The licensure path for clinical social workers is long by design — 3,000 supervised hours, 100 clinical supervision hours, continuing education and exam costs that add up fast. For recent UT Social Work graduates, the Susan and Anthony Wood Postgraduate Scholarships for LCSW Workforce Development are making that path more manageable.
This spring, scholarship recipients and their supervisors met in person for the first time, gathering at a School-hosted mixer organized by Rebecca Gomez, associate dean for academic affairs, and Andrea Montgomery, director of academic initiatives, after months of Zoom-only interactions.
“We’re not just filling a financial gap — we’re filling a logistical one too. From supervision and continuing education to exam prep, we built a program that covers it all. That two-year stretch between graduation and independent licensure is where we lose people. This gives them the support and the community to get there,” said Gomez.
Briana Benavides, MSSW ’23, is focused on play therapy and on track to earn her license by year’s end. “Without this scholarship, I’d still be 18 months out,” she said. “Now I’m on track to finish by the end of the year and do the play therapy work I’ve been building toward. This program didn’t just help me financially; it changed my timeline.”
Sharon Leung, MSSW ’24, echoed that. “Supervision hours and continuing education add up fast, especially when you’re still building your caseload,” she said. “This scholarship takes that pressure off. I can focus on my clients and my training.”
Made possible by a gift from the WoodNext Foundation — the philanthropy of Roku CEO and Founder Anthony Wood and his wife, Susan — the scholarships address a critical gap: 97% of Texas counties face shortages of mental health professionals, with demand projected to exceed supply by 36% by 2036, according to the Texas Social Work Workforce Study.