For Kenneth L. Bourne Jr., LSW, the path to becoming a nationally recognized social worker, educator, entrepreneur, author, and TEDx speaker began with a question of belonging and with people who helped him see possibilities he could not yet see for himself.
Maliha Janjua uses her personal experience as a victim of dating violence to help other victims and their families at Women Aware, a nonprofit agency offering domestic violence services in Middlesex County.
As she prepares to celebrate her 80th birthday this December, Rutgers School of Social Work alumna Susan Van Vleet, SSW'75 finds herself reflecting on a remarkable career that has taken her from the front lines of child welfare in New Jersey to boardrooms and organizations across nearly 20 countries.
For Nicole Matos-Martiak, earning a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree was not simply about advancing her career. It was about strengthening the work she had already dedicated herself to for years.
For Rutgers School of Social Work alum Lily Antonowicz, a career in public policy began with a simple but profound goal: making a meaningful impact. “I was really agonizing over what I was going to do,” she recalled of her undergraduate years. “I just found myself wanting to make an impact in some kind of way and just wasn’t really sure how to best do that.” Encouraged by a mentor to explore social work, Lily discovered a path that would ultimately lead her to Capitol Hill, where she now serves as a legislative assistant in the office of Andy Kim, advising on health and labor policy.
Joe and Alessa Manuola earned their master's degree, coming full circle since arriving on the Douglass campus for preschool as toddlers.