LEXINGTON, Ky. — On May 8, 2026, Holden Dillman will cross the Commencement stage at the University of Kentucky, earning his Ph.D. in Social Work. His next chapter will keep him rooted in Kentucky, where he has accepted a faculty appointment in the psychology department at Transylvania University beginning in fall 2026.
A licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and 2025–2026 DREAM Scholar through the University of Kentucky Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Dillman’s work centers on the experiences of sexual and gender minority (SGM) young people in Appalachian communities.
His research explores the intersections of identity, resilience and mental health, with a focus on elevating community-informed approaches to care and support. Through his dissertation project, “We Are Here,” Dillman examines how mental health, identity, caregiving and place shape both distress and resilience among SGM emerging and early adults in Appalachia.
“My experience in the Ph.D. program at the College of Social Work has been deeply formative, both personally and professionally,” Dillman said. “The program has helped me see scholarship not as something separate from practice, but as another way of listening, witnessing and working toward change.”
The project includes multiple studies, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches to better understand the lived experiences of SGM individuals across Appalachian contexts. Together, the work explores themes of mental distress, self-worth, belonging, caregiving and relational support, offering a more nuanced understanding of how individuals navigate both harm and resilience.
Dillman said his research aims to shift the narrative around Appalachian and LGBTQ+ communities.
“So much research about Appalachia has focused on deficits, and so much research about LGBTQ+ young people has focused on risk,” he said. “I wanted my work to also ask: Where do people find safety? How do people create belonging in places where they may have also experienced harm?”
His contributions to Appalachian-focused research have been recognized with the 2025 James S. Brown Graduate Student Award for Research on Appalachia and the 2026 UK Appalachian Center Eller & Billings Student Research Award.
“I am the first person in both my maternal and paternal family lines to receive a doctoral degree, and I hold that with a lot of gratitude and humility,” he said. “This accomplishment is not mine alone—it reflects the love, labor and sacrifices of the people who came before me.”
Natalie Pope, director of the College of Social Work Ph.D. program, said Dillman’s impact extends beyond his research.
“As a student, Holden has been such a steady presence among his colleagues and faculty he’s worked with,” Pope said. “We are so grateful to have worked alongside him and are glad that he’ll be right down the road at Transylvania University.”
In addition to his academic work, Dillman brings a holistic perspective to his research, drawing on his background as a certified yoga teacher (CYT-200) and his experience in integrative mental health practice.
Dillman said he hopes his work contributes not only to scholarship, but to recognition and belonging.
“For SGM young people in Appalachia, I hope this work says: your experiences matter, your stories belong in research, and you are not invisible.”
Portrait of Holden provided by Erica Chambers Photography.