By Alvaro Ayala

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS – MAY 13, 2025 – Hemma Uzoh never imagined her life’s journey would lead to a master's degree in social work.

But on May 16, the 26-year-old Harlingen native will walk the stage at the Bert Ogden Arena to accept her Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) degree, marking the culmination of a winding and transformative career path. 

Uzoh, who holds a bachelor's degree in Public Health from the University of Texas at Austin, originally had planned to follow in her father’s footsteps to become a doctor. But when the COVID-19 pandemic brought her home temporarily to the Valley in 2020, she got to observe as her mother – a licensed social worker – helped others through a range of mental health crises.

Ultimately, that experience reshaped her career ambitions.

"I believe coming home abruptly during that time was a blessing in disguise," Uzoh said. "Seeing how my mom was helping people from a mental health perspective made me reconsider what I originally had been aiming for."

When Uzoh learned about UTRGV's MMSW program, she decided to apply, and since becoming a graduate student in the 2023 fall semester, she has become heavily involved in her community. In October that year, shortly after starting the program, she was named a Presidential Research Fellow and credits her professor, Dr. Leticia Villareal Sosa, professor and associate dean of the UTRGV School of Social Work, with guiding her to that accomplishment. 

And this past April, Uzoh presented along with two colleagues at the National School Social Work Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, to cap off her graduate journey. 

 Still, the path to becoming a social worker was not without its challenges, as she also was a caretaker for her grandfather, who had been diagnosed with cancer before Uzoh started her academic journey. 

CHOOSING A NEW PATH

After she graduated in spring 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Uzoh found it difficult to find job opportunities in the mental health field while living in Austin. Following the encouragement of her mother, who was a graduate of UTRGV legacy institution UTPA, Uzoh returned to the Valley and enrolled at UTRGV. 

"I was doing this for myself,” she said. “I had found a passion for service in the mental health field, so this was the best thing to do."

At UTRGV, as she adjusted to her new career path in social work, Uzoh met Villarreal Sosa, who became a mentor.

"She's a professor I look up to, and she allowed me to become a Presidential Research Fellow based on my application," Uzoh said.

They built a strong bond, so Umoh asked Villarreal Sosa to do the hooding honors at the upcoming School of Social Work hooding ceremony before commencement.

"She's a huge advocate for people in need and someone I aspire to be like once I get into the field," Uzoh said.

DEALING WITH ADVERSITY  

While balancing schoolwork and a clinical internship, Uzoh also had the responsibility of caring for her grandfather, whose cancer was diagnosed shortly after she returned to the Valley full-time.

Her grandfather was a father figure and someone who significantly supported her educational journey. 

"He is the huge reason I got to go to school," Uzoh said. "We've been through hard times as a family, but he signed the papers for me to be able to get into school." 

As his health declined, Uzoh, along with her mother and aunts, took turns as caretakers at home, but in the spring 2024, her grandfather needed to be moved to a nursing facility for more comprehensive care. Despite her busy schedule, she prioritized time to visit him regularly.

"It went from caretaking at home — making breakfast, helping with walkers — to going every day after school to the nursing home to see him," she said. 

Amid these personal challenges, Uzoh found solace in her clinical practicum with Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine (TCHATT), which deepened her commitment to helping others.

"Even though I was grieving, helping others through my therapy internship became a healing experience in itself," she said.

Uzoh's grandfather died on the first day of the fall 2024 semester. At school, she relied on the comfort and encouragement of her professors and peers, many of whom had navigated loss and hardship themselves.

"Even through all the grief, I've met wonderful people, peers, teachers and professors who have gone through similar experiences and have been supportive," she said. 

POSTGRADUATE AMBITIONS

After graduation, Uzoh said, she hopes to stay in the Valley to begin practicing as social worker. Long term, with a partner in the military, she said, she hopes to one day be a therapist on base, providing therapy or case management services for military families. 

The goal now, as she graduates with her MSSW, is to become a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) within the next five years.

"My main focus is to serve my community and get as much hands-on experience as possible,” Uzoh said. “I want to help children and families as best as I can."

For more information on UTRGV Spring 2025 Commencement, visit www.utrgv.edu/commencement.