40 Fellows: UA Little Rock Student Joins Exclusive National Cohort
Phillip Hill becomes the first master's student in the university's social work program to receive the CSWE Minority Fellowship.
By Ella Cox ·
Forty students across the United States received the Council on Social Work Education Minority Fellowship this year. Phillip Hill, a graduate student at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, is one of them. He is the first master's degree student in the university's School of Social Work to earn the national honor.
Hill is an advanced standing master of social work student. He was selected through a highly competitive three round review process. The fellowship targets graduate students who plan to improve mental health and substance use services in underserved communities. The program is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Hill's path to the fellowship began in Bentonville, where he graduated from Benton High School. He earned an associate degree from the University of Arkansas-Pulaski Technical College before transferring to UA Little Rock. At the university, he graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Social Work and a minor in English. He stayed for his master's degree because of relationships built with faculty and students.
The fellowship provides Hill with financial support, specialized training, and mentorship. It also creates opportunities to connect with social work professionals nationwide. Hill said the recognition validates his personal journey. "Being selected tells me that my experience, including the hardest parts of my past, has value in this field," Hill said. "It’s a national affirmation that the work I want to do matters."
Dr. Laura Danforth, director and professor of UA Little Rock’s School of Social Work, praised the selection. "We could not be prouder of Phillip for earning this national distinction and representing UA Little Rock’s School of Social Work so exceptionally well!" Danforth said.
Hill is currently interning at Little Rock Recovery. He works with clients in early recovery under the guidance of Michael Godfrey, a licensed clinical social worker, and Brian Fleckenstine, a board-certified psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner. He also serves as a graduate research assistant under Dr. Esaa Mohammad Samarah, an assistant professor in the school. His research focuses on peer recovery, corporal punishment, and rural behavioral health.
His academic work has drawn national attention. Presentations were accepted at the 2026 Council on Social Work Education conference and the 2027 Society for Social Work and Research conference. Hill is the lead author of one manuscript and co-author of another, both of which are pending publication.
Hill credits several faculty members for their support, including Professor Morgan Leyenberger, Dr. Theresa Flowers, Dr. Samarah, and Dr. Danforth. He noted that working with them changed his view of his future. "Doing real research, being treated as a contributor, and seeing my name on manuscripts showed me that my past doesn’t close doors in this field," Hill said.
After finishing his master's degree, Hill has accepted a full time position as a clinical provider at Little Rock Recovery in Maumelle. He plans to pursue a Ph.D. in social work and eventually teach. He encourages other students to apply for opportunities that seem difficult. "Take chances, and get comfortable being uncomfortable," Hill said. "Apply for the things that seem like a long shot. If you don’t apply, the answer is automatically no."
