Student Interview: Miah Pankey

Image of M. Pankey
How did you become interested in the Howard University School of Social Work?

I was initially interested in attending Howard University because my father went here for his undergraduate degree. He had always hoped that one of his children would join the HU family. I chose to attend Howard University for my master's degree because I knew I wanted to learn with and from other black scholars about the best methods of intervention when working to address needs within the Black community. I attended a Predominantly White Institution for undergrad, and although I ultimately enjoyed that experience, I did not want to continue my learning from a Eurocentric perspective. Howard University is the only school that I applied to as it is specifically centered around the Black Perspective and how to uplift the Black community.

What was your most memorable experience?

I have had an incredible time so far at Howard University. I have been fortunate to make friendships and lasting memories with amazing people. Outside of the friendships I have made, one of the most memorable experiences I have had so far was receiving the James Patterson Writer Education Scholarship and getting to meet Mr. Patterson via Zoom to talk about my intention of using writing in my social work practice. I was also really thrilled to briefly meet Hannah Nicole Jones while at the National Association of Black Social Workers conference in Chicago.

What are your plans for the future/how do you plan to use your knowledge gained at HUSSW?

I have many goals and aspirations that I hope to achieve in my future. Once I graduate from Howard University, I hope to be on the path to becoming a clinical social worker in a therapy setting. I want to work with children and adolescents in processing their trauma and developing healthy coping mechanisms to respond to their difficult emotions. I also want to pursue a passion of becoming an author writing children's literature and creating stories that positively represent Black people, culture, and creativity. I also foresee myself working toward becoming a licensed sex therapist in order to address the needs specific to sexuality within the community.

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