BUSSW E&I Student Group
BUSSW E&I Student Group – Connect with other students who are passionate about creating a more equitable and inclusive BUSSW. Contact Julia DeAngelo (juliade@bu.edu) and Megan Nizza (mnizza@bu.edu) for more information.
Affinity Groups
Connect with other students with similar backgrounds as you! Here are the various affinity groups and their contact information:
- Asian/Asian American (asianbussw@gmail.com)
- Non-Binary/Gender Neutral/Gender Fluid (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Mental Health Challenges (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Latinx/Chicanx/Hispanic (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Single Parents/Caretakers (singlecargiversssw@gmail.com)
- Community Organization/Engagement (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Lower Income (lowerincomeaffinity.bussw@gmail.com)
- Parents/Caregivers (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- First Generation Student (firstgenaffinityssw@gmail.com)
- Differently Abled (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Northeast Students (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Southwest Students (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Central Mountain Region Students (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Students in Recovery (busswrecovery@gmail.com)
- International Students (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Veterans (busswveterans@gmail.com)
- Spiritual Students (busswspirituality@gmail.com)
- Jewish Students (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Midwest Students (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Returning to School (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Chronic Health Concerns (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Outdoor Enthusiasts (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- Neurodiverse Students (liamfarr@bu.edu)
- LGBTQA+ (busswlgbtq@gmail.com)
Peer Support Spotlight (Online Program Only)
Peer Support Spotlight
Looking for additional connection, community, and encouragement? Join one (or more!) of the Peer Support Drop-in Sessions this spring in the Student Lounge and meet your Peer Mentors featured below! Our BUSSW peer mentors are ready to offer guidance, support and connection to fellow OLP students. While peer mentors won’t provide tutoring, counseling, or academic advising, they are here to be a valuable resource for you through sharing their wisdom and experience, directing you to resources, and offering words of encouragement. Some sessions will have a specific topic with facilitated discussion, others are more open-ended “general peer support” sessions. Drop-in sessions for Summer 2025 will be held the Second Sunday of every month in the Student Lounge:
Drop-in sessions are the perfect place to connect with peers and mentors and gain support and validation for the challenges of graduate education. The Summer 2025 Peer Support drop-in dates are:
Sunday, 6/8 at 6pm with Jam
Sunday, 7/13 at 6pm with Ellie and Kelly
Sunday, 8/10 at 6pm with Ellie and Kelly
Meet your Peer Mentors:
Eleanor Teague (she/her) 
About: Ellie is currently doing her field placement at VinFen in Haverhill, MA in their Adult Community Clinical Services program. Prior to starting the BU MSW program Ellie worked as a teacher in Lawrence where she developed a particular interest working with children with various levels of need. Outside of the program, Ellie loves to hike with her dog and watch reruns of Modern Family whenever possible. She remembers what it is like to be new to the program, and how hard it can be to connect with others while completing courses online! Ellie looks forward to connecting with you in the student lounge. Eleanor is originally from Southeastern MA but is currently in the Merrimack Valley
Major: Clinical
Track: Traditional Track
Top 5
- Hobby: Hiking with my dog
- Food: Tiramisu
- Song: Three Little Birds by Bob Marley
- Book: A Gentle Reminder by Bianca Sparacino
- Quote: “I became confident once I decided that having fun was far more important that the fear of looking silly” – Rupi Kaur
Kelly Williams (she/her) 
About: Kelly comes to social work after a career as an editor at an animal welfare nonprofit. During her foundation placement at a community mental health agency, she provided individual therapy to adults and seniors and co-facilitated a pet loss grief support group. Now she is in her advanced placement at a cancer center. In this role, she helps clients overcome practical barriers so they can access care, provides psychosocial support, and offers a smidge of case management as needed. She hopes to go into oncology social work after graduation. Outside of school, Kelly is an avid reader, runner, gardener, traveler, and lover of all animals. She lives in Maryland with her partner, three dogs, and one senior cat. Kelly was born in Rhode Island and is currently living in Maryland by way of the Midwest (Minnesota/Wisconsin)
Major: Clinical
Track: Traditional Track
Jam Trott (she/they)
About: A lifelong journey including an international upbringing and prior career in the arts is what brought Jam to social work and continues to be the foundation for their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Jam is particularly passionate about working with persons who are neurodivergent / living with a disability, LGBTQ+ folks, and those with transnational identities. Her long term goal is to become an AASECT certified sex therapist. Their current field placement is at a therapeutic boarding school for individuals 8-22 years of age with complex special needs where they facilitate individual, group, and family therapy.
Graduate school, online class, and the enormity that is BU can be isolating—but it doesn’t have to be! Jam looks forward to getting to know you in the student lounge.
Hometown and/or where you live now: Jam grew up in Egypt, but now lives on Cape Cod in MA.
Major: Clinical; Trauma, Violence & Justice specialization
Track: Traditional Track
Top 5
- Hobby – currently, attending concerts with friends
- Food – Gluten free pizza (in any shape or form)
- Song – “Neverender” by Justice featuring Tame Impala
- Book – A Psalm For The Wild Built by Becky Chambers
- Quote – “Two things can be true” – running joke from the TV series Disenchantment