Master’s student Lynn Panepinto has been awarded the NASW/TX Capital Area Branch Student of the Year Award.
Panepinto is a dual degree student in social work and Latin American studies. She has served as the master’s level student representative to the board of NASW Texas since 2016. She volunteers with the Social Work Detention Response Team, which helps detained immigrant women from Latin America to recount their stories for the asylum process.
“Despite her youth, Lynn has many years of experience working to better the lives of Spanish-speaking people, both in the United States and in Latin America. Through her field work and her volunteer work with immigrants, she has acquired significant experience working as part of an interdisciplinary legal team,” said Robin Smith, a clinical professor at the School of Social Work.
“I am very honored to receive this award and to be recognized alongside a group of very impressive and inspiring awardees at the NASW Texas Capital Area Branch ceremony. It is very meaningful for me to feel tremendous support from my social work community at UT, NASW, and in the Austin area,” Panepinto said. “This award also reminds me that our mission for social justice never ends. Whether we receive recognition or not, on good days and on the most challenging ones, we have to continue showing up for our clients and our communities, and we have to support one another as social work colleagues.”
NASW/TX Capital Area Branch gives the Student of the Year Award in recognition to outstanding contribution to the goals and mission of the social work profession.
About NASW/TX: Founded in 1955 the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest organization of professional social workers in the world, with over 155,000 members in 55 chapters. The Texas Chapter, with nearly 6,000 members, is the major professional social work organization in the state. NASW is committed to advancing professional social work practice and the profession; and to promoting human rights, social and economic justice, and unimpeded access to services for everyone. Its members work in a broad range of settings including hospitals and other health care settings, community agencies, government, academia, business, nursing homes, schools, and private practice.