DSW grad receives prestigious Tulane 34 Award

A recent Doctorate from Tulane School of Social Work now ranks among the coveted “Tulane 34”, a select group of 34 graduates who have distinguished themselves throughout their collegiate life at Tulane. Students can come from any school at Tulane and are recognized for their exemplary leadership, service, and academic excellence.

Devin Ariel Williams, DSW, LCSW-S, LICSW-S, has worked as a student ambassador for the Enrollment Management and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion departments. She was a teaching fellow in Fall 2023 and an administrative fellow in Spring 2024. 

“As the first of my family and friends to begin and complete a doctoral program, I was unsure of what to expect, but I knew that I wanted to engage in research and learning that was meaningful to me,” Dr. Williams said. “I own and operate a mental health practice, Resilient Therapy and Solutions, that prioritizes the mental health of Black women—which then became my research focus during the DSW program.”

Prior to the TU DSW program, I had not had many opportunities to learn from professors and social work experts who look like me. Seeing them – Black professors – gave me the nudge that I needed to continue to strive for excellence...

Dr. Devin Ariel Williams

Dr. Williams successfully defended her APP, “Do You Have That in Black? Considering Patient-Provider Racial Concordance in Social Work,” in Spring 2024. The manuscript is a call to action to social workers to consider racially concordant relationships as a way to address Black mental health disparities.

“It was important to me that I gained knowledge that would not only benefit myself but would also transform the lives of the women that I serve,” said Dr. Williams.

Dr. Williams was able to conduct her research thanks to the help of Tulane’s world-class faculty, particularly the Black faculty members in the Doctor of Social Work program.

“Prior to the TU DSW program, I had not had many opportunities to learn from professors and social work experts who look like me. Seeing them – Black professors – gave me the nudge that I needed to continue to strive for excellence, as I finally saw myself in a space that has historically been Eurocentric,” Dr. Williams said.

After graduation, Dr. Williams will continue to build her practice and return to Tulane as a Project Assistant for Enrollment Management. She will also continue to conduct research on patient-provider racial concordance, which impacts the clients she serves.

“As an alum, I hope to continue to foster the values of community, academic excellence, and integrity."