Liz Smith will serve as the student speaker at the Brown School’s recognition ceremony on May 13, marking the completion of her master’s degree in social work and a brief break before returning in the fall to begin her doctoral program.
A Massachusetts native, Smith didn’t initially plan a career in social work. After earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a conversation with her therapist helped reframe her interests.
“My therapist at the time told me that what I described sounded more like social work than psychology. So, I began looking up social work programs,” she said.
Smith learned about the Brown School through a friend in St. Louis. Soon after, things began to align. She applied for positions in the area and was flown to St. Louis for an interview with St. Louis Life, a residential program supporting adults with developmental disabilities, where she now works.
“I fell in love with St. Louis,” Smith said. “My executive director, Andy Conover, is an adjunct professor here at the Brown School, so things all seemed to fall into place.”
During her time in the program, Smith completed a foundation practicum at the Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center at WashU Medical School, and a concentration practicum with PreventEd. She also held leadership roles with the Student Coordinating Council and Student Advisory Council, experiences she credits in part to mentorship from Da’Shaun Scott, assistant director for student engagement at the Brown School.
“Working alongside Da’Shaun Scott has made me a more authentic, transparent, and thoughtful leader; his guidance and unwavering support have been invaluable to me throughout my time at the Brown School,” she said.
Smith said some of her strongest memories of the program come from everyday interactions shared with classmates, faculty and staff.
“The inside jokes, the random laughter in the hallways, happy hour snack reviews, and being part of something larger than myself,” she said. “It is rare to find a place where you so effortlessly feel seen and accepted as I did with this group of amazing humans.”
As graduation approaches, Smith is balancing final coursework with perfecting her student address.
“I’ve learned and grown so much with this cohort and in this program that I want to be able to adequately express my gratitude and share my experience with those in attendance,” she said. “And low-key, I’m looking forward to a summer break before coming back for my PhD.”
Asked what she’ll miss most, Smith initially joked, “nothing,” then added, “it will be different walking these same halls with new faces. I will miss my cohort; there is something inherently special about going through the two fastest and somehow still longest years of life together.”
Smith plans to focus her doctoral studies on informal caregiving at the end of life, with the goal of reshaping how society understands aging and care work.
“My hopes for the future are that society stops seeing aging as a disability, recognizes caregiving as real work, and that I can stay at the Brown School for as long as they’ll have me!”
As for her upcoming speech, she is keeping details under wraps.
“I don’t want to give spoilers,” she said. “But what I will say is that it has been my greatest honor being their ‘president’ and learning from this group has been the most profound experience of my adult life so far.”
More information about this year’s Brown School Recognition Ceremony is available on the school’s commencement website.