2026 MSW Outstanding Student: A Q&A with Jessie Carver

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I have been in Waco since 2010. I taught 4th-8th grade English/Language Arts for 10 years before enrolling in the MSW program at the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work. My parents, aunts, and uncles attended Baylor University in the 1980s. I attended Baylor for undergraduate studies with a major in Great Texts (Literature) and a minor in music.

Why did you choose social work? 

I stumbled upon social work after noticing the unmet social and emotional needs of children and families at the school where I taught. I also had my own healing experience in a therapeutic setting that made me want to fight for accessibility to quality mental health for all. After obtaining my license, I hope to not only offer individual and group therapy but also offer accessible resources and interventions to local communities that promote mental well-being, healing, and belonging through arts and music and collaboration with communities, schools, and families.

What is your MSW specialization?

Clinical Specialization

What was your favorite social work course?

It is too difficult to choose just one! My favorite courses were EMDR with Sharon Rollins, Children and Families with Dr. Becky Scott, and Human Diversity and Social Justice with Kerri Fisher.

Are you involved in any organizations at Baylor?

Phi Alpha Honor Society

Have you been involved in research while at Baylor? 

During my time in the MSW program, I was a graduate assistant for Dr. Helen Harris and Dr. Jim Ellor, aiding in academic writing, research, and editing for a Routledge book proposal on death, dying, grief and loss. For this project, I also co-authored an article on Meaning-Making and Victor Frankl's Logotherapy that will be included in the publication. Under the direction of Dr. Ellor, I also analyzed NVOAD survey data to inform the development of educational materials that help volunteer organizations meet the physical and emotional needs of diverse disaster-impacted communities. 

The year before joining the MSW program, I was also a research assistant to Dr. Christine Limbers, professor of psychology at Baylor, and gained experienced recruiting participants and collecting data for a study on youth mental health. This project culminated in a peer-reviewed publication and presentation at the national Society of Pediatric Psychology conference in 2024. 

After gaining experience in the field of social work and continuing research in clinical practice settings, I hope to one day obtain a PhD to contribute to scholarship on how to best serve vulnerable and marginalized children and families.

Tell us where you interned and about the work you did there.

My first-year practicum placements were with Compassion Ministries of Waco, where I worked with families experiencing homelessness, and Unbound Now, where I facilitated TBRI groups with youths (aged 12-17) in a residential setting. 

During my advanced year, I was a clinical intern for BEAR project on Cesar Chavez Middle School Campus, where I provided trauma-informed and evidence based counseling and psychosocial support for 15-20 adolescents experiencing anxiety, depression, grief, complex trauma, suicidality, and behavioral dysregulation. I delivered crisis intervention, de-escalation, and safety planning for students in acute emotional distress and regularly coordinated with caregivers, school staff, and community mental health providers to ensure continuity of support. 

I am committed to providing client-centered and trauma-informed care with the principles of cultural humility, and therefore, regularly research and implement culturally sensitive practices with the students that I serve.

What you are most proud of?

I am proud that I have learned to rest, to value myself outside of what I do, and how, with the help of my friends and community, I have been able to break some generational cycles in my family. I am also proud that I was able to shift careers late in life and graduate with an MSW degree!

What are your next steps after graduation? 

I passed my licensing exam in March and recently accepted a position as a case manager at Methodist Children’s Home in Waco. I will be working with children and families and integrating clinical skills through resourcing, in-home support, and Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI).

Any advice for those coming after you?

If you have the capacity, lean into the Garland School community and your MSW cohort, allowing yourself to be supported by others experiencing the same struggles, growth, and learning in the program.

What others say about Jessie:

"Jessie has demonstrated outstanding leadership in class, in internship settings, and in her GA position. She is responsible, communicates effectively and professionally, and performs exceptional academic work. She is curious and kind, and her peers look to her because she is an outstanding student academically and engages with her classes in a way that demonstrates a deep desire to learn and grow."

"I was immediately aware [in class] of her academic performance, professional behavior, and collegiality. She was always appropriately engaged in class discussion without dominating, open to feedback and other perspectives, and interested in learning and improving. She was able to grasp concepts well and willing to demonstrate or try out new skills. She appeared to be well-respected by her classmates and was a leader in terms of navigating difficult conversations and considering the implications of skills and concepts on various situations or populations."

"Jessie is consistent, compassionate and caring. She is always putting her best foot forward. Jessie is a wonderful example of a a good student in that she always brings her full self to class, ready to learn and ready to jump in. She is also a wonderful social worker - always giving her best to her clients."

Are you interested in a master's degree in Social Work? Learn more about our programs and about the Garland School of Social Work here.