Social Welfare selects 14 students for Toni Johnson Scholars Program in 2024-2025
The Toni Johnson Center for Racial and Social Justice has selected 14 School of Social Welfare students as a part of the Toni Johnson Scholars Program.
The Toni Johnson Scholars Program supports BSW, MSW, and PhD students in the School of Social Welfare. Selected students receive financial support, mentoring, leadership, and professional development opportunities dedicated to enhancing community, retention and success of program scholars.
MSW scholars engage in research and provide group mentoring for BSW scholars. The Toni Johnson Racial Justice Dissertation Award provides financial support for one or more PhD students engaged in dissertation research pertaining to racial justice.
The 2024-2025 Toni Johnson Scholar Recipients are:
Toni Johnson Scholars Racial Justice Dissertation Award:
- Michelle Ridley
- Omowunmi Olaleye
Toni Johnson Scholars MSW Award:
- Virginia De La Rosa
- Tracy Yang
Toni Johnson Scholars BSW Award:
- Xavier Noriega
- Lexi Whitson
- Leah Loura
- William Williams
- Cole Harred
- Shaza Al-Kassim
- Yareli Ortiz
- Payton Smith
- Selena Reno
- Nandhini Sachithanandham
Photos: (1) Toni Johnson Scholars program directors Joonmo Kang, left, and Claire Willey-Sthapit, at the Toni Johnson Center conference room in the KU School of Social Welfare. Photo by Sean Collins/KU School of Social Welfare.
(2) Students and faculty involved in the Toni Johnson Scholars program attend a kickoff meeting in September 2024.