DSW CANDIDATES

Kelsey Watson Chadwick is a positive youth development professional working for the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service in the far west Purchase Area of Kentucky. Kelsey holds a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Louisville and a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and English from Murray State University, and is a doctoral candidate at the University of Kentucky, pursuing a Doctor in Social Work degree with a concentration in Leadership and Administration. Her research focuses on best practices in involving volunteers in rural communities, as demonstrated in her doctoral capstone—”The Community as an Ecosystem: Channeling Local Strength through Volunteerism to Promote Rural Development”. Kelsey supervises up to 140 volunteers annually in her professional position, supports over 100 volunteers in her own volunteer work with her church, and maintains a passion for the vitality of rural places and people. Previously, Kelsey has also worked for the Kentucky Migrant Education Program and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Kelsey is a University of Kentucky J. Lester Miller Graduate Fellow, a University of Louisville Helen Cloud Austin Award Winner and Graduate Dean Citation recipient, and a Murray State University Presidential Scholar. She has also won three national finalist awards in service achievement, club support, and global citizenship from the National Association of 4-H Youth Development Professionals, and worked on three curriculum teams whose work was published by the University of Kentucky, including curriculums to build skills for cultural competence, self-expression, and personal safety in youth.