Michelle Wallen

UConn School of Social Work, Class of 2019

My name is Michelle Wallen and I’m a second year student in the UConn School of Social Work program. My expected year of graduation will be in May 2019. My original birthplace is Jamaica, where I live for 23 years. I migrated to America in 1994, where I had the opportunity to further my education. I obtained my Associates in Science Degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Manchester Community College and Bachelor in Science Degree in Human Development and Family Studies from University of Connecticut. Growing up in Jamaica, I have experienced and seen poverty at its best. Unknowingly, it felt like the norm because poverty was seen throughout urban communities. Migrating to America and residing in Hartford, another urban community, where poverty also exist, has become a huge eye opener. One of my favorite volunteering is serving Hartford families through distribution of food from my local church food pantry. Conversing with recipients, hearing their stories and able to provide resources, is rewarding. As I further my studies, my awareness heightened to realize that poverty is a result of generational and mostly systemic. With this information, my knowledge and experience from the UST, as a Social Worker, I desire to educate/ advocate for the underserved and less fortunate, with the hope of giving them a voice.