By Valerie Fields Hill
School of Social Work
A University of Texas at Arlington Social Work student has been awarded a $5,000 scholarship to assist her in completing her graduate studies.
Breanna Lee Hazel received the recognition this week from the Ima Hogg Foundation, an Austin-based organization promoting mental health awareness and research.
The Hogg Foundation posted a photo and a video of Hazel and other scholarship honorees to its web site and social media on Thursday.
“This year, 19 graduate Social Work students from across Texas received scholarships of $5,000 each,” the organization said in a statement about the student honorees.
“These students, nominated by the heads of their Social Work programs, were chosen for their commitment to strengthening the well-being of communities as professionals in the Texas mental health workforce.”
Hazel is pursuing a master's degree in Social Work with a direct practice in mental health and substance misuse focus.
She is scheduled to graduate in August 2023.
“I hope to become a Mental Health/Substance Abuse Social Worker and help equip people with the right tools to cope and manage with their everyday lives,” she told the Foundation in her application for the scholarship. The organization released Hazel’s statement Thursday.
Each year, the Hogg Foundation awards Ima Hogg Scholarships to graduate Social Work students who plan to join the Mental Health workforce.
“An investment in their post-graduate careers is an investment in improving the quality of mental health services across Texas, where the mental health workforce is in critical condition,” the Hogg Foundation said in its statement.
Texas has a persistent shortage of mental health professionals, particularly in rural areas. State government and political officials have cited Social Workers as a solution to address Texas’ ongoing mental health workforce shortage.
For more information about the scholarship announcement, click below:
https://hogg.utexas.edu/hogg-scholarship-recipients-2022
To watch a video of Hazel and other Hogg Foundation scholarship recipients, click here: https://youtu.be/p22wA5_Jhms