Graduating Student Spotlight: Nicole Brown
Nicole Brown has long been driven by a deep compassion for children and young adults who navigate the early stages of life without reliable access to essential resources. Set to earn her Master of Social Work degree from the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare in May, Brown is committed to creating meaningful change and making life more manageable for those in need.
Originally from a small town in South Dakota, Brown’s journey eventually brought her to Kansas, where she attended Ottawa University as a college basketball player. Throughout each step, her dedication to helping others remained a constant, shaping her academic path and her future career.
Get to know more about Brown as she shares her thoughts ahead of graduation.
Where is your head at ahead of graduation?
Brown: “Mostly excited. I have been in school for a long time, so I'm really excited to be taking the next step and starting a career in something that I'm so passionate about. I have been working in social work throughout my undergrad and my grad programs, and I truly love it.”
Why social work?
Brown: “The short version is I saw a documentary once, and it sparked my interest. I initially was interested in criminal justice. During my undergrad, I took an intro to social work class, and they had a speaker talk about harm reduction. I thought, ‘What is that?’ and I really fell in love with the idea of doing something like that or working with unhoused individuals. I have always known I wanted to help others, because I think that everyone deserves a chance to be their best self.”
You mentioned unhoused communities. What sparked your interest in that field?
Brown: “I had a job working at a shelter for unhoused children, which served kids in the foster system, runaway children, or LGBTQ+ kids who had been kicked out of their homes. My areas of focus are youth between the ages of 17 and 18 who are aging out and are unsure of the resources available and do not have a lot of support. Eventually, I would like to have my own program or start a non-profit organization.”
What from the MSW program did you learn that really sticks with you?
Brown: “The community within my cohort sticks out. Being with people every other Saturday, all day long, who think similarly to me, who want to do good, who want to make positive change, who have hope that we can make change. Having a community of people that I can find support in on those really hard days helped push me to keep going.”
What aspirations do you have for your career?
Brown: “My dream would be to either start a nonprofit organization or become a program director for kids aging out of foster care. The program would work with individuals aged 17 to 22, and it would provide housing, mentorship, and life skills workshops.”