College of Education and Behavioral Sciences News

Harley Chestnut is lucky to be alive. She entered the foster care system when she was only a few weeks old after suffering neglect by her birth mother. Her life forever changed when her loving parents adopted her the age of 3.

“My adoption story started when my twin sister and I were just six weeks old. My brother, who was almost 2 years old at the time, went over to the neighbor's house with two empty baby bottles to get us something to drink. Our mother was not home due to her drug addiction. She was very neglectful and would leave us unattended. The neighbors called Child Protective Services, and all six of us were removed from the home and placed into foster care.”

Chestnut credits Logan County Child Protective Services and the neighbor who called for help for saving her and her siblings lives that day.

“I have always had a soft spot for CPS because that is what saved me,” Chestnut said.

“My adoption is really what connected me to social work,” said Chestnut, a senior from Fernandina Beach, Florida, pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social work from WKU. “I hope by working in Child Protective Services, I can give back by helping children and families overcome the adversities they face in life.”

While she and her siblings didn’t all end up staying together after being placed in foster care, Chestnut’s adoptive parents were able to keep four of them together. She was adopted along with an older brother, twin sister and younger sister.

They lived in Russellville for several years before moving to Bowling Green. When she was 11, her life changed again when her adoptive parents divorced. She moved again, this time to Florida with her mother and three siblings. 

Chestnut recalled that her mother had a tough job on her hands raising four children as a single mother, but the example her mother set instilled a grit in her to never give up.

“My mom will always be my biggest inspiration. I hope to be half the woman she is. She pushed through any trial or tribulation thrown her way and never faltered in her steps. She showed me that it was OK to ask for help,” Chestnut said.

“It took a village to raise us, and we were fortunate enough to live in a neighborhood in Fleming Island, Florida, during our first year filled with people who showed up for us. They helped get us to and from school and helped my mom by watching us when she was at work. She showed me that having a big and giving heart is not a bad thing, loving and trusting people is so important, and she taught me how to pick myself up off the ground and try again,” Chestnut said.

After finishing high school, Chestnut decided to make the move back to Bowling Green to attend WKU. She was originally drawn to a career in nursing, but after getting further into her coursework, she began to realize her passion for social work.

 "I chose social work because I wanted to help people. Social work within itself has so many different options,” Chestnut said. “I am still interested in pediatric oncology, which is where I wanted to spend my nursing career. However, after starting my internship with the Department for Community Based Services, my heart is telling me that is where I am meant to be for now. I have never been more excited about a degree. Social work is an amazing degree because you aren’t limited to what field you can work in. You can do therapy, CPS, APS, Hospice, Hospital, Military, and so many more incredible options.”

Currently serving as the chapter’s co-chair, Chestnut is making meaningful connections in the Social Work Student Union. The student organization helps students in the field make connections, gain hands-on learning experiences and serve their community and beyond.

“Social Work Student Union shaped my experience at WKU. I can apply what I learn in the classroom to figure out solutions for social problems we face right here in Warren County and across the U.S.,” Chestnut said.

 One of the highlights of Chestnut’s time with the student organization was last fall when she organized the Hurricane Ian Relief Drive.

“We were able to donate clothes and non-perishable items to victims of Hurricane Ian. Being from Florida, I’ve been through two hurricanes. They were devastating to the community. Being in a program that helped me to set everything up and a community that came together for a state that they’ve never lived in was so touching and heartwarming,” Chestnut said.

Faculty members that not only know your name but truly care about your wellbeing is a strength of the Social Work program at WKU.

“Ms. Monica Hines is an amazing instructor who truly cares for her students and wants to see us succeed. She is so real and honest. She gives us real-life stories from her experience as a social worker so we are prepared for just about any problem we may face. She has a personality that even on your worst days you can’t help but smile because her smile is contagious,” Chestnut said.

"The other day in class we were all so stressed out about our internship hours and getting our assignments turned in on time. She looked at each of us and told us she would not let us fail and that she would help us through every single step. Do you know how amazing it is to have an instructor who listens and pays attention to the details of every single student she has? She tells us constantly how proud she is of us. It makes everyone excited to come to class and learn more.”

Chestnut is also getting hands-on experiences at her internship in Logan County at the Department for Community Based Services.

“I help write up notes from visits, investigations and court. I also assist with visits and investigations,” Chestnut said.

Now in the last few months of her program, Chestnut is making graduation and career plans for the spring. She hopes to start her full-time social work career with Child Protective Services in Investigations in Logan County. She eventually wants to work pediatric oncology as a social worker.

For more information about earning a degree in social work at WKU, visit www.wku.edu/socialwork.