Sam Ramsey was born in Tennessee but spent most of her formative years growing up in Grinnell, Iowa. She then made her return to Tennessee to pursue her undergraduate degree in environmental science and French. From there, she worked as an environmentalist engineer – until she found a different calling.  

“I wanted to do something more personal,” Ramsey said. “A richer explanation is that I had some personal circumstances that caused me to encounter some pretty serious mental illnesses of people I cared about. Social work presented itself as a place where I could learn how to help people experiencing the same concerns, and it turned out to be a good fit.” 

Ramsey returned to Iowa, specifically the University of Iowa, to earn her MSW from the School of Social Work. Over the next two years, she solidified her passion within the field of social work. She made long-lasting memories with her fellow peers and faculty members, including classes and practicum experiences that expanded her horizons, like conducting lab statistics projects and working closely with the University Counseling Service (UCS) team.  

Ramsey says that the School of Social Work propelled her into her current career.  

“My practicum experience with UCS was such a great experience I pretty much came right back to it after graduation,” Ramsey added. 

She is now the embedded therapist for the University of Iowa College of Law. Acknowledging the stigma and preconceptions that still surround mental health, Ramsey said the school wanted to ensure this wouldn't prevent students from utilizing the resources available to them. She reported that many people have historically been skeptical about law students' willingness to be vulnerable with and support each other. 

However, the outcomes quickly demonstrated otherwise.  

“Students have been more open to seeking individual mental health services but also building community around mental health concerns and reducing the stigma more at a school-wide level.”  

Students discuss their issues with her in public spaces and gather in larger groups to support one another. Recently, students came to Ramsey with the idea of creating a women’s support group, showing just how essential these conversations are within the college.  

Ramsey knows she answered the right call. She tells anyone considering a degree in social work to listen to their intuition.  

“We will see you when you get here. It is a big decision to undertake such important work, so take your time making it. The social work program will be here when you're ready.”