Jakeena Sweet, LMSW ('12 MSW)

Jakeena Sweet, LMSW ('12 MSW) brings passion, resilience, and innovation to her professional work as a licensed social worker. Sweet, a medical social worker by training, has a special interest in children and families that led to establishing her own childcare center.

After completing her bachelor's in social work, Sweet worked assisting families as a family support worker. However, she wanted to do more within the field. 

"My mom was in education for 35 years," Sweet said. "When she was in college, I was her guinea pig for assignments, so this passion is engrained in me."

She enrolled at UTA to continue her social work training in the Master of Social Work program. Sweet chose UTA due to its flexibility and accessibility. 

She recalls the involvement and impact of her professors, including one that asked her to rewrite a paper – a first in her academic career. Sweet left the UTA Writing Center with a renewed approach to writing, realizing she had great writing skills and more tools she could utilize from the University's support system. 

"From that day on, I really took my time while documenting. It highlighted a weakness I was able to turn into a great strength," Sweet said. 

After graduating and obtaining her license to practice, she pursued medical social work in settings such as dialysis, kidney transplant, hospice, skilled nursing facilities, and medical insurance case management. 

"You never know where your creativity will take you!"

While she was passionate about medical social work, her love for working with children and families remained on her mind. 

Sweet envisioned a childcare center led by social work experience with social services. In 2019, she established International Kids Academy, Inc., in Fort Worth. In addition to high-quality curriculum, Sweet said International Kids Academy is connected to community resources for children, families, and academy employees.

The brick and mortar location was established in 2020 amid the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, a factor Sweet said challenged the process and deepened her faith. Now, International Kids Academy has grown to include an operations director who works closely with her to continue bringing her vision to life. 

Sweet is a testament both to the versatility of a social work degree, and the versatility within your chosen career. No matter the path, she recommends quality remain the focus. 

"In whatever setting you choose in social work, always provide the highest quality of service," Sweet advised. "You never know where your creativity will take you!"