Graduating Social Welfare students reflect on journey through program

Graduation won’t hit Ella Hinson until she is standing on stage with her robe on, awaiting her name to be called.

Hinson, a senior from Olathe who is in the Bachelor of Social Work program at the Edwards Campus, said it was a long journey to graduation. She will be a first-generation college graduate on May 10 when she receives her diploma at the Lied Center. The accomplishment is about way more to Hinson than her own hard work and validation.

Graduation represents more than a time frame. It’s a mindset and dedication. It represents an era of diligent work and joyful memories with peers.

For Hinson, who was adopted with her two sisters and brought to the United States from Costa Rica in 1990, it’s about setting an example. Hinson was older than the traditional college student when she decided to pursue her degree. She also had to balance a family.

“Being a first-generation college student in my family is an accomplishment on its own and being able to instill that in my children,” Hinson said. “Being able to help them pursue their dreams, too, and making sure they know that college is a goal that is attainable.”

School of Social Welfare senior Olivia Sourivong is also a first-generation college student. She said she felt a wide array of emotions in the weeks leading up to graduation.

It’s an exciting time, but also intimidating because the next stage in life is around the corner. Sourivong said she will miss hanging out with her friends before football games and the unmatched atmosphere of a basketball game at Allen Fieldhouse.

She will also miss the people she met at the School of Social Welfare, and the personal experience she had.

“I think what I will miss most is probably my professors,” Sourivong said. “I may be a little biased towards my Toni Johnson Scholar mentors, Claire (Willey-Sthapit) and Joonmo (Kang), just because I spend so much time with them.”

Sourivong added that she feels pressure to have a successful career as a first-generation college graduate, but she wants to live in the moment as long as she can.

“I still want to put an appreciation on every day that I can get until I reach graduation,” Sourivong said.

Sourivong and Hinson both raved about the opportunities and the people they met through the School of Social Welfare.

Hinson became more involved in her community as a student, which included helping Kansas become the seventh state to join the Social Work Licensure Compact in April. She also worked as a transfer ambassador for KU and a student representative for the NASW Kansas Chapter Board of Directors.

“I think one of the biggest things that I got from being older and getting into college was being involved as much as I could,” Hinson said. “One of those things was being an advocate for those who are less fortunate. That’s why I got into social work.”

Sourivong became a member of the Toni Johnson Scholars for Racial and Social Justice Program. She also received an Undergraduate Research Award from the Center for Undergraduate Research.

The curriculum, the opportunities, the people. All of it led to graduation and an impactful time at the School of Social Welfare.

“It really opened my eyes to the different avenues that I’ll able to approach in social work,” Sourivong said. “There’s always going to be something for me to do in this field.”