(RALEIGH, NC) – The National Association of Social Workers North Carolina Chapter (NASW-NC) has named Lizbeet Popoca as the recipient of the 2023 NASW-NC Toby Brown Award for Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) undergraduate students for the 2022-2023 academic year. Lizbeet is an outstanding student at Fayetteville State University (FSU) and within her community.
The award recognizes a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) student in North Carolina who best reflects and represents the ethics, values, and passion in the field of social work through exemplary performance in social work coursework, field placement, student social work associations, and community organizations.
Lizbeet has been an active member of the FSU campus community throughout her time in college, serving as President of the Bachelor of Social Work Student Association (BSWSA) and as a member of both the Phi Alpha Social Work Honor Society and the Global Scholars Honors Program. Lizbeet’s participation in student organizations, as well as her work academically, has not gone unnoticed. As Yolanda Massey-McCullough, FSU Director of Field Education - BSW Program, says, “Lizbeet is focused, hard-working, and she knows how to bring the spirit. She’s competitive and committed to making herself and those around her better. She shows tremendous support in a classroom setting and, in her life, outside of school. Lizbeet has been able to juggle all the responsibilities of a student while still being a fun, loving, charismatic young woman.”
Lizbeet’s BSW internship was at Connections of Cumberland County, where she served as a Case Management Intern, assisting women and children who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, homelessness. She says, “One of my biggest worries [before starting my internship] was that I would be too empathetic with my clients. I feared that I would easily become overly emotional with certain clients and that I would let my own personal feelings toward their situations cloud my judgement. Nonetheless, since interning at Connections I have come across plenty of clients with traumatic stories and they have all taught me one thing. I have learned that my empathy for my clients is what pushes and motivates me to assist them to my best ability.”
Lizbeet has been accepted into the Peace Corps and will begin serving in Vanuatu in September 2023. Afterwards, she plans to pursue a Master of Social Work, with the ultimate goal of starting her own non-profit organization.
The National Association of Social Workers North Carolina Chapter (NASW-NC) is a membership organization of professional social workers with over 4,800 members in North Carolina. NASW promotes, develops, and protects the practice of social work and social workers. NASW-NC also seeks to enhance the well-being of individuals, families, and communities through its advocacy.
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