Newest Hogg Foundation Scholar Champions Veterans' Mental Health

Published July 9, 2023
By Darlene Muguiro
UTEP College of Health Sciences

Guillermo Torres, a recent graduate of UTEP’s Bachelor of Psychology program and the university’s newest recipient of the Ima Hogg Foundation for Mental Health scholarship, was on a traditional trajectory to a career in counseling prior to landing in the social work field.

Fueled by his own healing experiences, Torres set out to become a therapist. He says that arriving at the decision was challenging, due mainly to cultural beliefs around mental health care at that time. He ultimately found solace in watching “Frasier,” a popular TV show in the 1990s centered around the life of a psychiatrist living in Seattle.

“As a man, as a Latino and Mexicano, I grew up with certain ideologies around mental health that we know now are wrong,” he said. “But back then, mental health was a taboo topic. I am a statistic, and if it weren’t for that show that taught me mental health is not just a bunch of mumbo jumbo, I don’t think I would even be here.”

Shortly after beginning his position as a case worker at Emergence Health Network’s Veterans’ One-Stop Center, Torres began noticing the critical role social workers play in mental health, particularly in addressing basic needs that need to be met for good therapeutic outcomes. The urge to engage more in the community began pulling at him, and he ultimately decided to apply to the Master of Social Work (MSW) program.   

“There are so many opportunities for social workers outside of traditional counseling and CPS (Child Protective Services) casework – we have the knowledge from the bio-psycho-social model and spiritual perspective as well. Honestly, if I had known earlier what a social worker actually does, I would have started my education with a Bachelor of Social Work degree,” he said.

Almost simultaneously, Torres began the MSW program and was selected as a Hogg Foundation scholar. He says that he was initially shocked upon hearing the news, and acknowledges that if it weren’t for the persistence of his faculty mentor, Alma Armendariz, and the MSW coordinator, Dr. Hyejin Jung, he might not have applied.

“I think due to my personal traumas and the fact that I’ve always worked to put myself through school, I didn’t believe something like this could happen to me,” he said. “But the scholarship will give me a bit more time to concentrate on my school work as well as engage in some self-care.”

After graduating, Torres plans to pursue his LCSW certification and will continue his work with the military population. He says that while El Paso has the distinction of being the country’s veteran capital, he hopes the city will ultimately become top in the nation for mental health care for military members and their families.

“I want our veterans and service members to realize that they have worth beyond their uniform. It sounds so simple to us, but for them, it’s not because they identify themselves, first and last, as a soldier,” he said. “I really want to help them see their true selves.”

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Go Miners!

For more information about the Master of Social Work program, please visit: https://www.utep.edu/chs/sw/academic-programs/prospective-students/master-of-social-work.html

Photo courtesy of Guillermo Torres