This spring, we’re proud to celebrate Emily Watson, a graduating senior in social work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Over the past several semesters, Emily has made a lasting impact through her work with the Chez Veterans Center, where she has served as a dedicated work study student and advocate for military-connected individuals.

Emily’s journey into social work is deeply rooted in her personal experience growing up in a military family.

“As a dependent, I struggled with the instability of moving frequently and the uncertainty of when I would see my dad again. Luckily, we usually had a way to communicate with him—even when he was far away.”

Her father began his Army career in 2003 as a paralegal specialist, later commissioning in 2006 as an Armor officer in the 101st Airborne Division. In 2011, he was selected as a Psychological Operations Officer. With over 22 years of service and multiple deployments, Emily grew up learning how to navigate uncertainty, resilience, and sacrifice.

Throughout her time at Illinois, Emily transformed those experiences into purpose. She contributed her time, insight, and compassion to initiatives at the Chez Veterans Center, supporting student veterans and dependents with a level of understanding only someone with lived experience can offer.

After graduation, Emily will head to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to pursue her Master of Social Work. Her goal is to work in a VA hospital, continuing her mission to support the community that helped shape her.

In her downtime, Emily enjoys being outside, going on walks, and spending time with friends. As she prepares to graduate and take the next step in her career, we celebrate her accomplishments and thank her for the many ways she’s contributed to military-connected community here on campus.