Online Student Testimonials
The University of Kentucky meets students where they are—helping them build exciting futures and open doors to new career paths. Discover what our students have to say, and learn how UK can make your academic goals a reality.
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Glenn Means: The online component with the Masters of Social Work Program has been an excellent experience for me. You know, I need something that’s convenient. I need something that is accessible. We don’t take time to really, truly invest in what a person’s actually telling you that they need. That’s what the College of Social Work’s done for me.
It really process what someone’s telling me and what they need and how to approach them with their needs.
Ben Allen: The other aspects that social work dives into, you know, mental health, kind of social wellbeing in a way. But combining all those elements of practice is what I’m interested in.
Kate Mitchum: UK’s school of social work, it was something that was well established and that I would really be able to learn from and also connect to other social workers in the field, um, just by benefit of, of going to UK.
Glenn Means: Something that drew me to the program was the different certificate options that the College of Social Work offers.
Kate Mitchum: You know, I had looked at some of the more expensive social work programs that are in other states and it didn’t, it just didn’t feel like they were offering anything that was not available at UK.
Ben Allen: Finding this program and seeing that within two years I could have a master’s degree. The affordability of it and the timeframe of it really meant a lot for me and my family being able to move forward.
Kate Mitchum: I got to work with students from all over the US and really all over the world. There was a student who was living in, uh, army base in Okinawa.
Ben Allen: While it’s all online, it still has a lot of the same flavor if you put some time into it, that human interaction.
Glenn Means: Research is where you really can leave a legacy. I see myself in research, I see myself investing and being a faculty member one day. I’m on the right path in being a change agent for my community, um, being someone who is gonna make a difference within the field.
Kate Mitchum: I think there are a lot of ways to complete this program. UK makes it really easy to do that, that the program is really flexible and in a good way, change the way that you see what you’re capable of and also how you can change the world.
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MSW Student Testimonials
UK’s MSW program combines flexibility, affordability, and meaningful connection. Students gain real-world skills, collaborate globally, and prepare to lead change in their communities and careers — all through a supportive, fully online experience. This video showcases authentic student testimonials, highlighting the impact of the program on their personal and professional journeys.
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Glenn Means: It was that light bulb moment that really went off for me that said, how can I help others? and how can I make a difference and make an impact? And I felt like I could do that through this degree program.
Glenn Means: We don’t take time to really, truly invest in what a person’s actually telling you that they need. That’s what the College of Social Work has done for me. It really processed what someone’s telling me and what they need and how to approach them with their needs.
Glenn Means: Something that drew me to the program was the different certificate options that the College of Social Work offers. I will graduate with the Clinical Social Work certificate, the Substance Abuse & Misuse certificate, and the Trauma-Informed Care certificate.
Glenn Means: The online component with the Master of Social Work program has been an excellent experience for me. You know, I need something that’s convenient. I need something that is accessible, and I can honestly say that it’s been such a pleasant experience for me to be able to still build community with my classmates, faculty, and administration within the College of Social Work.
Glenn Means: So I’m part of the Social Work Alumni Mentoring Program. And so I really just wanted to ask questions, engage like what that looks like.
And it’s just been a wonderful experience to be able to be be matched in that way where you can have an instant connection with someone that just has made such an impact on your life.
Glenn Means: Research is where you really can leave a legacy. I see myself in research. I see myself investing and being a faculty member one day. I’m on the right path in being a change agent for my community. And I’m very excited to be a part of the College of Social Work and this degree program to make that impact.
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Glenn
MSW
“The online component with the Master of Social Work program has been an excellent experience for me. As someone who is a full-time employee and very involved in the community, I need something that’s convenient, accessible, and makes sense for my schedule.”
Ben
MSW
“The program allowed me to work with the material while maintaining my job, which was really beneficial for me and my family. The course content and conversations during enrollment made it clear that I’d be exposed to both clinical and macro practice, which really appealed to me.”
Lisa
MSW
“As a mature student, I’ve found it easy to build community online. Social workers are versatile and adaptable, and the program helped me connect with people from all walks of life while balancing work, family, and school.”
Kate
MSW
“The online program was fantastic for flexibility. I could watch recorded lessons and plan my week around consistent deadlines. The in-state tuition discount made UK’s program affordable and competitive with more expensive options that didn’t offer anything extra.”
Danielle
MSW
“The online format allows me to work on assignments between meetings and childcare. I’ve already implemented changes in my clinic based on what I’m learning and appreciate being able to work ahead and grow while balancing family and work.”
DeShanna
MSW
“Graduating will be a moment of relief and pride, not just for me but for my family who supported me through it all. I want to use this degree to impact my community, city, and state on a higher level.”
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Amy Case: What we bring to the table and what we bring to the conversation as social workers is a perspective that you won’t find in any other profession. The DSW program has helped me grow in a way that solidified the work that social workers do.
Deshanna Johnson: The program has helped me to see social work in a different lens. It has helped me to be able to communicate and collaborate on a different level, on a higher level.
Danielle Patterson: I think UK has done a really fantastic job at having distance and online learning in ways that I haven’t quite seen from other schools. I can work at my own pace in a way that’s also very intentional. It can help me grow and do what I need to do.
Eric Morris: Doing a program online, it was a pretty natural fit. It enabled me to work. It just supported me and my needs very well.
Wendy Pitts: I have found, for me, that the University of Kentucky has been very warm and welcoming from the very beginning when I applied for the program. I’m so glad that I’ve been able to connect to so many people. It’s been amazing.
Sanjuanita De Luna: Every instructor and every course has given me something that I didn’t have before. I’m walking away with something.
Eric Morris: The faculty and the administration have been helpful in reminding all of us, we’re here for a reason. We have something to say that people need to hear and want to hear.
Deshanna Johnson: I wanted to be able to enhance my ability to impact not only my community, but my city, my state, the world.
Amy Case: The University of Kentucky has taken my passion and worked it in a way that works for me.
Danielle Patterson: Everything’s hard. You have to pick your hard—and I think this is a great hard.
Sanjuanita De Luna: You will find that you can surprise yourself in more ways than one. Even if you’re not that young, even if you have too many jobs, even if you’re a mom, I’m doing it, and you can, too.
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DSW Student Testimonials
UK’s Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program fosters growth, connection, and meaningful impact through flexible online learning and dedicated faculty support. Students not only thrive — they inspire.
These videos showcase authentic student testimonials, offering a firsthand look into their experiences and the transformative nature of the program.
DR. SHERICKA SMITH: My decision in gaining my Doctorate of Social Work was really for increasing my capacity to do public speaking nationally. You know, I wanted to create something for the field of social work that wasn’t there. I’m able to travel around the country and talk about what I’ve created, and I’m able to travel around the country and speak in front of crowds of a thousand people in the crowd. And I think the work that I did at the College of Social Work absolutely had an impact on the community where I live. Of course, being online, fully online, was super convenient for me. There was all types of support when it came to technology and just navigating the virtual space. The professors of actual courses that I was in, anytime I needed something, I could reach out to them. It just kind of worked. It fit. It was perfect for my lifestyle at the time. Getting a doctorate can be intimidating for a lot of people. The way that the DSW program is laid out, you don’t write everything all at once. You space it out, you get great feedback from your professors, and you have a lot of time to help develop your ideas and change your ideas if need be. The whole goal is to find something in this field that we’re so passionate about and really put our all into making it better. With all of that hard work came a true sense of pride in, this is my final product and I’m presenting it to the world. I’m presenting this to the field of social work. Really, really think about the end, and what you are going to finally produce and be able to share with the world.
Shericka
DSW
“Getting a doctorate can be intimidating for a lot of people. The way that the DSW program is laid out, you don’t write everything all at once. You space it out, you get great feedback from your professors, and you have a lot of time to help develop your ideas and change your ideas if need be. The whole goal is to find something in this field that we’re so passionate about and really put our all into making it better.”
Cheriann
DSW
“As a mom of three and a full-time employee, the online model gives me the flexibility to work around my kids’ schedules and complete coursework in the evenings or weekends. It allows me to advance my career while maintaining my responsibilities at home.”
Jennifer
DSW
“I chose UK because its four concentrations—clinical, military, leadership, and teaching—aligned with my goals. The in-state tuition for all students made it affordable and a great fit for my research interests.”
Wendy
DSW
“My grandmother had a seventh-grade education but helped others with retirement benefits and raised children who weren’t her own. Now I’m working on my doctorate, and I feel like I’m standing on her shoulders, continuing a legacy of care and education.”
Sanjuanita
DSW
“The justice course has had a tremendous impact on me. It made me go out and pay attention to the environmental injustice in my town, and now my whole family is becoming more active in advocating for clean water and fair treatment.”
Eric
DSW
“I spent 26 years in the military and realized during my graduate program how much of what I did—taking care of soldiers—was social work. I’ve already been doing it; now I have better information and tools to make a broader impact.”
Jenepher
DSW
“A Catholic nun who devoted her life to helping people in need inspired me to pursue social work. Her compassion and dedication made me want to follow a similar path, and now I work as a mental health evaluator in an emergency room.”
Amy
DSW
“I landed on the University of Kentucky because I really liked how they captured what I felt to be valuable in a social work degree. They’re innovative, established in research, and committed to community and social justice.”
Catrina
DSW
“I work four days a week and care for my mother, so the flexibility of the online program allows me to manage school, work, and family responsibilities without missing deadlines or connections.”