By Paul R. Tempo
Whereas Tamara Harris has a background in finance, her second profession is a first-generation social employee. Along with serving to individuals enhance their psychological well being, her different ardour is supporting schooling, significantly aiding first-generation school college students obtain success.
Harris is fulfilling that want by having her basis, the Tamara L. Harris Basis, donate to the NASW Basis’s Verne LaMarr Lyons MSW Scholarships program. The Harris Basis’s reward elevated the quantity and the variety of scholarships from 4 to 6.
The Lyons program helps grasp’s diploma candidates in social work who display an curiosity in well being/psychological well being apply and a dedication to working in African American communities.
Harris believes it’s paramount to assist college students who’re challenged financially. Such assist can catapult these college students on a trajectory that may affect 1000’s of lives for the higher, she says. Her basis, of which she is president, impressed her to return to high school to earn a social work diploma so she may higher perceive the psychological well being side of serving to individuals.
When enthusiastic about what sort of philanthropy she needed to assist, it was a pure match to donate to the Lyons scholarship program, she says, because it helps college students doing analysis and research that affect communities of coloration.
“As a Black lady, as somebody from the Caribbean, who has lived abroad and handled so many various cultures, I actually perceive the affect of that work,” says Harris, who’s an LSW. She has seen the advantages of the Lyons Scholarship and has served as a panelist for the Social Work HEALS Pupil Coverage Summit.
“It’s been great to see the scholars who’ve benefited from that assist,” Harris says. She additionally appreciates that this system advantages college students extra than simply financially. It’s also about supporting their skilled growth by giving them the chance to attend conferences, partake in a cohort, and put together for fulfillment of their careers. Harris hopes the scholars who’ve benefited from the scholarships pay it ahead to assist different college students sooner or later.
“There are at all times methods you’ll be able to affect a pupil on their subsequent trajectory,” she says.
Learn the complete story at NASW Social Work Advocates here.
