Sarah Lackey, LMSW (MSW ‘08) was awarded “Field Instructor of the Year” by the St. Edward’s University School of Social Work for the 2022-2023 academic year.
Lackey, who serves as the Managing Social Worker for the Texas Advocacy Project, has been supporting survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Human Trafficking through her work. As a practicum instructor, she has been mentoring students at the University of Texas, Texas State, Baylor, and St. Edward’s since 2011.
“This award came as a wonderful surprise, marking a significant achievement in my social work career,” Lackey said. “The students under my guidance consistently challenge both me and our team at Texas Advocacy Project, propelling us to greater heights!”
Lackey credited her MSW degree from the Steve Hicks School of Social Work as being “pivotal” in getting her to where she is today. Some of the classes that I found most influential were Dr. Montgomery’s Neurobiology class, and Khris Ford’s Grief & Loss class. She also credited her involvement in the GRACE program afforded her “the opportunity to dedicate several gratifying years to working with older adults.”
“Sarah has demonstrated her deep commitment to social work values and to the importance of practicum education as a fundamental learning space for students. After a number of years of practice, she made a career change from providing services to older adults to working to improve the lives of survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. She is a shining example of our alumni changing the world,” said Sarah Swords, Assistant Dean for Master’s Programs and Co-Director of the GRACE Program. “We’re so proud of her recognition and how she’s helping build the profession of social work through training students in practice settings.”