“I am committed to engaging in advocacy, research, and policy development aimed at advancing human rights, social justice, and sustainable development worldwide. This encompasses advocating for policies promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion on a global platform and participating in international endeavors addressing urgent social, economic, and environmental challenges.”

Essence L. Uke returned to school after a 16-year hiatus to pursue a Master of Social Work degree at the University of Michigan. While raising her four children, Essence has maintained a perfect 4.0 GPA in her program.

Before coming to U-M, Essence earned over 15 years of experience in behavioral health and crisis intervention. She currently serves as a department manager for the Wayne County Public Health Department in the hearing and vision department. In this role, she oversees programs aimed at streamlining and improving processes within the county’s health department to screen students in all out-Wayne schools for hearing and vision concerns, ensuring that students are connected with the necessary services when issues are identified. Her extensive experience also includes her role as an independent supports coordinator at Community Living Services in Wayne County, where she advocates for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and helps them navigate complex support systems. Essence’s commitment to excellence is evident in every aspect of her work. As noted by a former supervisor, “Essence is probably the most motivated, hardest working, and smartest person I know. She is even-tempered, fun, resourceful, and she solves problems. To her, an obstacle is an opportunity to gain wisdom, and no employer or degree program can ever demand of her more than what she demands of herself.”

As she prepares to begin a second master’s degree in public health from U-M, Essence remains focused on driving systemic change through her work. In the future, Essence envisions creating programs and initiatives that promote social justice, health equity, and improved access to services for underserved communities across the globe. Describing her vision, Essence writes, “I am committed to engaging in advocacy, research, and policy development aimed at advancing human rights, social justice, and sustainable development worldwide. This encompasses advocating for policies promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion on a global platform and participating in international endeavors addressing urgent social, economic, and environmental challenges.”

CEW+ commends Essence’s achievement and ambition and names her a Margaret Dow Towsley Scholar.