Virgen will be graduating with a bachelor’s in social work and a minor in human development and family sciences. For academic excellence, she has been recognized as a 2021 New England Scholar, the national Society of Leadership and Success, and welcomed into UConn’s chapter of Tri-Alpha, an honor society that celebrates First Generation students. In the nomination for this award, Dean Heller and BSW Program Director, Paula Nieman, wrote, “her academic work shows great care and thought, and she integrates her lived experiences, her professional and community engagement activities, and the values of the social work profession in all of her academic endeavors.”

Out of her BSW cohort, she was one of two selected for the Child Welfare and Protection Track for Spanish speaking students, and in this past year, she has gained specialized experience in child welfare and served Connecticut’s Latinx families at the Department of Children and Families. Her diligent commitment to communities within and outside of the university is commendable. During her time at UConn, she has organized community service activities, professional development workshops, and student wellness events as the Vice President of the Social Work Student Association. Since 2017, she has also been active with Hartford Working Cities as a Youth Board Member and a Peer Outreach Specialty.

When she is not busy with all of this, she enjoys time with friends and family, listing to music, drawing, painting and watching movies.

After graduating, Virgen plans on gaining real world experience within her field by continuing her work at the Department of Children and Families or joining another agency focused on serving a diverse population. Following this, she hopes to pursue a masters of social work at UConn.