Jazzmin Mitchell is a master’s fellow in the 2022-2023 class of the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) with the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). She received a B.S.W from Lipscomb University and is currently pursuing a master of social work (M.S.W.) from the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Presently, Jazzmin is a grants assistant at the Elam Mental Health Center at Meharry Medical College in Nashville Tennessee. Her professional interests include interdisciplinary and interfaith-based counseling, clinical art therapy, trauma informed approaches as well as anti-racist and equitable access to education and care in the social work field for individuals of color.
Jazzmin was initially introduced to the MFP through her mentor's recommendation. She shared, "When I decided to get my M.S.W., I asked my mentor about funding opportunities. My mentor, who is a member of the Council on Social Work Education shared the application information with me. I was grateful to learn about the stipend, but even more excited about all of the access I would have to training, resources, and networking opportunities."
When reflecting on how the MFP has enriched her academic and professional career, Jazzmin shared that the mentorship, academic and professional connections, and networking opportunities have been very rewarding. She stated, "CSWE sponsored my attendance to the 2022 Annual Program Meeting in Anaheim, California, and it was a-ma-zing! I had the opportunity to sit under the teaching of black scholars and research educators in addition to learning about foundational policies, theories, and research studies that have oppressed my people for over 50 years! I now have a plethora of sources and books to inform my practice that I did not know existed before attending the conference. In such a short time, I have gained meaningful connections, who I now call my 'Academic Tribe,' comprised of other MFP fellows, professional social workers, mentors, and researchers in the field. I am confident that if I need anything, I can pick up the phone and get support."
Jazzmin plans to apply the knowledge and skills acquired from the MFP as an educator, clinician, and advocate for the advancement of people of color in the field of social work. She stated, "Learning about decolonization, anti-oppression, and anti-racist frameworks and methods of practice has been eye opening for me. I plan to continue to educate myself and to share these resources with other professionals. As I learn, I desire to apply these frameworks to advocate for myself and other Black and Brown professionals in the field of social work. I am also interested in learning how to disseminate these frameworks, theories of practice, and approaches to improve the work environment for helping professionals and the academic setting for both students and faculty."
After completing her M.S.W., Jazzmin's post-MFP career goals include practicing interdisciplinary counseling, continuing her active involvement in academia, and extending her advocacy for equitable access to education and care in her field. She explained, "I am interested in using the arts and spirituality to inform my practice and to introduce these kinds of interventions in group settings for clients to help professionals and leaders to mitigate compassion fatigue and build organizational capacity. I would like to implement this in traditional and interdisciplinary settings and in places that need trauma informed care approaches and training."
When asked if she had advice for anyone thinking about applying to the MFP, Jazzmin remarked, "Do it! Just do it! Shoot your shot! You have gotten this far in the game because you were meant to be here, and people are waiting to support your dreams! They are waiting to support your goals with fundraising, resources, and connections! I think you can only gain from this experience! I hope you apply!"
In closing, Jazzmin shared these encouraging remarks about the MFP, "Every social work program in the nation should know about the MFP, and the students should have access to information and the application to apply! I hope the funding continues and even increases for more master-level students!"