This Transfer Student Is Making It Her Mission to Help Others
March 5, 2025
Senior Stephanie Gomez-Vanegas, a curriculum assistant at the Rutgers School of Social Work, plans to use her voice to improve lives through systemic change
Rutgers University-New Brunswick senior Stephanie Gomez-Vanegas is confident that the field of social work is her calling.
“I just naturally like helping people,” said Gomez-Vanegas, a transfer student who is set to graduate from the Rutgers School of Social Work in May. “I’ve just always liked to work with families and communities to solve people's problems.”
As a first-generation Latina student raised by a single-mother, Gomez-Vanegas found her path early on, advocating for her non-English speaking Colombian family members. Once in the field, she plans to use her voice to help others, such as those faced with language barriers or too young to speak up for themselves.