In the past, you’ve served in several leadership roles such as Vice Chair of the University Student Union Board of Directors and the Associated Students Incorporated Health and Human Services Representative. Now, as an MSW student at UCLA Luskin, how have these leadership experiences influenced the way you initiate change for your community’s social welfare?

My leadership experiences have made me a more intentional, collaborative, and systems-focused advocate for social welfare as an MSW student at UCLA Luskin. Serving on boards taught me how policy, budgets and organizational structures directly shape people’s everyday experiences. This awareness now guides me to think beyond individual interventions and consider the systemic changes, rules, policies and processes that must shift to create lasting impact.

Negin Dadmarz

In practice, I apply this perspective through active participation in committees, structured feedback to departments and support for student organizations advancing social justice and equity within the MSW program. As former vice chair and a college representative, I learned to center stakeholder voice and participatory decision-making. I continue to create listening spaces for peers, amplify concerns around field education and financial stress, and co-design solutions that reflect collective input rather than top-down decisions. Drawing on motivational interviewing principles, I facilitate these dialogues with empathy and collaboration, helping peers articulate shared goals and identify actionable steps toward change. These leadership roles have strengthened my skills in agenda-setting and strategic communication — tools I now use to drive institutional change through collaborative meetings, and advocacy initiatives addressing mental health and financial issues on campus and beyond. Through this work, I’ve also expanded my professional network by actively engaging with faculty, alumni, and fellow students who share a vision of equity-centered education and practice.

Building on these collaborations, I am currently leading efforts to bring the Financial First Responders training developed by the Asset Building Clinic in partnership with my former undergraduate faculty mentor, Dr. Joanna Karczewska, and Dr. Liz Barnett, to UCA Luskin School of Public Affairs MSW program. This initiative equips social work students with foundational financial capability skills to better support clients across diverse communities and populations. I have worked closely with Professor Michelly Talley, who oversees the first-year AOC Health and Mental Health course, the training is scheduled for implementation in Spring 2026. The program bridges clinical practice, motivational engagement, and economic empowerment. This project exemplifies my commitment to integrating systems thinking, cultural humility, and financial well-being into social work education while transforming institutional partnerships into tangible, equity-driven impact.

Where do you see yourself a decade from now and what do you hope to have achieved in social welfare and advocacy?

A decade from now, I envision myself as a licensed clinical social worker continuing to serve in community mental health settings that center low-income, immigrant, and BIPOC communities. I hope to have deepened my clinical expertise in evidence-based modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and prolonged exposure therapy, providing trauma-informed and culturally responsive care to individuals often marginalized within systems of care.

Alongside clinical practice, I plan to continue my research on how financial stress impacts mental health and to expand the reach of the Financial First Responders training in collaboration with the Asset Building Clinic. My vision is to make this program accessible to all social workers, equipping the next generation of practitioners with financial capability skills that empower clients across communities and service settings.

My long-term goal is not only to provide high-quality direct services but also to contribute to the field through mentorship and program development. I aspire to support emerging social workers, particularly first-generation students, immigrants, and clinicians of color, in integrating their lived experiences into their professional identities. I am also committed to developing group protocols, curricula, and psychoeducational resources that reflect the strengths and realities of the communities we serve.

Ultimately, I envision myself shaping a future in which advanced clinical practice is inseparable from equity and inclusion. By grounding my work in strong clinical skills, systems thinking and an ongoing commitment to social justice, I aim to help move the field of clinical social work toward more responsive, culturally grounded and economically empowering care for all.

What advice would you give future students entering the MSW program who also hope to pursue a concentration in health and mental health?

My advice to future MSW students pursuing the Health and Mental Health concentration is to approach the program with curiosity, openness and self-compassion. The learning curve can be steep, but every challenge, whether in the classroom, during supervision, or in field placement, is an opportunity to grow both clinically and personally. Lean into your cohort and field supervisors for support; some of the most meaningful insights will come from shared reflection and collaboration. Take time to explore different evidence-based modalities and populations to find what resonates with your values and clinical style. Most importantly, stay grounded in your “why,” the communities and stories that drew you to this work. They’ll help sustain you through the academic challenge of graduate training and remind you that growth as a clinician is as much about humility and empathy as it is about knowledge and skill.