Spotlight: 2025 Student Bursary Recipients

Jazmine Dewtie is a Master of Social Work student, Transition Year Program alum and Teaching Assistant who cares deeply about how African Nova Scotian communities are supported within systems. Her thesis includes an activity that explores African Nova Scotian history, intergenerational trauma and mental health to help explain how these experiences show up in youth today. Created for youth and frontline workers, it aims to build understanding, compassion and culturally grounded care.

As a proud Black mom, Jazmine brings her voice and lived experience to her work and hopes to become a clinical social worker supporting African Nova Scotian youth and families.

I have been working as a BSW for more than two years. Since beginning my career, I have been employed with Nova Scotia Health in mental health and addictions. I currently work in addiction services at the Recovery Support Centre at Soldier Memorial Hospital in the Annapolis Valley. In August 2025, I began my part-time online Master of Social Work studies at the University of Waterloo.

I acknowledge that I am a white settler living in A’qatie’katik (the Annapolis Valley), located on the unceded and unsurrendered traditional territory of the Mi’kmaq, the first people of this land. I also recognize that people of African descent have lived in Nova Scotia for more than 400 years, and that over 50 strong and resilient African Nova Scotian communities continue to thrive across the province. I remain committed to ongoing personal and professional work toward decolonizing my thinking and practicing social work through an anti-colonial, anti-racist, anti-oppressive, anti-capitalist, and intersectional lens.

Mary Virginia Googoo is a Mi’kmaq BSW student from Eskasoni First Nation studying at CBU. As a mother of four and the first in her family to attend university, she is passionate about community-based, culturally grounded social work.

Mary’s practicum experiences at Eskasoni Mental Health and Mi’kmaw Family & Children’s Services have shaped her commitment to trauma-informed, anti-oppressive, and Two-Eyed Seeing practice. She hopes to continue supporting Indigenous youth, families, and communities through clinical social work rooted in healing, culture, and empowerment.

Madison Headley, an African Nova Scotian woman, is a first-generation university student pursuing her Bachelor of Social Work at CBU. Passionate about advocacy and empowering marginalized voices, she aims to combine compassion with confidence to address injustice. Madison is committed to ethical, professional care and creating lasting change for vulnerable communities.

I am Jeffrey Sanda, a Master of Social Work student at Dalhousie University, driven by a lifelong commitment to youth empowerment, social justice, and community development. Born and raised in Ghana, my experiences navigating structural inequities, poverty, and limited access to social supports shaped my passion for advocacy and service. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from the University of Ghana and spent over seven years working with the Ghana Youth Employment Agency, supporting vulnerable youth through skills development, mentorship, and livelihood initiatives.

Currently, my MSW studies focus on youth mental health, trauma-informed care, and anti-oppressive practice. My practice philosophy is grounded in cultural humility, relational accountability, and a strong commitment to addressing systemic injustice. My field placement at IWK CMHA and my role at Adsum for Women and Children have strengthened my clinical and community practice skills. I am deeply committed to working with immigrants, Black African communities and African Nova Scotians. The NSCSW bursary affirms my dedication to advancing equitable, culturally responsive, and justice-oriented social work practice in Nova Scotia and Canada as a whole.

In my final year of high school, I was the only student in my class who wrote “social worker” on the wall of ideal careers, surrounded by classmates who chose paths long considered more “serious” in the eyes of Chinese society. That small sticky note now feels symbolic of the world I grew up in – one that rarely spoke about mental health, diversity, or social justice, yet quietly shaped my resolve to pursue them.

This was the beginning of my story. In the years that followed, from China to Canada, I have continued strengthening my skills in the field of mental health to become a professional who can support people facing mental health challenges. My interests have centred on trauma, queer communities, newcomers, and cultures, and I am currently focusing on a cross-cultural research of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) in my MSW program. After graduation, I hope to work with children and youth in the healthcare system and also help enhance the representation of racialized populations within it.

I want to take this opportunity to appreciate my parents, my partner Ben, and all the beautiful souls who have continuously supported me throughout my career journey. 谢谢你们! Thank you all!