School of Social Work Hamilton-Wilson Student Assistance Fund

University at Buffalo alumnae Greer Hamilton, MSW ’16, BA ’16, and Danise Wilson, MPH ’14, feel fortunate to have seats at the table, and they want to invite others to join them. The women, who both have careers in public health, were disheartened by the lack of minority representation in the field, both in their classes as well as in their professional interactions. Rather than just lament the situation, they were motivated to do something about it.

To help build a community of black students at UB who are interested in improving health outcomes for underserved populations, Hamilton and Wilson launched the Hamilton-Wilson Student Assistance Fund. The fund will award $1,000 each year to two deserving graduate students working toward a master’s degree in social work or public health, while also connecting them with black mentors in their respective fields.

The fund is designated to help students with non-tuition related expenses, which is of particular importance to the women. Another desired outcome for the fund is to provide mentorship opportunities and build a sense of fellowship for black students in the schools of Social Work and Public Health and Health Professions. Wilson and Hamilton plan on organizing events to encourage MSW and MPH students to network with each other and share their experiences.