UNCP alumna Michelle McNeil Named 2026 Gaston County Social Worker of the Year
For Michelle McNeil, social work has become more than a career 鈥� it鈥檚 a calling. That commitment recently earned the UNCP Master of Social Work alumna recognition as the 2026 Gaston County Social Worker of the Year.
McNeil, who earned her MSW in May, serves as a social services director in a long-term care facility, where she has built her career around showing up for residents and families during deeply personal transitions. She helps coordinate care, supports discharge planning, provides emotional support and walks families through difficult decisions, including end-of-life care.
For her, social work has never been about checking a box or completing a task. It has been about making sure people feel seen, heard and respected.
鈥淚鈥檝e always had a heart for helping people, especially during some of the most difficult moments in their lives,鈥� McNeil said. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen what it means when someone shows up for you when you need it most, and I wanted to be that person for others.鈥�
That purpose grew stronger during her time in UNCP鈥檚 MSW program. What began as a desire to support individuals became a deeper understanding of advocacy, systems change and the role social workers play in creating safer environments for vulnerable populations.
Her capstone project focused on active shooter preparedness using the Run, Hide, Fight framework. At first, it was an academic project rooted in safety and preparation. Over time, it became something much more personal.
鈥淭here were moments in this program where I had to run, times I had to step back and regroup, and times I had to fight to keep going," she said. 鈥淭hat perspective has shaped not only how I practice, but how I live.鈥�
Last year, McNeil had to pause the program because of health challenges. Returning was not easy. In her final semester, as she worked to complete her degree, she was also grieving the loss of her sister, father and brother.
Still, she kept going.
鈥淭here were times I had to step back and take care of myself. There were times I had to process and grieve. And there were times I had to fight through the pain, the exhaustion and the doubt,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hat kept me going was my purpose. I knew I wasn鈥檛 just doing this for a degree. I was doing this because I was called to this work.鈥�
Dr. Summer Woodside, chair of UNCP Social Work , said McNeil鈥檚 journey reflects both determination and purpose.
鈥淗er story is one of determination and purpose. Even when faced with serious health challenges that required her to pause her education, she never lost sight of her calling to serve others. To see her return, complete her MSW and be named Social Worker of the Year for Gaston County is truly remarkable 鈥� we couldn鈥檛 be prouder of the impact she is already making.鈥�
Being nominated was meaningful on its own, she said. Learning there were more than 600 nominations made the recognition even more humbling.
鈥淚t felt like confirmation that the work I鈥檓 doing matters,鈥� she said. "It made me reflect on the long days, the emotional conversations and the difficult moments. It reminded me that even when it feels like no one sees it, the impact is there.鈥�
The award did not change why she does the work. It strengthened her resolve to continue advocating for people who may not always have a voice.
Woodside said McNeil鈥檚 work also speaks to a larger need across the profession.
鈥淗ealth, aging and caregiving represent critical service domains in which social workers are needed in the workforce. At a time when the need for behavioral health services in settings such long term care has never been greater, her work is a powerful example of how dedicated social workers are essential to supporting clients, families and entire communities,鈥� Woodside said.
In long-term care, McNeil said the most meaningful impact often happens in small moments: listening when someone needs to talk, offering reassurance during uncertainty or helping a family understand what comes next.
Beyond her current role, she hopes to expand her work to support young adults who have aged out of foster care. Her goal is to provide life skills and transitional support to help them move forward with confidence.
For McNeil, earning her MSW represents more than the end of a degree program. It represents resilience, perseverance and faith.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a reminder that even in the hardest seasons, you can still move forward,鈥� she said.
Her message to other students facing personal challenges while trying to complete their degrees is simple: Give yourself grace, but do not give up.
鈥淵our path may not look like anyone else鈥檚, and that鈥檚 OK,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hat matters is that you stay connected to your purpose and keep moving forward, even if it鈥檚 one step at a time.鈥�
And if her journey has taught her anything, it is this: Strength is not the absence of struggle.
It is continuing in spite of it.