Jamila Alleyne was born in Tallahassee, Florida, but she did not return until she joined the FSU College of Social Work as a graduate student in the MSW Program Clinical pathway while pursuing the Leadership in Executive and Administrative Development (LEAD) certificate.

Raised in Toronto, Canada, her passion for advocating for Black families and drive to influence policy changes to improve the lives of disadvantaged populations inspired her to pursue a career in social work.

“I chose social work because it offers the flexibility to work in various fields, including policy, clinical practice, government and nonprofits,” she divulged. “This versatility will allow my career to evolve and support different populations.”

After earning a post-secondary social service worker diploma at Durham College and a bachelor’s degree in child and youth studies at Trent University Durham GTA, Jamila returned to Florida for her MSW “to experience a warmer climate and reconnect with my roots in Tallahassee.”

Jamila’s passion for promoting change found a focus when she discovered the lack of representation of social work students in the FSU Congress of Graduate Students (COGS).

“My experience with two student unions in Canada showed me the importance of diverse perspectives in decision-making,” she stressed. “I felt compelled to step up and ensure our voices are heard. I hope my involvement will inspire future MSW students to also engage in COGS.”

As a social work representative at FSU COGS, she regularly attends meetings to approve funding for registered student organizations and discuss future goals for graduate student initiatives. Jamila also chairs the Student Affairs Committee to organize events and address academic, transportation, and social/community programming concerns for graduate students.

In the second year of her program, Jamila is also pursuing a directed individualized study course with social work Assistant Professor Dr. Kristy Anderson to explore research related to macro social work. “Dr. Anderson’s passion for her research on children, youth and families with autism during our research class inspired me to learn more about research,” shared Jamila.

Through discussions with Dr. Anderson about her research studying the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents with autism, Jamila felt compelled to work with her to understand better the impact a health crisis like COVID-19 can have on under-resourced populations and social workers can better address their needs. Jamila also saw the opportunity to improve her academic writing and research skills.

“My current paper focuses on ‘Autism in Social Work Research,’ and the goal of the paper is to explore any trends and challenges other social work researchers have found and to elevate future research areas for people and families with autism,” she said.

Jamila is also participating in the CAT Grads Teaching Development Program through the FSU Center for the Advancement of Teaching to gain training in research-based learning and teaching techniques to enhance the effectiveness of educators.”

On top of all her interests, Jamila also serves as a graduate assistant with FSU Transfer Student Services, assisting transfer students in adjusting to FSU’s academic setting.  

After earning her MSW, she plans to continue working in education and sports social work. Jamila is hoping to help more Black, Indigenous, and People of Color to achieve their goals and advocate for meaningful change in different sectors of the education system.