Saint Mary’s Master of Social Work student Erin Lowe was awarded the 2020 Eugene R. Bonynge Memorial Graduate Scholarship in recognition of her academic success and passion for the field.
Erin Lowe, MSW candidate
With a full-time career and a young family, Lowe feels extremely fortunate to have the opportunity to enroll in the flexible yet enriching program at Saint Mary’s. “I consider it an honor to pursue a career in social work,” she said, “and I truly believe social work is a calling. I’m privileged to follow and work with the individuals we serve.” She points to the quality of Saint Mary’s faculty members, adding, “I have always wanted to work in a career that is helpful and, when I look at the core values of the social work profession, I see the career that I was searching for since I was young.”
The Eugene R. Bonynge family and Woodland Centers sponsor the $1,000 annual award for a behavioral sciences graduate student. As a rural community mental health center CEO for 15 years, Eugene Bonynge, Ph.D. was deeply aware of the challenges in recruiting and retaining mental health professionals. Woodland Centers and the Bonynge family established the scholarship to honor his legacy as a behavioral healthcare professional, researcher and administrator. Established for 60 years, Woodland Centers www.woodlandcenters.com has a wide array of adult and youth programs within its seven-county service area.