Our Stories

Laura Wilgus
MSW 2009

When Laura Wilgus was 5 years old, her great-grandmother began to suffer from dementia. Laura's mother told the little girl, "Now grandma may have trouble remembering who you are." Unfazed, Laura says that every time they visited, she stood right in front of her great-grandmother and said, "Grandma, I'm Laura and I'm 5 and this is Jack (her brother) and he's 3." read more...

Tiffany Purnell
BSW 2009

Tiffany Purnell, BSW (August) 2009, has been mentoring two girls from an abusive background for seven years. She met them through her inner-city church in St. Louis, Missouri, when she was in high school and she continues to be a part of their lives even as she completes her Baylor undergraduate degree. Is it any surprise she chose social work as her profession? read more...

Brooke Rasco
BSW 2009

As a young girl living in a chaotic home with parents who struggled with addictions, Brooke Rasco, BSW (August) 2009, always knew in her heart that she wanted to be a part of something bigger – she just didn't know how to get there. "I have always felt that God was preparing me for something, so maybe that's why I have the gift of resiliency," she says. "First, I just had to survive." read more...

Arnold Hider
BSW 2009

Arnold Hider, BSW 2009, started his education in computer programming, but ultimately it really wasn't an option for him. "I was born into the helping profession," says the BSW senior from Dallas. His father, Arnold Sr., is a social worker and owns Professional Social Services Network, which provides an array of services for people in need. read more...

Sally Neely
MSW 2009

Most Americans don't want to talk about death, even if it's imminent. But Sally Neely (MSW 2009) grew up in a home where conversations about death and dying were natural. "We had a very positive outlook on hospice and death in our family," says the Mineola, TX, native. Her father is a pastor, and two of her grandparents were enrolled in hospice before their deaths. read more...

Walai Jantawiboon
MSW 2009

The tsunami that struck the southern part of Thailand in 2004 was devastating for thousands of Thais who saw their dreams washed away. It was painful, too, for Walai Jantawiboon, a first-generation Chinese born in Thailand, and then project coordinator of relief services in the wake of the disaster. read more...

Beth Kilpatrick
MSW 2009/MDiv Candidate 2012

Soft-spoken, poised and articulate, Beth Kilpatrick takes her time. A former missionary in inner-city Los Angeles, she waited until she knew the questions she wanted answered before she chose her educational path in graduate school. "The work of the church and of social justice really go hand in glove and I want to do both," said Beth (MSW 2009/MDiv Candidate, 2012). read more...