The DSJ Fellowship exists to support emerging student leaders who are committed to advancing the School of Social Work's mission within the university and the broader communities we serve. Through structured opportunities for learning, mentorship, and hands-on project work, fellows apply their passion for equity and advocacy in ways that create tangible, lasting change.

The Fellowship is coordinated through the DSJ Committee, which advances anti-racism, equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives within the School of Social Work and beyond. The Committee is committed to addressing systemic inequities, enhancing cultural humility, and fostering an inclusive academic and professional environment — and the Fellowship is one of the most direct ways students can contribute to that mission.

What Fellows Do

Abby Gutierrez Macias and Chelsea Alcantara at the NM Higher Education Assessment and Retention Conference

Across a three-semester arc — from planning through implementation to dissemination — fellows collaborate on meaningful projects that embody the School’s core social justice values. The experience blends structured learning with real-world application in ways that allow students to deepen their understanding of equity-centered practice while building leadership skills, professional confidence, and lasting community partnerships.

Fellows receive a stipend to support their participation and project-related expenses and engage in a rich learning curriculum that combines experiential activities with Canvas-based coursework and resources. Throughout the fellowship, students build knowledge and skills in social justice practice, community engagement, advocacy, and project development while learning alongside a close-knit cohort of peers.

Fellows participate in monthly group meetings with the DSJ Committee Chair for shared support, guidance, and reflection, along with individual mentorship from a School of Social Work faculty mentor. Students also collaborate formally and informally with fellow cohort members throughout the program, creating a supportive learning community grounded in accountability, growth, and authentic partnership.

At the center of the Fellowship are student-led, inquiry-driven projects that fellows own from start to finish. Fellows develop project proposals, set goals, navigate IRB processes when appropriate, build professional networks beyond the classroom, and share their work through presentations, conference opportunities, and potential publication.

Meet the Fellows

Meet the Inaugural Cohort: 2025–2026 Fellows

In fall 2025, the School of Social Work welcomed its first-ever cohort of DSJ Fellows. These students embody what this fellowship is about — a lived commitment to justice, equity, and community.

Chelsea Alcantara

MSW, Global Track

Chelsea's project examines the barriers first-generation families face as they support students navigating higher education — a perspective that is often overlooked in existing research. Through qualitative interviews, her study aims to shed light on how family knowledge, resources, and dynamics shape student success and persistence in college.

Abigail Gutierrez Macias

BSW, Senior

Abigail's project uses oral history and storytelling to amplify the lived experiences of community members in New Mexico whose voices are often underrepresented. Her work will culminate in a public-facing mural in the HSS building, created in collaboration with BEST, that brings these narratives to life for the broader campus community.

Shane Caballero

BSW, Junior

Shane's project is an autoethnography tracing his growth, values, and professional identity across the course of the fellowship. His work centers on mezzo and macro-level social work practice, with goals rooted in community engagement with youth-serving organizations focused on homelessness, crisis response, and peer support.