Jess Torres graduated magna cum laude from the School of Social Work in May. During her time at UMSL, Torres was highly involved on campus with the Hispanic Latino Student Association and the Student Social Work Association. This fall, Torres will continue her education at UMSL in the MSW program. (Photo by Derik Holtmann)
Jess Torres was consulting with her most trusted advisor when she made the decision to study social work at the University of Missouri–St. Louis.
“It was my last semester at St. Louis Community College, and I had a talk with myself out in the backyard with my dog because my dog always listens to me,” Torres said. “I was like, ‘What am I really passionate about? What do I really like doing?’”
Coming to UMSL turned out to be a very good choice.
In May, Torres graduated magna cum laude from the School of Social Work with a BSW. Torres’ strong academic performance earned the UMSL Gold Merit and College Bound Scholarships. She also excelled outside of the classroom, earning the School of Social Work’s Outstanding BSW Practicum Student Award and serving as president of the Hispanic Latino Student Association. Under her leadership, the organization won three 2026 UMSL Student Leadership Awards.
This fall, Torres will continue her education at UMSL in the MSW program.
“I’m just really glad to be at UMSL,” she said. “I met my closest friends, and I made a lot of connections through the Hispanic Latino Student Association and through my social work program. I just had the opportunity to go to Mizzou to this conference called Cambio de Colores.”
Torres is now on a trajectory to a promising career in social work, but it took time for her to find her calling. Growing up in Lake St. Louis, Missouri, Torres wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to do when she got older. But the pressure to choose a path grew during her senior year at Ritenour High School.
At the very least, Torres knew college was the next step, and luckily, she wasn’t navigating things on her own. She had support from College Bound, a local nonprofit that offers guidance to first-generation students from low-income backgrounds to get them “to and through” college. Her College Bound coach suggested attending community college before committing to a four-year institution. She could explore different academic disciplines while earning an associate degree, and the organization’s CB@STLCC offers in-person support at the Forest Park campus.
Torres took the advice and enrolled at STLCC–Forest Park. She had an inkling that she’d like a career helping people, and her mind immediately went to healthcare. However, one biology course put an end to that plan.
“No, I’m not good with science,” Torres said with a laugh.
Still uncertain about a course of study, she began applying to universities including UMSL.
“I started looking through their programs, each individual one, and I didn’t know what social work was until I read the UMSL description,” Torres said. “I felt like that program resonated with me. I really wanted to help my Hispanic, Latino community, help them know what resources are available to them.”
The social work program as well as the university’s proximity to Torres’ home and its affordable tuition made UMSL an ideal environment to complete her undergraduate education. A recommendation from a friend in College Bound didn’t hurt, either.
In the School of Social Work, Teaching Professor Linda Wells-Glover was particularly impactful. One of her discussion-orientated classes helped Torres approach issues from different perspectives and exposed her to the diverse viewpoints of her classmates. Another of Wells-Glover’s courses on the field of social work reassured Torres about her future.
“There, I was confident that I picked the right major for myself,” she said.
Torres also got involved with student organizations as soon as she arrived on campus during the fall 2024 semester. She joined the Student Social Work Association and also became treasurer of the Hispanic Latino Student Association. This past academic year, she served as president of the organization.
“Being president taught me a lot about how to be a leader, organizing events and advocating for my Hispanic and Latino people,” she said. “I was like, ‘Yes, this is what I want.’”
The organization thrived under Torres’ leadership. At the 2026 Student Leadership Awards, it won Most Impactful Program for its Monarchs in Action Showcase; the Campus Unity Award for its Taquiza Welcome Party; and Organization of the Year Award for outstanding contributions to students and the campus community.
“I feel so proud,” Torres said of the accolades.
She was also recognized individually, winning the School of Social Work’s Outstanding BSW Practicum Student Award for her work with Cardinal Ritter Senior Services. The BSW program requires that students complete 480 hours – 240 hours per semester – of field work to connect classroom theory to hands-on experience. Torres spent her first semester with Artists First, a nonprofit, community-based art studio, and then she spent the second semester with Cardinal Ritter Senior Services.
Torres was drawn to the organization because she wanted experience working with older adults. Her grandparents are not with her family in Missouri, and she’s always craved connection with elders in the community. She fulfilled a variety of duties in her role including answering intake calls, making house visits and helping with caregiver support groups.
In several instances, Torres went above and beyond the scope of her duties. When a client needed a new kitchen chair for better support and safety, she took the initiative to build it. After it was completed, she delivered it to the client, hauling it up four flights of apartment stairs.
It was a demanding but necessary task.
“I’ve met some clients that don’t really have that family support, which is unfortunate,” Torres said. “That’s one of the reasons I wanted to work with older adults, because I don’t have my grandparents here. Working at Cardinal Ritter, every time I went to a client, I felt a lot of love. I like getting that wisdom, something I never had since I don’t have my grandparents.”
Torres is grateful for the experience, which offered valuable insight into what her future work in the field will look like. Now, she is preparing to enter the MSW program at UMSL. It’s a step she’s taking for herself, her family and her community.
“I wanted to continue because I really like the program,” Torres said. “I really did enjoy my time at UMSL. I could take a gap year and go work. But I decided, ‘You know what? I’m just continuing on.’ My family also motivated me. I’m the first generation to get my bachelor’s. It won’t hurt to do a master’s, too.”
