Throng of family members, friends honors ASU Tucson’s social work graduates

Eighteen undergraduate and 52 graduate students who earned Arizona State University diplomas in social work at the university’s Tucson location reveled in their new degrees at a May 13 celebration in downtown Tucson.

The university officially conferred bachelor's and master's degrees in social work the previous day on the Tempe campus. But the 70 students who studied in Tucson were honored at the late afternoon event at the historic Fox Theatre before an estimated 700 well-wishers.

Assistant Teaching Professor Heather Voelkel of the School of Social Work, who is the school’s Tucson Program Coordinator, said the Fox offered more seating than the last celebration’s location. Voelkel estimated each graduate had nearly a dozen family members and friends cheering for them this year.

“Last time, we had people standing everywhere,” Voelkel said. “It’s a powerful testament to the tightknit community that surrounds and supports our students.”

The event opened with a blessing from San Xavier District Chairman Austin Nunez of the Tohono O’odham Nation. Nunez is serving in his ninth four-year term as chairman, having held the post since 1987.

Tony Penn, CEO of United Way of Southern Arizona since 2010, was the keynote speaker. During the past year, the organization positively impacted the lives of more than 422,000 children, families and seniors throughout Southern Arizona.

The celebration also featured remarks from BSW graduate Amanda Ortega and MSW graduate Lindsey Joy Smith, who is also the School of Social Work’s spring 2025 Outstanding Graduate.

Ortega said she will begin studies at ASU in Tucson toward a Master of Social Work degree, with a long-term goal of obtaining licensure as a therapist and “providing mental health care that is compassionate, accessible and rooted in social justice. Additionally I will continue to advocate for all humans to have their basic needs met.”

Ortega said the people she learned with and from while in Tucson were among the most memorable aspects of her academic experience.

“The Tucson location offered a supportive and close-knit community. My cohort was able to learn and grow together, as well as share in all of our successes along the way,” she said. “As a parent and working student, having that kind of connection with peers and faculty made it possible to thrive both academically and personally.”

Ortega said her internship at the Aztec Resource Center influenced her passion for social work.

“It is such a supportive and encouraging environment, and it really has helped me grow. I got to work directly with students who were dealing with food insecurity. Seeing how much that impacted their mental health and ability to succeed made a huge impression on me. It connected everything I was learning in class to real life in such a powerful way,” she said.

Ortega will attend an anti-hunger conference in Washington, D.C., in May “to keep advocating for food security back home in Arizona.”

Iona Bailey, who earned a Master of Social Work degree, said that after graduation she will study toward designation as a Licensed Master Social Worker. Then, she plans to begin work at a behavioral health agency in Tucson, providing therapy to neurodiverse, disabled/chronically ill and LGBTQ+ individuals, which she called “my true passion.”

Bailey said attending ASU in Tucson for both her bachelor’s and master’s degree programs has been “incredibly meaningful, not just for the convenience, but for the strong sense of community. The smaller campus fosters a supportive, engaging environment where everyone shares a deep passion for social work.”

The School of Social Work is part of the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions.