Black Excellence Making History At The University of Kentucky

Black leaders are making history, and it’s not by accident. Today, more than ever before, a new wave of Black leaders are emerging to tackle social issues head-on and make lasting changes at the grassroot level, not with words, but with actions. 

An example of this is when 23 Black doctorates graduated from a two-year Social Work program from the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. These Black doctorates consisted of 20 females and 3 males who made history at the University of Kentucky in this Doctorate program by taking control of their narrative and making it stronger by deifying not only personal odds, but statistical odds.  Of the entire 72 students enrolled in the program, 23 are Black and they come from different facets of society and from different states in the United States. Graduates from this program included first time graduates, single parent graduates, married graduates, full-time employed graduates.

It is history that will remember the 23 distinguished Black doctorates who surpassed a record never done in the school when they became the largest group of Black doctors ever to graduate from a single department at the University.

These Black doctorates are changing the face and scope of Social Work and Social Services. They are passing hope on to others through representation, not only in the realm of Social Work, but in the realm of Black Excellence, and education. Through the perseverance of these doctorates of Social Work, they were able to pave the way for future Black Social Worker students by not only receiving their Doctorate degree in Social Work, but by creating outlets such as the University of Kentucky Chapter of The Association of Social Workers. Through this association a community would be established in order to foster and cultivate social workers, and leaders who already work with private or public social services, and to those who envision a career in social work. 

These Black professionals, and leaders are using their education and voice to show the possibilities that are available when the dream meets passion and perseverance. However, the fuel behind each graduate’s perseverance is a story of hope. Dr. Tunice, Dr. Pheciea Ward, and Dr. Sarah Hall, all who hold Doctorates, agree that it was personal adversity that gave them the strength, and hope to persevere on their journey to obtaining a Doctorate of Social Work. Dr. Tunice, Dr. Ward, and Dr. Hall, all believe the accountability and the community that was established among the Black Doctorates helped to encourage each other. 

We would like to thank each of the 23 Doctorates of Social Work from the University of Kentucky for believing in yourselves to make history and walk in Black Excellence. #BlackExcellence is more than a hashtag; it’s a movement that is empowering blacks to have a voice and a place, to make a change by addressing anti-blackness within the area of social work and across other fields of study that would encourage others to do the same.

Again, thank you for making it your mission to serve as role models for future generations who wish to follow in your footsteps to continue expanding opportunities for future generations as well.