Across the United States, many students entering Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programs bring with them not only determination and purpose, but also the invisible weight of early adversity. Childhood trauma—such as abuse, neglect, or chronic instability—can have long-lasting effects on academic performance, mental health, and relationships (Felitti et al., 1998; National Child Traumatic Stress Network [NCTSN], 2017). Yet, amid the challenges, some educational environments offer a unique path toward healing.

My research explores a question both personal and professional: How does matriculation in a BSW program at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) reduce the negative impact of childhood trauma?

Why This Matters

Research consistently links adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to poorer educational outcomes, reduced self-efficacy, and higher rates of anxiety and depression in adulthood (Bethell et al., 2017; Dube et al., 2003). However, trauma does not define destiny. When trauma-affected students enter nurturing, culturally affirming learning spaces, they often demonstrate extraordinary resilience.

HBCUs—long recognized as culturally responsive, community-centered institutions—offer precisely that environment. Their history, mission, and pedagogy are rooted in empowerment, belonging, and collective care. For BSW students, this context may buffer the lingering impact of trauma, fostering both personal growth and professional identity as future social workers.

The Theoretical Foundation

This study is grounded in Trauma-Informed Care and Social Stress Theory. Trauma-Informed Care emphasizes safety, trust, empowerment, and cultural humility in all interactions (SAMHSA, 2014). Social Stress Theory helps explain how structural factors such as racism, poverty, and social inequality compound psychological distress (Aneshensel, 1992).

By integrating these frameworks, my research examines how an HBCU’s supportive micro-environment—faculty mentorship, peer belonging, and cultural affirmation—acts as a protective factor against the lingering stress responses associated with trauma.

A Healing-Centered Learning Environment

In many ways, HBCUs embody what Shawn Ginwright (2018) describes as healing-centered engagement—a shift from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What’s happened to you, and how can we heal together?” Faculty at HBCUs often blend academic rigor with care, ensuring that students feel seen, supported, and valued.

For trauma-affected BSW students, this can mean the difference between merely surviving and truly thriving. Classroom discussions, service-learning projects, and campus traditions reinforce a collective identity rooted in resilience. When coupled with social work’s person-in-environment perspective, these experiences become transformative.

The Research Process

My dissertation employs a mixed-methods design, using secondary data to identify patterns of academic success among students reporting high ACE scores, complemented by qualitative narratives from BSW students describing their lived experiences at an HBCU.

Quantitatively, the analysis explores correlations between trauma exposure and key outcomes such as GPA, retention, and self-reported well-being. Qualitatively, it captures the voices of students who articulate how belonging, mentorship, and representation contribute to their healing and persistence.

Early Insights

Preliminary findings suggest that matriculation through an HBCU BSW program may serve as a form of resilience-building intervention. Students often report increased confidence, stronger emotional regulation, and a deeper sense of purpose. These outcomes reflect what Bronfenbrenner (1979) conceptualized in his Ecological Systems Theory—the idea that human development is shaped by multiple layers of social context.

The nurturing ecosystem of an HBCU—where cultural affirmation, faculty advocacy, and peer solidarity intersect—appears to counteract the internalized effects of trauma that might otherwise hinder academic or emotional development.

Implications for the Social Work Profession

If HBCU BSW programs can demonstrably buffer the effects of childhood trauma, they offer a model for trauma-informed higher education across all institutions. Social work educators nationwide could draw lessons from HBCUs’ emphasis on relational teaching, cultural competence, and holistic student support.

Moreover, as the field of social work continues to confront systemic inequities, this research underscores the value of culturally grounded resilience. Empowering trauma-affected students to become trauma-informed practitioners not only transforms their individual trajectories but also strengthens the profession’s collective capacity for empathy and justice.

Looking Ahead

Ultimately, this research is about hope—the hope that education can heal, that culture can protect, and that community can transform pain into purpose. HBCUs have long stood as beacons of opportunity and empowerment; through a trauma-informed lens, they also emerge as sanctuaries of healing and resilience.

As I continue this work, I remain guided by the belief that every student’s story matters, and that when academic institutions honor the whole person—mind, body, and history—they can help break cycles of trauma and create new legacies of strength.

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References

Aneshensel, C. S. (1992). Social stress: Theory and research. Annual Review of Sociology, 18(1), 15–38. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.so.18.080192.000311

Bethell, C. D., Newacheck, P., Hawes, E., & Halfon, N. (2017). Adverse childhood experiences: Assessing the impact on health and school engagement. Academic Pediatrics, 17(7), S51–S59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2016.10.008

Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.

Dube, S. R., Felitti, V. J., Dong, M., Giles, W. H., & Anda, R. F. (2003). The impact of adverse childhood experiences on health problems: Evidence from four birth cohorts dating back to 1900. Preventive Medicine, 37(3), 268–277. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0091-7435(03)00123-3

Felitti, V. J., Anda, R. F., Nordenberg, D., Williamson, D. F., Spitz, A. M., Edwards, V., ... Marks, J. S. (1998). Relationship of childhood abuse and household dysfunction to many of the leading causes of death in adults: The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 14(4), 245–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0749-3797(98)00017-8

Ginwright, S. (2018). The future of healing: Shifting from trauma-informed care to healing-centered engagement. Medium. https://ginwright.medium.com/the-future-of-healing-shifting-from-trauma-informed-care-to-healing-centered-engagement-634f557ce69c

National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN). (2017). 12 core concepts for understanding traumatic stress responses in children and families. https://www.nctsn.org

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (2014). SAMHSA’s concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4884.