Student Turns Recovery into Social Work Pathway
Will Sharp’s path to becoming a social worker has been anything but a traditional journey. His personal struggles while working to build a healthy and successful path forward pushed him to pursue his bachelor’s degree in social work at UNC Wilmington.
Substance use began early for Sharp. “Early in my life, substance use became my driving force. At twelve years old, I began experimenting and it didn’t take long before I was addicted,” he says. In the years that followed, Sharp experienced challenges such as legal issues, loss of his driver’s license and periods of homelessness. Eventually, Sharp moved to North Carolina, met his wife and began a family, but substance abuse continued to plague his life.
“At a certain point, I heard that still, small voice and I abruptly stopped using. It wasn’t long after that that I knew I needed medical treatment,” Sharp says. With the support of his wife, Sharp entered recovery at age 41, an experience that he believes was the beginning of the next chapter of his life.
“With sobriety came new thoughts and desires,” he says, “I asked God to guide me.” Encouraged by his wife, Sharp enrolled at Sampson Community College in their Human Services Technology program, where his interest in social work began.
“I began to take psychology, sociology and Health Sciences Technology (HST) classes and they were so eye opening to me. I began to understand why I and many others experienced life the way we did,” he says. After speaking with his adviser and beginning to explore universities, Sharp knew he was going to be a social worker.
Sharp ultimately chose UNCW’s HS2SW program, citing both its accessibility and mission. The HS2SW program is designed for students like Sharp who have completed a relevant Associate of Applied Science degree at a participating North Carolina community college to complete their bachelor’s degree in social work online. “I chose UNCW because I researched other universities and I felt like UNCW’s program was authentic,” he says. “To be a social worker I wanted to be taught by people who wanted to change the world.” Now at UNCW, Sharp is focused on using his education and lived experience to support others navigating challenges similar to those he once faced.
Substance use began early for Sharp. “Early in my life, substance use became my driving force. At twelve years old, I began experimenting and it didn’t take long before I was addicted,” he says. In the years that followed, Sharp experienced challenges such as legal issues, loss of his driver’s license and periods of homelessness. Eventually, Sharp moved to North Carolina, met his wife and began a family, but substance abuse continued to plague his life.
“At a certain point, I heard that still, small voice and I abruptly stopped using. It wasn’t long after that that I knew I needed medical treatment,” Sharp says. With the support of his wife, Sharp entered recovery at age 41, an experience that he believes was the beginning of the next chapter of his life.
“With sobriety came new thoughts and desires,” he says, “I asked God to guide me.” Encouraged by his wife, Sharp enrolled at Sampson Community College in their Human Services Technology program, where his interest in social work began.
“I began to take psychology, sociology and Health Sciences Technology (HST) classes and they were so eye opening to me. I began to understand why I and many others experienced life the way we did,” he says. After speaking with his adviser and beginning to explore universities, Sharp knew he was going to be a social worker.
Sharp ultimately chose UNCW’s HS2SW program, citing both its accessibility and mission. The HS2SW program is designed for students like Sharp who have completed a relevant Associate of Applied Science degree at a participating North Carolina community college to complete their bachelor’s degree in social work online. “I chose UNCW because I researched other universities and I felt like UNCW’s program was authentic,” he says. “To be a social worker I wanted to be taught by people who wanted to change the world.” Now at UNCW, Sharp is focused on using his education and lived experience to support others navigating challenges similar to those he once faced.
This article has the following tags: School of Social Work Students & Alumni College of Health & Human Services