MSW + Master of Legal Studies

As the HUD Grants Administrator for the City and County of Denver, Mariana Diaz supports the administration of grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

She’s a resource for program staff as they work to determine program eligibility, interpret regulations and ensure compliance. Additionally, she’s worked to increase the transparency around how the city works with HUD funding. She educates the community and gathers their feedback about these funds.

Diaz earned a Master of Social Work (MSW) with a concentration in organizational leadership and policy practice from the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work (GSSW) in 2019. As a dual-degree student, she also earned a Master of Legal Studies from the Sturm College of Law in 2020.

“I had heard great things about GSSW’s social work program and was intrigued by the possibility of earning a dual degree. However, what really sold it for me was going to the GSSW open house for potential applicants and hearing Associate Professor Michele Hanna talk about the community at GSSW,” Diaz recalls. “I remember her saying something about our inherent connection and responsibility to each other that really moved me.”

The community connection turned out to be the best part of her GSSW experience.

“Getting to meet and build community with classmates and faculty whose dedication to the work of transforming the world we live in inspires me even today,” she says.

One of the things that Diaz learned was to look critically at who is at the table.

“The courses and faculty I encountered at GSSW really underscored the need for me to always question who is and who isn’t in the room, and why,” Diaz says.