day on my lunch break, as I was eating and studying for the GRE, I had an epiphany—I could use my love of creative writing to help others and become a therapist. There were a lot of twists and turns from there, but on that fateful day many years ago, that is when I turned toward social work, and I’ve never turned back!

What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with current School of Social Work students or recent graduates?

One piece of advice I’d like to share—know your supervision needs, and choose your supervisor wisely. The kind of supervision you receive, especially early in your career, can really influence how you experience the profession and your specific roles, and it really should be a good match for what you need. A long time ago, I realized that a great supervisor can make even the most challenging or difficult job easier or more manageable. Likewise, a poor supervisor can make even the most wonderful or fulfilling job much harder to get through. If the place you are working doesn’t offer clinical supervision, ask for a stipend to pay an outside supervisor. You deserve to be fully supported!

What is your favorite Illini memory?

My favorite memory as an MSW student was spending long hours at a favorite coffee shop (Cafe Kopi, RIP) with fellow ACEB member Dr. Meghan McHaney studying for our Social Work and the Law exams with Dr. Sandie Kopels! We poured over our notes over many delicious coffees and became social work besties for life! I had no idea that the person sitting in front of me in one of my first social work classes would become my future bridesmaid and longtime professional confidante—and yours may be awaiting you in the desk or Zoom thumbnail next to you as well!

A fun fact about yourself!

My favorite TV show is an amazing show about mental health called Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which also happens to be a musical. While the name may be misleading, the show is a great depiction of complex characters, friendships between women, friendships between men, LGBTQIA relationships, finding your calling, fighting stigma of certain mental health diagnoses, and understanding and accepting yourself. All while paying homage to many musical genres and understanding the main character’s inner world through song. One of my favorite characters is the therapist of the lead character. She sings songs called “This Session Is Going to Be Different” and “Antidepressants Are So Not a Big Deal,” and they’re AMAZING. Required watching for any social worker!

Tell us a little about yourself!

I was born in Normal, IL and then moved around the Midwest throughout my childhood. I’ve called Champaign home since 2009. I serve as the Manager of Clinical Services at Carle in Behavioral Health, where I’ve worked since 2016. Outside of work, I am the mom of a busy, fun, and bright 3 year old. We also live with two cats, one of whom my daughter named ‘Pasta’. Somehow it suits her.

What inspired you to pursue social work (or your current profession)?

I always knew that I wanted to be in a helping profession of some sort. In high school, I landed on wanting to pursue a degree that would allow me to become a therapist after being nominated to be a peer counselor and going through the training to serve in that role. One of the faculty sponsors really affirmed that and helped me to see the natural qualities I possessed that would lend themselves to the role of a therapist. In college, I decided to pursue Social Work because of the holistic way Social Workers view individuals and their environments, as well as the wide variety of job opportunities available.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with current School of Social Work students or recent graduates?

Always be curious and ask questions- that’s how you learn!

What is your favorite Illini memory?

Tailgating with friends.

A fun fact about yourself!

I’m a plant lady. I have about 40 of them all together and am convinced that’s still not enough

Tell us a little about yourself!

I’m Dr. Sharva Hampton-Campbell, a proud two-time Illini alum with a BSW (’90) and MSW (’93) from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I currently serve as an Assistant Professor of Social Work at Chicago State University. I’ve spent over 20 years in child welfare and mental health social work practice, higher education, and community engagement bridging the gap between theory and lived experience. Beyond academia, I’m the founder of The Village Project, a support initiative for former foster youth in higher education, and For The Greater Good Multimedia Publishing Company, LLC, which amplifies marginalized voices through creative expression and storytelling. I’m also an author, conference presenter, and empowerment strategist who believes deeply in the power of education and healing-centered leadership. My work centers on transforming adversity into opportunity and empowering others to use their stories as tools for growth and change.

What inspired you to pursue social work (or your current profession)?

My journey into social work was inspired by a lifelong commitment to helping others navigate adversity with dignity and hope. Working with families involved with DCFS and mentoring youth in foster care revealed how transformative advocacy and empathy can be. I wanted to bridge practice and policy through education, equipping future social workers to approach service with heart, critical thinking, and cultural humility.

What is one piece of advice you’d like to share with current School of Social Work students or recent graduates?

Stay grounded in your why. This profession can be demanding, but remembering your purpose will sustain you. Seek mentors, welcome feedback, and view challenges as growth opportunities. Your authenticity is your greatest tool—never underestimate the power of compassion, reflection, and continual learning.

What is your favorite Illini memory?

One of my favorite Illini memories took place in Professor Sandie Kopels’ Social Work and the Law class, which was held in a large lecture hall on the Quad. I had brought two big, juicy nectarines in my backpack that day. Midway through class, I pulled one out and started eating it quietly. Out of nowhere, a squirrel darted in through an open window, made its way down the aisle, and—before I could even react—snatched the second nectarine straight out of my bag! I froze in disbelief, while Professor Kopels let out a scream and jumped up on top of the table at the front of the lecture hall.

A fun fact about yourself!

I’m a published children’s book author and creative entrepreneur who blends social work and storytelling to heal and inspire. My series Jalani’s Book Adventures celebrates Black children’s joy and imagination. Outside of work, I love traveling and hosting vision-driven events that combine art, faith, and purpose.