The Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW) is pleased to announce that three of our students, MSW student Elisabeth Adams and Doctoral students Marcus Brown, MSW, LCSW-S and Chelsea Sanchez, BSW, MSW, LCSW-S, have been selected as recipients of the 2025-2026 CSWE Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) award.
opportunities support the mission of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to reduce the effects of substance abuse and mental illness on America鈥檚 communities by increasing the number of individuals trained to work with underrepresented and underserved racial/ethnic minority persons with or at risk for mental health and/or substance abuse disorders.
The minorioty fellowship program offers both an MSW and PhD program. The is designed to enhance the training of full-time, master鈥檚-level social work students in their final year of study at a CSWE-accredited institution, while the supports racial/ethnic minority individuals with social work master鈥檚 degree, pursuing a doctoral degree, whose career goals provide leadership in practice, research, teaching, and policy promulgation in government or private organizations serving underrepresented and underserved persons with or at risk for mental health and/or substance abuse disorders.
We asked our esteemed recipients鈥擡lisabeth, Marcus, and Chelsea鈥攖o share insight into their social work journeys and what receiving this honor means to them. Learn more about their stories and the paths they are charting toward excellence.
MSW student Elisabeth (Ellie) Adams currently serves as a research assistant for the Child Welfare Education Project
(CWEP) at the GCSW and will begin a clinical internship with Empathy First Clinical
Counseling and Consulting this fall. 鈥淩eceiving the CSWE MFP award is an incredible
honor that will strengthen my knowledge and skills in social work research and practice
with underserved groups,鈥� she shared. It also brings her closer to her long-term goals
of becoming a licensed clinical social worker in Texas and pursuing a PhD in social
work, while positioning her as a competitive candidate for the 葫芦影业鈥檚
doctoral program.
Her path toward doctoral education began during an undergraduate internship at an intensive outpatient program, where she observed social workers leading group therapy and advancing social justice across schools, private practices, and carceral systems. Witnessing the profession鈥檚 ability to serve diverse clients in multiple settings inspired her to pursue an MSW at the GCSW, following in the footsteps of those who used their expertise to create meaningful change. Throughout her graduate studies, she has been guided by mentors and peers at the GCSW and CWEP who embody what it means to serve through both practice and advocacy. Their example, combined with Elisabeth鈥檚 faith and the teaching of Micah 6:8鈥斺�渄o justice, love mercy, walk humbly with God鈥濃�攃ontinues to inspire her work in social work.
In her future career, Elisabeth intends to lead in both research and practice, viewing them as inseparable fields that inform and strengthen one another. She aspires to explore non-traditionally studied therapies鈥攕uch as equine-assisted psychotherapy and art therapies鈥攁s potential gateways to more intensive treatment, rather than simply supplemental interventions. Her goal is to integrate these approaches into both research and clinical practice so each area informs the other, ultimately expanding the accessibility and cultural responsiveness of mental health care.
Her commitment to serving underrepresented and underserved communities is both personal and professional. As a member of the Latinx community, Elisabeth has seen the consequences of stigma and systemic barriers that prevent individuals from accessing necessary care. Her work with at-risk youth, veterans, older adults, and individuals facing mental health challenges has deepened her dedication to dismantling structural inequities and advocating for accessible, stigma-free services. The GCSW has played a crucial role in preparing her for this work, offering a rigorous, justice-centered curriculum and practicum placements that bring theory into practice, all within a community of professors and peers who share this mission.
Looking ahead, Elisabeth hopes her work will contribute to destigmatizing mental health care and improving accessibility for marginalized groups. She aims to elevate the value of non-traditional therapies, recognizing them not as novel treatments but as practices rooted in centuries of wisdom and cultural relevance. Above all, she seeks to amplify the voices and experiences of others, demonstrating that seeking mental health care is an act of courage and resilience. In short, her research centers on studying treatments that serve as gateways to mental health services rather than simply complements, especially for groups facing barriers to care.
We asked Doctoral student Marcus Brown, MSW, LCSW-S what the significance of this award is as it relates to his doctoral education and
future career goals, he shared that he is both "humbled and honored," and that this
award provides the mentorship, training, and leadership development necessary to advance
his doctoral education and strengthen his professional trajectory, while also opening
doors to network with colleagues and scholars, engage in critical conversations, and
remain visible in spaces where innovation in behavioral health is taking place鈥攄irectly
supporting his career goal of becoming a social work scholar and educator committed
to reducing mental health disparities and improving behavioral health outcomes for
BIPOC communities, especially Black adults.
His pursuit of a doctoral degree in social work was inspired early in his undergraduate years as a first-generation college student. Participation in the McNair Scholars Program offered him awareness, exposure, and preparation for graduate study, solidifying his interest in research. After earning his MSW and gaining practice experience, he witnessed firsthand the effects of mental health challenges on individuals鈥� overall well-being and the importance of representation in social work. These experiences, coupled with his growing inquiry into barriers to accessing mental health services in Black and Brown communities, ultimately fueled his decision to pursue a PhD to engage in meaningful research and contribute as both a scholar and educator.
Throughout Marcus鈥檚 journey, he has been guided by mentors who critically engaged him in conversations about social work, social justice, and racial equity. Among them, one supervisor stood out by modeling how to navigate spaces where he was often the only person of color. His deep admiration for this mentor鈥檚 ability to maintain and promote the core values of social justice in the workplace, has aspired Marcus to carry forward those lessons in his own work.
His long-term career goal is to lead in academia or the research sector, focusing on addressing the behavioral health needs of racial and ethnic minority populations, particularly Black adults. Marcus intends to pursue research, teaching, and community-focused initiatives, including teaching clinical courses, while in the short term growing his experience through collaborations, anti-racist research practices, and publishing BIPOC-centered work. As both a clinician and researcher, he is committed to serving underrepresented and underserved communities by providing mental health services and producing scholarship that amplifies the voices and lived experiences of Black adults with serious mental illness.
鈥淭he Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW) has equipped me with a strong foundation of research knowledge, practice experience, and professional development,鈥� Marcus shared. Through coursework, assistantships, and workshops, he has developed the skills necessary to become both an independent researcher and innovative educator. Most importantly, Marcus said that the GCSW has taught him the value of positionality and intersectional identity in scholarship, while reinforcing a steadfast commitment to social, political, and economic justice.
When asked what鈥檚 next, Marcus mentioned his goals of making mental health services culturally relevant and congruent by shaping research agendas around the voices often excluded in scholarship. His work intentionally centers the lived experiences of Black adults navigating serious mental health recovery, telling the story from their perspective as an act of antiracism. In doing so, he hopes to create recommendations and strategies that advance equity, improve outcomes, and reshape the ways mental health services are delivered to historically underserved communities.
GCSW Dean Dr. Yarneccia D. Dyson shared her excitement about our students receiving the CSWE Minority Fellowship Award: "This is a prestigious honor and a testament to their individual commitments to supporting communities that experience the intersections of substance use and mental health disorders. I am proud that they represent the GCSW and will be equipped with the knowledge and training to lead these areas of their respective research and practice interests."
Doctoral student Chelsea Sanchez, BSW, MSW, LCSW is a two-time CSWE MFP recipient; receiving both the 2024-2025 honor and 2025-2026 award. Chelsea shared that her experience as a fellow thus far have
been "very transformative and inspiring." Through CSWE's Annual Program Meetings and
the MFP Fellows Forum, she鈥檚 been able to build strong connections with current fellows
and alumni. Several of these connections have led to collaborations on research projects,
grant proposals, publications, and community outreach activities related to her research
area鈥攖rauma and mental health. Furthermore, the professional development webinars
provided through the program have challenged Chelsea to ensure that her research is
accessible as well as equipped her with strategies to have a sustainable career. When
asked if Chelsea has any final words, she shared, 鈥渙verall, CSWE鈥檚 Minority Fellowship
Program has significantly contributed to my professional knowledge and development,
and I look forward to being a fellow with the CSWE MFP this year."
Congratulations to our outstanding students鈥攚e are honored to be part of your academic journey and proud to witness your continued growth, leadership, and dedication to the future of social work.