Social Work to Cooper Williams is about helping others, especially individuals who are disadvantaged. It is a field where he says we push boundaries with human rights being our driving motivation. Most importantly, social work to Cooper is creating an expectation of listening. Listening is at the core of every move we make, says Cooper. We are creating an environment where individuals can be heard and know they are being listened to. For Cooper, this is the heart of mental health counseling and something he is learning at his current practicum. Being heard and understood is a driving force in empowering clients to take control of their lives and find the truths they have had within them all along, Cooper states. “This can be translated to a mezzo and macro approach with social work by giving individuals the platform to speak and be heard. This is how movements are created such as BLM, #metoo, and even building arguments to change legislation. Through listening and empathy, a path is created to help others and themselves.” – Cooper Williams

Cooper’s favorite moment in track and field was getting third in the Big Ten 800-meter championships his sophomore year, in 2018. He battled with a teammate of his who got second and had another teammate in that same race on the home track at IU. It was his lifetime’s best, and still is to this day. The continuous hard work he had done with his teammates finally had a result for itself and it unlocked this confidence that was necessary to jumpstart his career and carry him to the places he was able to go.

Sports have played a large role in Cooper’s life for as long as he can remember. He loves playing sports, being active, and competition. Cooper also understands an athlete’s perspective, having been one for six years in collegiate Track & Field. Therefore, he plans on pursuing a career as a Sports Social Worker in a collegiate environment. He wants to offer mental health counseling to student-athletes with a social work lens. Sports psychology focuses mostly on performance, he wants to help with performance for athletes, but also take a full biopsychosocial and spiritual approach. Cooper wants to see the full person for who they are and help them improve any area that is creating an obstacle for their success as a person, which will inevitably lead to performance. He wants to encourage athletes to feel comfortable in their own bodies, feel control over their emotions, and feel proud to use their platform to stand up for what is right.