DECEMBER 2, 2020 — Kamera Griffin has a passion for helping others. She’s applying that compassion into her career as a social worker, a field she’s cultivated while working toward her master’s degree in social work at UTSA. She’s now set to graduate this month.
Griffin already has a journalism degree and a minor in Spanish from the University of Mississippi. While pursuing her undergraduate degree she decided to obtain her master’s in social work. She was determined to find a balance between her two fields and enrolled in the M.S.W. program at UTSA.
“I know some people might wonder how journalism and social work go together, but there are so many skills you learn in journalism that can be utilized in social work,” she said.
Griffin grew up in a giving household. She would watch her mother volunteer and give back to others. That was a characteristic she learned to embody as well.
“My observation of my mother’s love of paying it forward to the geriatric community was definitely one of the main reasons why I’m so interested in social work,” Griffin said. “Seeing joy in those who I have helped others brings me happiness too.”
While pursuing her masters at UTSA, Griffin got accepted into a competitive, 450-hour practicum at San Antonio’s Audie L. Murphy Memorial VA Hospital hospice program, where she gained hands-on experience working with veterans and caregivers in a professional setting.
Griffin also works on other initiatives within the hospice program. In October she participated in a campaign for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. She worked with a team to reach over 300 veterans, their families and hospital staff by asking them to take a pledge to stand up against domestic violence in the workplace.
“The inpatient hospice program has been such a rewarding experience,” said Griffin, “After receiving my humbling acceptance into the program I have since then incorporated theory into practice, communication and case management into my work for a multilevel approach impacting the lives of me, the caregivers and amazing veterans that I’m grateful to serve on a daily basis.”
Griffin’s future plans include focusing on helping the geriatric population and people experiencing homelessness.
“My instructors and professors I’ve had over the years have been really supportive of me in my graduate journey,” she adds. “I’ve had a great experience at UTSA.”
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This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas, the nation and the world.
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We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.
UTSA is a proud Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) as designated by the U.S. Department of Education .
The University of Texas at San Antonio, a Hispanic Serving Institution situated in a global city that has been a crossroads of peoples and cultures for centuries, values diversity and inclusion in all aspects of university life. As an institution expressly founded to advance the education of Mexican Americans and other underserved communities, our university is committed to promoting access for all. UTSA, a premier public research university, fosters academic excellence through a community of dialogue, discovery and innovation that embraces the uniqueness of each voice.
