Social Work Student Superstars Run for NASW-NC Election

Raisa Mathies and Jacqueline Henry, students at the NC State University Department of Social Work, are running in the NASW-NC Board of Directors election. The NASW-NC Board of Directors includes two student representative positions within their chapter that aid in fulfilling the duties of the organization. To view more detailed information on the Board of Directors, please visit NASW-NC here.

Raisa Mathies is currently seeking her Master of Social Work (MSW) at the NC State Department of Social Work. Born and raised in her home country of Liberia, Raisa earned her Bachelor of Social Work and soon began to practice in the field. Her work in Liberia focused on helping children and their families with a host of health issues, including children affected by homelessness and HIV.

Since coming to the United States and enrolling in the MSW program, Raisa has not let the distance stop her from helping those in need in her home country. Partnering with a fellow social worker in Liberia, Raisa started a non-profit organization to mentor young women. This organization provides programs, such as an academic enrichment program, that aim to elevate young women in the region to achieve their goals. Meanwhile, she has contributed considerably to various organizations at NC State, including the Epsilon Kappa Phi Alpha Honor Society where she holds the position of Treasurer. Ms. Mathies has only been at NC State for one year, but according to her, “Being here has given me the opportunity to meet other diverse young women and men, whose experiences I’ve learned from a lot. The classes have been very enriching for me, getting to know their work and combining their experiences with mine.”

Currently, Raisa Mathies is running for the Graduate Student Representative position on the NASW-NC Board of Directors. She hopes to bring her unique and diverse experiences, both in the field and in the classroom, to the table at NASW-NC. Raisa states she has a vision that, “…all children should be able to enjoy their rights to protection, education, and health.” If she is elected, Ms. Mathies plans to advocate for the rights of children and other underserved populations across our state and beyond.

Jacqueline Henry is currently studying to earn her Bachelor of Social Work at the NC State Department of Social Work. Originally from Fayetteville, NC, Jacqueline began attending NC State University three years ago. Since she began her studies, Jacqueline has taken a keen interest in social work policy, especially in relation to social justice.

Ms. Henry has stated that she is interested in pursuing a career in school social work. According to her, ”I feel very strongly about homeless and bullying, hence my decision to pursue school social work. These were issues, from my own experience, that I saw come up time and time again. Overall there’s a lack of mental health resources, not just for students, but also for everyone [in the public school system].” This drive to better the lives of children in the public education system is what will motivate Jacqueline to pursue her MSW in the future.

At this time, Jacqueline Henry is running for the Undergraduate Student Representative position on the NASW-NC Board of Directors. Her goal is to, “…help communicate the needs of BSW students to NASW-NC. Also, to spread awareness of what social workers and those at NASW-NC do to help others.” If elected, she plans to advocate for changes that will reduce communications barriers between NASW-NC and undergraduate students.

UPDATE 6/24/2019: Following the NASW-NC election results, it was confirmed that Jacqueline Henry won the Undergraduate Student Representative position. Click here to view the full list of 2019-2020 NASW-NC Board of Directors.