Euna Victoria Chavis, a graduate student in the NC State College of Education earning a Ph.D. in the Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development higher education opportunity, equity, and justice (HEOEJ) concentration, has always been drawn to spaces where transformation happens. 

With a background in social work, she realized that her experience aligned with spaces of higher education, which are often pivotal environments where students navigate their identities and opportunities while facing a variety of challenges. 

“Higher education allows me to combine direct support, advocacy and systems-level change in a way that feels both purposeful and impactful,” Chavis said. 

Now, as she works towards earning a doctoral degree in HEOEJ, her efforts in the field have been recognized with the 2026 UNC School of Social Work Distinguished Recent Alumni Award. The award recognizes recent UNC graduates for achievements that have brought credit to the school, the social work profession or society.

Chavis earned both her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in social work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

“Receiving the Distinguished Alumni Award from the UNC School of Social Work is both humbling and deeply affirming,” she said. “It affirms that the values instilled in me—advocacy, service, and a student-centered approach—continue to guide my work and make a meaningful impact.”

Chavis, who currently works as the AdviseNC program director at Duke Community Affairs, chose to come to the College of Education because she wanted to deepen her understanding of the structures that shape students’ college experiences and explore the way she could contribute to the improvement of universities’ policies, practices and cultures. 

The College of Education, she said, was the right place for this experience because they offered interdisciplinary training and research opportunities as well as the “critical lens needed to examine these issues more deeply and to prepare me to contribute to meaningful change in the field.”

During her time in the program so far, Chavis said she has learned the importance of grounding educational practices in both theory and evidence. Her coursework and research experiences, she said, have also already offered practical implications that she uses day-to-day in her current job. 

“My coursework and research have reinforced the value of being intentional and reflective in decision-making—asking not just what we do, but why and for whom. I also carry forward a deeper understanding of intersectionality and the ways in which systems can either support or hinder student success,” she said. “These lessons shape how I approach leadership, program development and student engagement in my current work.”

This post was originally published in College of Education News.