By Dean Scott Ryan
School of Social Work
Dear Students, Alumni, Staff and Faculty,
It is with the deepest regrets that I must inform you of the tragic loss of one of our own.
On September 14, UTA Master of Social Work alumna Antoinette Sloan died in Houston. According to an ABC 13 news report, Antoinette’s family members believe her ex-boyfriend killed her and police say he then committed suicide.
Antoinette who had just finished the MSW online program specializing in Direct Practice in Mental Health and Substance Abuse in August 2019, was, according to her parents, studying for her Social Work license and had recently moved back into their home with her four-month old daughter.
We are all saddened by this loss and we send our condolences to her family and friends. The loss of any student, particularly in such a tragic way, deeply hurts us all.
Antoinette was a graduate of Nimitz High School in Houston. She earned an Associate of Arts degree from Lone Star College in 2014 and a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Houston-Downtown in 2017. While earning her BSW degree, Antoinette completed her required field internship in an organization that provided services and support to victims of domestic and intimate partner violence.
In memory of Antoinette, we are committed to continue educating future Social Workers who play critical roles in preventing violence, intervening to support survivors, and shaping the social context of intimate partner violence and domestic violence through policy and culture change, until this type of senseless violence is eradicated.
The Texas Council on Family Violence provides an annual report honoring Texas women killed by intimate partner violence. The website also provides resources and information for those in need. https://tcfv.org/resources/honoring-texas-victims/
If you or someone you know needs help because of Domestic or Intimate Partner Violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or National Dating Abuse Helpline at 1-866-331-9474. With a traumatic loss, such as this one, students may find it helpful to speak with a counselor. Students may contact the UTA Counseling and Psychological Services Office for an appointment at 817-272-2771 or call the call MAVS Talk 24 Hour Crisis Line 817-272-TALK (8255).
On behalf of the faculty and staff, please join me in expressing our deepest sympathies to everyone who loved Antoinette and everyone she loved.
Sincerely and with deep regrets,
Scott D. Ryan
Dean and Professor
School of Social Work
The University of Texas at Arlington
Published Online Funeral Arrangements for Antoinette Sloan:
Visitation is Tuesday September 24, from 10 a.m. to Noon with Funeral Services beginning at Noon that same day at the Chapel of Ross Mortuary, 3618 Lyons Ave, Houston, Texas 77020. Interment will be at Calvary Hill Cemetery.
