In honor of Social Work Month, JCSU will spotlight a student from the Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work programs each week in March. Today’s spotlight features Starlacha’ (Star) Hurst, a Chesapeake, Va., native and a 2025 graduate of the JCSU Master of Social Work program.
Why did you choose to study social work?
I chose to pursue a degree in social work primarily because, as a single mother, I found myself in need of various services to support my child’s well-being. Each visit to my local Department of Social Services office left me feeling invisible, as though I were merely a statistic rather than a person with unique challenges and needs. It was frustrating to navigate a system that felt overwhelmingly complex, and I often left without the help I required or a clear understanding of the resources available to me. This experience ignited a passionate desire to educate myself about social work and the vital role social workers play in the lives of individuals like me. I realized that I wanted to not only advocate for my own child but also empower other parents who might be struggling within the system.
What do you like about being a social work major at JCSU?
First, I appreciate that Johnson C. Smith University is a Historically Black College and University (HBCU). Having obtained my undergraduate degree at Bennett College, another HBCU, it was important for me to continue that legacy within the Black community.
In addition, the skills and knowledge that I am gaining at JCSU are uniquely tailored to enhance my personal and professional development. The professors that I have been honored to learn from are personable, dedicated, and well-educated. I have experienced first-hand each of them going above and beyond to ensure my success.
Lastly, there is a sense of community at Smith that enriches my experience. The University has deep ties to the historic Biddleville neighborhood and the west side of Charlotte. Although I was not born in Charlotte, I was raised in “the 704.” Choosing to pursue my master’s degree at the only Historically Black College in Charlotte has connected me to the city's roots and has given me a sense of pride and belonging.
What would you like to do when you leave JCSU?
When I think about what I would ideally like to do after leaving Johnson C. Smith University, I envision using my newly developed professional skills to travel around the world. My goal is to connect JCSU with various communities and organizations, using holistic wellness and integrated mental health as a bridge to unite BIPOC individuals from across the diaspora. However, as my former field supervisor would say, those are some lofty goals.
What I am realistically going to do is graduate from JCSU, obtain my Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) credential to become a clinician, and open a private practice focused on holistic wellness and mental health. For now, I will follow wherever that path may lead me. In today’s volatile political climate, simply saying, “I just want to live”—whatever that looks like and whatever that feels like—is truly what I would like to do when I leave JCSU.
What is something unique that has happened to you while you have been a social work student at JCSU?
I have so many unique experiences that have happened to me since becoming a social work master's student at Johnson C. Smith University. I traveled to New Orleans for the first time as a student researcher. I have joined the Black/Jewish Alliance and have gained a new community of colleagues turned friends. I even had a life-altering health diagnosis. But the most notable experience would have to be the cognitive dissonance I experienced in my cultural competency course when I learned that being Black was a social construct created to oppress and disenfranchise people who look like me. Having always been a “rebel for the cause”, I have a deep understanding of the pseudo-systems that have been put in place to cause disconnection and confusion amongst my people. But being Black was/is my cause, it was what I attached my entire identity to, the beauty and the struggle, but learning of the true origin of what being a Black person means almost shattered my sense of self. Then something beautiful happened from the confusion. I was able to disconnect from the concept of blackness and solidify my spiritual connectedness to Source... I’ll just leave it at that.
How do you feel that JCSU’s social work program has prepared (or is preparing you for) life after college?
The first word that comes to mind is perseverance. This program is not a walk in the park. It has exposed my weaknesses and made me look deeper into my insecurities. It has prepared me to pay closer attention to what is happening around me and showed me how to be a more culturally competent social worker and human being. Now, as I go out into the world as an MSW graduate from JCSU I have the confidence to push and persevere. “The Marathon Continues” -Nipsey Hustle.
What would you like people to know about your experience as a social work major at JCSU?
I have said so much that I am going to keep this one short and sweet. I would like people to know that it was all worth it.