Left to right: LSWC Education Committee Chair Monika Estrada Guzman, MSW ’16, Scholarship recipient Matty Santiago, MSW ’25, and LSWC Executive Director Luisa Lopez, MSW ’18.
New York, NY – According to the United States Census Bureau, nearly 100 million people in the United States will be of Latinx/e heritage by 2050. As the community grows, so does the need for social workers who are prepared to serve them. The Latino Social Work Coalition and Scholarship Fund (LSWC), which NYU Silver has partnered with since its inception, is dedicated to supporting Latinx/e social workers to fill the gap. As part of that commitment, LSWC awards yearly scholarships to MSW students with the potential to make a lasting impact in their communities. During this Hispanic Heritage Month, NYU Silver is spotlighting 2024 LSWC scholarship recipient Matty Santiago, MSW ’25.
A Lifelong Commitment to Social Work
“Social work to me is like my personality,” said Santiago. “It’s not a hat that I take off or on.”
Santiago, who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New York City, said she remembers advocating for her family from the time she was a child. Whether it was completing forms for her parents, translating at the doctor’s office and in parent-teacher conferences, or helping others navigate social services, acting as a champion for her community was second nature.
Santiago began her academic career pursuing nursing, but she found the coursework uninspiring. She switched her major to sociology, which seemed to be more in line with the heart-centered career path she craved. Since completing her Bachelor’s degree, Santiago has spent the last nine years working in social services agencies helping people with mental health and substance use disorders, and the aging community.
The Importance of Cultural Connection
Over the course of her career, Santiago has witnessed the importance of ethnic and racial diversity in the social service workforce. She said that many in the Latinx/e community struggle to trust social workers. She has had clients be wary of opening the door when she knocks; however, when they see someone from their community on the other side, it brings them a sense of comfort.
“It's this unspoken connection that the individual has with you,” she said. “They gain a friend or an ally who understands their culture, will not judge or hurt them, but will help them recover from whatever it is.”
It was this sense of connection with clients and a desire for more leadership opportunities that inspired Santigo to pursue her Master of Social Work degree. Graduate school was daunting to balance as a working mother of two, but a nudge from her current boss pushed her towards NYU Silver, where she found the support she needed.
Matty’s Silver Journey
“They weren't asking me to have a bachelor’s in social work already,” Santiago said about her NYU Silver application. “They took in consideration my professional years that I've worked in the field and that to me was very valuable.”
During her time as a Silver MSW student, Santiago has enjoyed her discussion-based courses where students talk through case studies, and learning about systems-level macro social work, which have both piqued her interest in exploring the ways that social workers can be a part of public policy. She has also battled imposter syndrome — the unwarranted feeling of inadequacy about one’s intellect and accomplishments. Despite her anxiety about speaking up in class, Santigo challenges herself to do so because she believes that it’s important for her classmates to hear about diverse experiences.
Taking the “Diversity, Racism, Oppression, and Privilege” class and learning about organizations like the LSWC and their mentorship program have also helped to boost Santigo’s confidence and comfort in her own accomplishments. And as a LSWC scholarship recipient, she’s excited about connecting to a network of other Latinas who work to advocate and provide opportunities for more people of color in social work.
“It just felt so amazing, like a sisterhood,” Santiago said, recalling the LSWC scholarship and mentorship kickoff event. “It was so affirming to have a bunch of older people that have been involved longer, are doing amazing things, and just want to take you along and show you the way.”
Social Work and Spirituality
After Santigo completes her MSW in 2025, she is interested in taking NYU Silver’s Post Master’s Certificate Program in Spirituality and Social Work while working at the intersection of the two disciplines. It’s a connection that Santiago finds particularly important for addressing the unmet needs of the aging Latinx/e community that she wants to continue serving.
“Somebody may go to church and pray to avoid an eviction, but if there's a social worker who is part of that institution, not only will we pray and calm that anxiety and depression, but maybe we can help you access a one-time payment for your rent and other resources.”
About NYU Silver School of Social Work
Founded in 1960 and renowned for a strong tradition of excellence in direct social work practice and dedication to social justice, NYU Silver has provided rigorous training to more than 20,000 social work practitioners and leaders in every area of the field, making it the leading destination for students who want to become innovative practitioners at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels of social work practice. The School has four campuses in the heart of New York City, Rockland County, Westchester County, and Shanghai.