2011 Gosnell Scholarship Winners Committed to Helping Underserved Populations

Recipients Show a Dedication to Helping American Indian, Alaskan Native and Latino Communities

WASHINGTON, DC— The National Association of Social Workers Foundation awards the Consuelo W. Gosnell Memorial MSW Scholarship to social work master’s degree candidates who work with American Indian, Alaskan Native or Latino communities.

The Gosnell Scholarship was established through a bequest of Consuelo Gosnell, a social work practitioner who was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and died in Texas in 1987. Gosnell was a champion of civil and human rights and worked diligently to ameliorate conditions for critically underserved American Indians and Latinos in the Southwest. Gosnell practiced for many years in federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

The 2011 recipients are:

• Faviola Augustin: The daughter of immigrants, this Arizona State University master’s degree student is committed to empowering other immigrant families. She has worked as a labor organizer and helped organize county homecare workers. Augustin now uses her bilingual skills at the Southern Arizona Children’s Advocacy Center, where she helps child abuse victims.
• Esbeide Garcia Chavez: This East Los Angeles resident escaped from a gang and decided to help others. She interned by working with at-risk youth in the Ontario-Montclair School District. The University of Southern California master’s degree student has also worked with community service agencies in Riverside County, one of the most underserved counties in California.
• Megan Fisher: The Wright State University student is a Mennonite who was raised to seek justice for all. Fisher spent much of her volunteer and academic time with Latino immigrants. In February 2011 she also presented a paper on economic and human rights violations among undocumented Latina women at the Annual Conference of the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors in Cincinnati, OH.
• Hannah Kane: This Philadelphia native developed a love of Latin American culture during a high school service trip to Nicaragua. Kane, who is earning a master’s degree at George Mason University in Virginia, has helped immigrants by volunteering to teach English and by interning at the Detention Watch Network and Tenants and Workers United.
• Jessica Lambert Ward: Concerned about social problems plaguing fellow Native Americans, this University of North Carolina Chapel Hill social work graduate student wants to develop programs to promote health and economic development in that community. She has served as president of the Carolina Indian Circle student organization and is co-founder of the Carolina Native American Club.
• Allison Lee:  A master’s degree student at the University of Texas in Austin, Lee is interested in working with Spanish-speaking clients in the correctional system. She has long admired the culture and language of Mexico. Lee has worked for ATTIC Correctional Services, Inc., a non-profit under contract with the Wisconsin Corrections Department, and was a victim’s counseling intern at the Travis County Attorney’s Office.
• Sulamita Mora: The University of Texas student is the daughter of Mexican immigrants and enjoyed assisting other youths in advocating for themselves. She mentored students at Con Mi Madre, a program for Hispanic students; worked as a bilingual tutor; and last fall interned at International High School in Austin where she worked directly with immigrants and refugees from 22 nations.
• Kaylin Padovano: This Rutgers University graduate is dedicated to helping Latino domestic violence victims. Padovano, who is enrolled in Columbia University’s social work master’s program in New York City, received a Fulbright grant to do anti-domestic violence prevention work in the slums of Lima, Peru. She also co-facilitated Latina support groups in the Chandler Urban Health Center domestic violence unit.
• Laura Pinon: The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Pinon survived poverty and is committed to helping other Latinos succeed in the US. The Indiana University Northwest social work master’s degree student wants to use her bilingual skills in a healthcare setting. She has already worked as a dual role Spanish interpreter and family service coordinator with the University of New Mexico Children’s Hospital.
• Angelee Russ: Working as a bilingual volunteer on a Massachusetts domestic violence hotline inspired Russ to become a social worker. She is attending Boston University’s social work master’s program. Russ already has an impressive background helping others. She taught children in Mexico, works for the Joslin Diabetes Center Latino Initiative in Boston, and participated in the Public Health Department Diabetes Task Force.

For more information about the NASW Foundation or educational scholarships, please visit www.naswfoundation.org or e-mail at naswfoundation@naswdc.org.

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.