Building Better Futures Through Community, Connection & Education

Hawa Adan ’21, alumnus from Champlain’s School of Social Innovation, was recently featured in United Way of Northwest Vermont’s 2024 Impact Report.

Hawa Adan ’21, a Social Work graduate, is passionate about building community. As the director of K-5 Programs at Burlington’s King Street Center, she helps to support local children and families experiencing economic insecurity and systemic marginalization. And her work is not going unnoticed! She was recently recognized in the United Way of Northwest Vermont’s 2024 Impact Report, which highlighted local leaders who are making a difference.

Hawa’s journey to working at the King Street Center started way back in elementary school when she was a student there herself, giving her a unique perspective of the center through different lenses—first as a child, and now as a leader.

In the report, Hawa also speaks about her work with the Janet S. Munt Family Room in Burlington—which began during an internship she had as an undergraduate student in Champlain’s Social Work program. She has continued to volunteer at the Family Room and has since helped start a support group for families of children on the autism spectrum.

“Education is the main thing for me and then from there you can build community, you can build connections,” Hawa shares in the feature. “I think that is how we can build a stronger community.”

With a commitment to providing students with professional knowledge, skills, and experience, Champlain is proud to help prepare change-makers like Hawa to make a real difference in the world. As Hawa continues her work towards the growth and development of communities, families and children, her story is a powerful testament to the lasting impact of community investment, education, and opportunity. It reminds us that when we support our students and our community, we’re not only helping individuals – we’re cultivating future leaders with the capacity to build better futures for generations to come.