2014 Carl A. Scott Book Scholarship Winners

Miea Walker

Miea Walker is currently an MSW student at North Carolina State University. Her recent experience includes two first-year internships, Triangle Residential Options for Substance Abusers (TROSA) and Jobs For Life, a global, Christian organization that engages and equips the church in understanding the impact of joblessness through the dignity of work. Prior to starting her master’s program, Miea pursued a dual degree in Human Service Technology and Substance Abuse Counseling, which laid the foundation for her desire to pursue a clinical career focusing on the mental health needs of those who are incarcerated and struggle with co-occurring disorders.

Miea is described as a hard-working self-starter who goes above and beyond the typical student activities. Her commitment as a social work student to comprehensively understand the populations she serves is unyielding. In her graduate studies she is becoming a very competent researcher and is focused on having a direct impact on the communities she serves.

Miea’s primary interests are in helping formerly incarcerated populations successfully return home. Her aspirations are to become a licensed clinical social worker and a licensed clinical addiction specialist engaging and working in reentry and advocating for those who are most in need of assistance. Her passion is driven toward working with these individuals in removing the stigma and shame, which prohibits them from seeking assistance and treatment. Miea’s goal is to work in a clinical practice where she can provide case management and counseling to address the barriers and create a holistic, comprehensive treatment plan to aid in transitioning home.

Maryam Zoma

Maryam Zoma is currently an MSW student at the Hunter College Silberman School of Social Work. Her recent experience includes a field placement internship at Seafarers & International House, where she led volunteer groups into detention centers to speak with immigrant detainees and asylum seekers. She has also served as a disaster case manager at Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens, assisting families who were impacted by Hurricane Sandy. Prior to starting her master’s program, Maryam served as a U.S. Fulbright Fellow in Jordan to study the ways that faith-based organizations impact the psychosocial well-being of Iraqi widow refugees. In addition, she volunteered at the Bellevue/NYU Program for Survivors of Torture as an English tutor to immigrant and refugee clients.

Maryam is described as a "top level" student and an exceptional writer. Her work displays great depth and knowledge of her interest areas, and reflects her long-time commitment to working with immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees, and ways social workers can advocate for immigration reform. She has worked with enormous energy to shed light on these populations—their rights, their challenges, and their need to be treated with respect and dignity.

Maryam’s primary interests are immigration policies, human rights, women’s rights, and asylum laws. Her career goals are to work on immigration, asylum, and refugee issues at an organization advocating for these populations on a national and international level. She also wants to interact with lawmakers to help them understand why the United States needs immigration reform laws and more effective refugee and asylum policies.