The University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work has selected three graduating students to participate in the 2026 commencement program: Phoebe Cosgrove, Neftaly Torres and Madison Haiman.
All three students were selected by associate deans and program leaders within UT Social Work. Criteria for the students included demonstrated leadership in the UT Social Work community and through active engagement with the School’s scholars programs and various educational events.
Cosgrove, who is graduating with her BSW with College Honors, concentrated in clinical social work and minored in Critical Disability Studies. She served as an undergraduate fellow at the Clements Center for National Security, examining human security and global conflict, and joined the inaugural cohort of the Texas Trailblazers: Gay Gaddis Leadership Program, which explores innovative approaches to leadership, policy and social impact. Her professional training included internships at the Arc of Texas and Good Mourning Counseling Center. Cosgrove plans to pursue a master’s degree in social work, with a focus on clinical practice and systems-level change.
Torres, who is graduating with her MSSW in the clinical track, is a two-time Longhorn — she previously earned her undergraduate degree in human development and family sciences from UT Austin. Her final practicum placed her with the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine program at Dell Medical School, where she worked as a pediatric mental health therapist supporting children and families. Torres is committed to expanding access to culturally responsive mental health care for underserved communities.
Haiman completes her Ph.D. with research focused on evidence-informed policy to improve reproductive and maternal health outcomes. A member of the Health Behavior Research and Training Institute student team, she earned the Council on Social Work Education’s 2023–2024 Doctoral Policy Fellowship and the American Public Health Association’s 2024–2025 Maternal and Child Health Section Student Fellowship. Haiman looks forward to a career in academia, advancing social work research and teaching the next generation of social workers.