Adam Lovell, graduating from the School of Social Work in the College of Health and Human Sciences at Colorado State University, has been distinguished as an outstanding graduate for his resilience and continual dedication to academia.
This fall, Lovell is graduating with cum laude distinction based on his grade point average while earning his Bachelor of Social Work. While this feat is impressive, there is more to Lovell’s story that enabled him to be recognized as one of CSU’s outstanding graduates.
Hardship during COVID
Lovell grew up in the western suburbs of Denver and moved to Fort Collins in 2016 to pursue an urban agriculture certification at Front Range Community College, working for a community agriculture-based nonprofit in Fort Collins between 2016-2021.
“After graduating FRCC, I wanted to expand my experience of working with communities, so I enrolled in CSU’s School of Social Work in 2021,” said Lovell.
The educational experience during this time was different for each individual due to unforeseen circumstances such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Starting school in January of 2021 was difficult because at that time COVID-19 was at its height of fatalities and I was taking all my classes online. Lacking interactions with fellow students and faculty made it challenging for me to feel connected to the program,” said Lovell. “When we began attending classes again in August of 2021, I was faced with a new challenge of social anxiety after being isolated for so long in quarantine.”
Lovell was able to not only find a way though this tough time, but to excel in his studies as well.
“My academic experiences at CSU gave me something to look forward to in a time where the future seemed uncertain. Evan Lowe was immensely helpful in guiding me towards graduation as an adviser and being a key figure in my education,” said Lovell.
Looking to the future
Excellence in the classroom provided Lovell the opportunity to become involved in meaningful programs and fieldwork positions.
“I have been interning with SummitStone Health Partners for the last ten credits of my degree and have learned so much. The internship aspect of my degree has been by far the richest and most rewarding,” said Lovell. “I have been working at Fort Collins’ homeless shelter, The Murphy Center, for the past 15 weeks and have had many direct practice experiences and macro level education that will carry forward into my career.”
Lovell’s dedication to continually learning and using that knowledge to help others is a distinct reason for his recognition as an outstanding graduate at CSU.
He has been hired as a full-time transition facilitator for The Matthews House, a Fort Collins non-profit agency that provides resource and support to empower youth to take control of their lives, shape positive futures for themselves, and become successful contributors to their community, and will begin on January 16. Lovell will also begin an advanced standing MSW program online with Metro State University beginning in May 2023.
Looking back on his time at CSU and the journey toward becoming an outstanding graduate, Lovell was appreciative of those around him.
“I will miss the sense of community and professional camaraderie with my peers,” said Lovell.
The School of Social Work is part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.
