Teresa DeMichele

UConn School of Social Work, Class of 2016

I was born in Peru and immigrated to the United States at the age of six, where I grew up in Waterbury, Connecticut. I attended Western Connecticut State University where I received a Bachelor of Science in Justice & Law Administration, with a concentration in Offender Rehabilitation.

I have a wide range of volunteer and work experiences, particularly with underserved populations. I have volunteered and worked with agencies such as the Judicial Branch Adult Probation and the Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services, whose clients are chiefly individuals from urban settings. These experiences exposed me to the reality that an individual’s mental health status, substance use problems, and legal status can negatively impact their physical health.

My interest in the Urban Service Track stems from my desire to learn more about the extensive health disparities present in those living in urban communities and how to reduce those disparities. I hope my experiences in UST will help me become a strong social advocate for individuals receiving healthcare services. I also believe in the importance of interagency communication between social service agencies and healthcare agencies so that the biopsychosocial needs of clients are effectively met. I am honored to be a part of UST’s effort to establish effective lines of communication between all the groups involved in healthcare.