Ayanna Kaalund, LMSW, U.S. Veteran

Bachelor of Science, Social Work Graduating Class ‘2018

Ayanna Kaalund is a 2018 Alumna of York College Baccalaureate of Science Social Work Program, and a veteran of the United Stated Air Force with the rank of E-4, Senior Airman. She is also a founding member of the Chi Sigma MSW chapter of Phi Alpha National Honor Society for Social Work, charted on February 23, 2018. She earned her MSW degree from Fordham University in 2020.

Ayanna Kaalund served as the Vice President of the Social Work Empowering and Encouraging Together (S.W.E.E.T.) Club at York College from 2016 to 2017. The club was previously known as the Social Work Club until 2014. She took on the role of President from 2017 to 2018. In these positions, Scholar Ayanna was instrumental in organizing and training fellow scholars to lobby at New York State Annual Legislative Action Day in Albany, NY.

The club focused on various policy issues and priorities, including advocating for funding to extend childcare services to evening hours through CUNY, promoting loan forgiveness, and funding to improve York's infrastructure. Other key initiatives included Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), the proposed Excelsior Scholarship Program, and CUNY Critical Maintenance funding, opposition to tuition hikes, increasing funding for academic resources to support incarcerated individuals. Additionally, they advocated for steady funding for CUNY Senior colleges and York’s Academic Village and Conference Center.

“I had the privilege of attending York Colleges first LMSW boot camp, held in the summer of 2019. Though intense, the boot camp was insightful and provided vital information which I attribute to passing the LMSW exam on the first try. Thank you to Dr. Rodgers, professors and staff for the invaluable support given to all student scholars.”