Honey W. Nashman Award Outstanding Scholarship in the Field of Human Services & Social Justice: Julia Resnik


May 17, 2018

HSSJ student Julia Resnick

During my freshman orientation, I heard someone describe the HSSJ program as a “real world school.” From the outside looking in, the term “real world school” probably doesn’t make much sense, but I’ll do my best to describe it. 

The HSSJ program gifted me four years of learning by doing--teachers were replaced by DC residents and classrooms were exchanged with volunteer and internship opportunities. I had the chance to work at incredible organizations, such as Safe Shores (a child advocacy center), N ST Village (a home and community of empowerment for homeless and low income women), IONA senior services, multiple food kitchens, and organizations like Vital Voices Global Partnership and Planned Parenthood. Being an HSSJ major allowed me to connect theory to practice by putting down my textbook, going outside GWU’s campus and contributing to society through the act of service.

It has been a true privilege to have worked alongside such ambitious classmates and dedicated professors, and I feel forever indebted to the program for providing me with the opportunity to learn, wonder, question, act and grow.