At ϳԹ, students arrive with ambition and learn to turn it into impact. Throughout their time on campus, they engage deeply with their studies, contribute meaningfully to the community, and prepare to lead in their respective fields.
As the Class of 2025 prepares to receive their degrees during commencement ceremonies from May 14 to 18, we’re putting the spotlight on eight exceptional graduates—one from each school—whose achievements exemplify the university’s commitment to excellence and service.
Read more about the Mandel School's featured student below and .
Kenny Wallace
Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences
Kenny Wallace came to ϳԹ to make a difference. What he didn’t expect was how deeply his clients—and his fieldwork—would change him in return.
Wallace, a dual-degree social work and law student, worked as a certified legal intern with the Human Trafficking Law Clinic as part of his second-year field placement under the guidance of the School of Law’s Maya Simek, a dual-trained social worker and attorney.
“Watching Maya navigate complex cases while showing up fully for her clients was inspiring, and a reality check,” he said. “To see that kind of strength and resilience up close, and to be trusted by her in their most sensitive moments, is something I will never forget.”
He also will never forget a guiding philosophy Simek instilled in him: Simply begin again.
“By knowing that we will suffer losses and setbacks from time to time—and affording ourselves the grace and self-compassion to embrace the day ahead as a clean, new slate—we can accomplish great ends for ourselves, and by association, others,” Wallace reflected.
His work at the clinic centered on expungement cases, supporting human trafficking survivors as they worked to clear their records and move forward. While Wallace has learned an invaluable amount from his public interest work and client interactions, he also believes in bringing change to the legal profession from the inside out.
As part of the Mandel School’s Leadership Fellows program, he proposed an evidence-based practice framework that begins during a students’ first year of law school and focuses on improving the mental health, substance use and wellbeing challenges law students and attorneys often face. His dream is to turn that proposal into real-world policy—using his social work lens to advocate for a healthier legal profession.
The Mandel School has provided him with the space and support to connect systems-level thinking with hands-on practice.
“The Master of Social Work program helped me turn abstract goals into tangible tools, and gave me the experience to actually use them,” he said.
After graduation, Wallace will head west to North Dakota to begin work as an associate attorney at a full-service law firm. But his deeper mission is already clear—to build a healthier, more humane legal profession, starting with the people who serve it.
Learn more about Wallace
Class Year: May 2025
Degree Program: MSW/JD (Social Work + Law) On-Campus
Concentration: Mental Health with Adults
Field Education Organizations:
- First Rotation (2021–22): Rocky River Municipal Court
- Second Rotation (2024–25): ϳԹ Human Trafficking Law Clinic
Hometown: Denver, Pennsylvania
Give a brief overview of your field education experience(s).
In my fist rotation, I essentially got to be a de facto probation officer. Rocky River was a particularly valuable placement, as they had gained a statewide reputation for using evidence-based practices as part of their community control program. The women that I worked with there—Molly, Denise, Connie and Judith—were the most wonderful mentors to learn from, and they made Cleveland feel like home during my first grad school semester.
Then, of course, there's this past year that I've spent with the Human Trafficking Law Clinic and the tireless Maya Simek. Having a supervisor who lives out the dual law-social work life and wears all the hats like Maya does was a big reality check. I’ve gotten to work alongside great colleagues—Anna Buczek, Katie Taylor (also a JD/MSW student) and Lauren Boyle to name a few—and accomplish substantial wins for our clients, particularly in the area of expungements. Witnessing trafficking survivors’ resilience on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, and to represent them as they take difficult next steps for their future, has been a humbling endeavor and I’m forever thankful for their trust placed in me.
What are you doing in field that you’re planning to bring with you into your career?
Litigation-oriented legal work.
What is something you've learned during your practicum that you have found to be the most helpful in your social work journey?
From my tenure as a probation officer into my time as a certified-legal intern working with trafficking survivors, I have learned that focusing on our shame we are dealing with the aftermath of our lowest lows is a rather useless endeavor.
Who is someone you've met during your field practicum that will change the way you practice?
Following up from the answer above, my current supervisor, Maya, has slowly instilled in me the mantra of "simply begin again." The four years of my dual JD/MSW degree program were filled with plenty of ups and downs, personally and professionally. By embracing that we will suffer losses and setbacks from time-to-time—and affording ourselves the grace and self-compassion to embrace the day ahead as a clean, new slate—we can accomplish great ends for ourselves (and by association, others).
Before beginning at ϳԹ, what were you doing?
I served as an access-to-civil legal services AmeriCorps Vista with Equal Justice Wyoming from July 2020–June 2021 in Cheyenne.
Prior to that, I worked as a qualitative health care research analyst with Advisory Board Company, in Washington, D.C., right after my graduation from Elizabethtown College in May 2019.
Why did you choose to study social work and/or nonprofit management?
In my brief time consulting, I felt disconnected from the intended end consumer (i.e., the health care patient). The phrase “ivory tower” can be extended to a grad school setting, at times, but actually having opportunities through the Mandel School to (i) get out in the community and meet face-to-face with clients to assess their situation; (ii) implement practices and programs; and (iii) evaluate their effectiveness is a very real, tangible vocation.
Why did you choose ϳԹ/the Mandel School for your graduate study?
I chose ϳԹ and the Mandel School as I sensed that the professors I spoke with in the admissions process truly valued the personal and professional experiences that I brought to the table, and that the program was capable of sharpening my existing skillset into tools to be used in a variety of contexts concerning adult mental health.
What is your favorite thing about ϳԹ/the Mandel School?
ϳԹ, as an institution, is incredibly advanced at experiential-based education.
What has been your favorite class at the Mandel School so far? Why has it stood out to you?
SASS 549: Theory and Practice Approaches in Direct Social Work. I took SASS 549 with Professor Amy Korsch-Williams, and it really was an irreplaceable course in the composite of the Mental Health with Adults specialization. We had such enriching case presentations and discussions on a weekly basis, and Professor Korsch-Williams fostered such an environment of critical thinking and curiosity.
SASS 503: Foundations of Social Policy and Service Delivery. I participated in SASS 503, taught by Heather Burton, in my first fall semester at ϳԹ. Dr. Burton is an instructor who wants to leverage and spotlight every unique strength of her students. I quickly had the sense that I could bring my 'true' self to her classroom, and the fellowship and mentorship she generously provided during office hours deeply empowered me to persevere through grad school's trials.
Describe any job, internship, volunteer, research or study abroad experiences you've had during your time at ϳԹ.
With my participation in the Mandel Leadership Fellows Program, in May 2024, I proposed an evidence-based practice (EBP) framework for ameliorating the mental health, substance abuse and wellbeing-related issues that law school students face. I completed this EBP proposal under the eye of my advisor, David Hussey, and alongside my dear colleagues, Abigail S., Ally F., Ana K., Caroline S., Erin G., Garrett W., Grayson H., Jackie C., Jess M., Jesse B., Karen E., Michaela J-S and Valeria S.
Describe any extracurricular activities you're involved with on- or off-campus, or any interests, activities or passions.
I've held a gym membership at One to One Fitness through grad school and can't recommend enough a good fitness regime/routine through those years. And these past two years, I was lucky enough to make another JD/MSW friend—Noah Perrin—who coincidentally enough also ran collegiate track and cross-country like me. So to maintain those old activities and passions with new friends in new places has been a great blessing.
What is your favorite thing about Cleveland/University Circle?
To shout-out the immediate University Circle community, I have to give love to Sandy at the Jolly Scholar—too many karaoke nights conquered to count. The Wade Oval is one of the most wonderful arrangements of green space, music halls, museums, etc. to exist in this country, and we have it right here on campus. I'll never forget watching the solar eclipse there last year with my parents, who drove into town from Pennsylvania for the once-in-a-lifetime totality event. And then there's all the sports and entertainment events in between, like Friday Night Dollar Dog Guardians games at Progressive Field in the late spring and summer, or seeing a comedy show at Hilarities. You really can't go wrong here!
What do you hope to do with your degree?
A dream goal of mine is to make my EBP proposal become reality—that is, to work as an advocate in the lawyer mental health/substance abuse/wellbeing space and leverage my social work skillset for the betterment of my colleagues, the culture of the profession, and the clients whose private and public interests we serve.
Do you have any plans for after graduation yet?
I will be leaving Cleveland (for now, sadly) and moving west to begin working as an associate attorney at a full-service law firm.
What are you most looking forward to post-graduation?
Passing the July 2025 Bar Exam! (*fingers crossed*)
What's something you'd share with an incoming student who is starting a graduate or professional program at ϳԹ?
Get to know the peers in your program and immerse yourself in all that Cleveland has to offer!