Glory Deaton of Pineville, a senior social work major at Northwestern State University, has been named the state’s 2018 BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) Student of the Year. The award is presented by the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Deaton will be honored at the organization’s conference in Baton Rouge on March 15.
“I’m so shocked,” said Deaton. “I actually started crying in class when I got the call. I genuinely did not think I would get this huge honor, but my teachers and the judges thought differently and that means the world to me. I am beyond grateful for this honor.”
Deaton majored in elementary education when she first enrolled at Northwestern State, but found social work was the field she thought best for her.
“Much of what drew me into social work is the diversity of potential fields to go into,” said Deaton. “I can counsel kids at a school setting, I can work with the elderly, I can work at a hospital and more. I had the potential to help in so many ways. The more I attended my social work classes, the more I just knew that social work was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Being in social work has given me a whole new perspective on life.”
Deaton is a member of the Northwestern State Demon Crew and was part of the women’s varsity 4+ boat that won the Southern Regionals and finished second in the nation in 2016.
After graduating in May, Deaton plans to go to graduate school with the goal of becoming a licensed clinical social worker and eventually opening her own mental health clinic. She said NSU’s social work faculty deserves credit for preparing her to enter the social work field.
“The faculty is ready to help you at a moment’s notice,” said Deaton. “These teachers are ready to work with students and are so understanding. I honestly cannot stop singing their praises. They have laid a solid foundation in order for me to try and be the best social worker I can be.”
To learn more about Northwestern State’s Bachelor’s in Social Work program, go to nsula.edu/socialworkhome.
