ADVANCEMENT IMPACT
Social Work Degree Opens Doors to Many Opportunities For Hilary Hamlin (MSSW’76) a social work degree opened the door to opportunities she had never anticipated. “We need to educate people about how useful an MSSW degree can be, and how many areas they can work in,” Hamlin said. “The sky’s the limit. I happened to stay in health care, but the skills are very broad.” During the course of her career, Hamlin worked at community mental health centers, state departments of mental health, and a software company developing systems for mental health service providers. Her professional achievements led to acceptance in the prestigious Kennedy School of Government’s mid-career program, where she received a Master’s in Public Administration. For the past 25 years, she has been a consultant with Health Care Perspectives. The firm works with non-profits, large counties, and states to analyze behavioral health care systems, identify gaps and help determine solutions. “Every day is different,” Hamlin explained. “One day you are showing a case manager how to use a computer system or how to do documentation. The next day you may be advising the state commissioner on a policy issue.” She credits the UT graduate social work program for the foundation of her 46-year long career. “It was a very positive experience, and everything else was built on that,” she said. Hamlin recalls her field placements at Montgomery Village and Child and Family Services in Knoxville as key elements in her learning. “For me, having been both a VISTA volunteer and having worked in a number of poverty programs in the summer, getting to do the volume and quality of hands-on field work in a variety of settings was an essential partner to the classroom work,” she said. Though her professional experience has focused on organizations providing mental health services, Hamlin acknowledges her clinical training has been invaluable. “Clinical grounding is critical,” she stated. “If I’m consulting with a mental health center or a foster care agency, I understand the terminology and the kind of issues people there are dealing with. It has been a great value to me both as an employee and as a consultant.” After years of living far from Tennessee, a move to Atlanta gave Hamlin an opportunity to engage again with the college and visit the campus. In 2016, she was invited to join the Board of Visitors. Last December, she was elected board chair. “It’s really exciting to see what’s happening with the college and to be involved in this way,” she said. Hamlin’s experience working across the country underlines the importance of social work education. “The longer I’ve worked in mental health, the more I see the need for social workers in the field,” she explained. “I run into workforce issues wherever I turn. The more we can educate and support graduate social work students, the better.” Her appreciation for the importance of social work education
The longer I’ve worked in mental health, the more I see the need for social workers in the field.” — Hilary Hamlin
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inspired Hamlin to include the college in her estate plans. A generous bequest will create the Hilary Hamlin Endowed Graduate Fellowship. The gift will support students in the MSSW program. “An MSSW just opens up so many doors,” Hamlin said. “You can do a huge range of things. I hope that more people can take advantage of that opportunity.”
