Grace Dunn ('17 & '18)
Therapist, Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse
Grace Dunn was transformed at Union University through her social work education and her close relationships with professors.
Dunn gained both her bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work from Union in 2017 and 2018, respectively. She currently works in Jackson as a therapist at the Carl Perkins Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse, a nonprofit child advocacy center that provides therapy and other services free to families. She has worked there for about three and a half years, including her student internships. Dunn works with children who have been sexually or severely physically abused.
“It is a privilege and honor to be able to work with the children and their parents through the crisis and the tragedy they’ve experienced and just be a part of their healing,” she said.
Dunn chose to attend Union University for its Christ-centered education and also because of her father’s connection there. Dunn is the daughter of Gary Carter, who served for nearly three decades as Union’s chief financial officer and retired in 2019.
“It was really important for me to gain an education that centered around my beliefs and values, and Union absolutely provides that — just the Christian atmosphere and professors who truly care about you,” she said.
She said Union prepared her well for her career as a therapist. Dunn said it was beneficial to hear her professors’ expertise and experience in many different fields of social work, and the intense program encouraged students to dive deeply into learning.
“You have to put in a lot of work and research into knowing those topics, and it just gave me a better awareness of different topics regarding social work and working with different populations,” Dunn said. “I’m grateful for all the assignments and different things that were required of us.”
One of the most transformative things about Union, she said, was her close relationships with professors who took the time to get to know each student and pour into them. Tammy Patton, associate professor of social work, made a strong impression on Dunn’s life. Patton would start each class with a short devotional.
“That was always just so encouraging, and just hearing how dedicated she was not only to her field, but also to her Christian walk,” Dunn said. “[Dr. Patton] definitely stands out to me when I think about professors, but in social work there are so many amazing professors, so I’m thankful for each and every one of them.”
Dunn said she encourages students who want to study social work to consider Union because they will be supported and encouraged in their education journey, which is particularly important as social work can be a challenging and exhausting field.
“To really have that support and encouragement, and just knowing you have all these people behind you who have your back and have all this experience to help you and guide you along the way, it’s just really, really important,” she said.
Dunn’s faith is vital in her work. The Carl Perkins Center is government-funded, which means she cannot bring up God unless the client brings it up, but she does try to encourage families to think about what supports them and what they believe in. She must rely on Christ, because sometimes she doesn’t have the answers or know what to do or say in difficult situations.
“I just always pray before a session that God would speak through me,” Dunn said. “I definitely feel like he has done that so many times, and so it’s just crucial, honestly, in my work and every area of my life.”
Dunn and her husband have been married for four years. They are foster parents who recently fostered two children for nearly a year before they were reunited with their biological mother.