A Foundation for the Future: How One Busy Professional Found a Path Forward with the Bachelor’s Program in Psychology and Human Services

In the two decades since his graduation from high school, Luciano Tellez, a 2022 graduate of the BS in Psychology and Human Services program, has traversed a far-from-typical path toward higher education. Keen on achieving the comfort of a stable career —in a field like computer engineering—he attended junior college for many years. “All along, I felt this calling towards social work, but I ignored it,” says Tellez, who was working at his current job in case management at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center when he learned about a unique opportunity to advance his career in the field.

“I didn’t really know where I was headed,” says Tellez, who had earned his AAS in psychology from Middlesex Community College when he was chosen by his employer to participate in the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health’s (DMH) Fellows Program. Created in collaboration with William James College, the goal of the program is to provide professional development and career advancement opportunities (plus full scholarships) for Metro Boston DMH staff—whose experience in the field means they know the population best—while addressing a societal need to build and diversify the workforce. The inaugural cohort was launched in 2019.

 “This experience validated and reinforced my platform to continue to advocate for the BIPOC community and speak up in spaces where we have not always felt welcome, represented, or acknowledged,” says Tellez, a first-generation US citizen from Mexican migrant parents with a history of giving back. 

As a young person, his being bilingual made Tellez a huge asset to his single mother who relied on her son to translate. When out in the community at large, especially in public places such as those within government assistance programs, his mom would suggest that he assist others struggling to understand and communicate. Word spread quickly and, before long, members of the local Hispanic community were calling on him for help. 

Luciano claims that from a young age, he realized there is a “disconnect" in the way health and social service systems operate. He observed that systems often rely on standard or "default" questions and answers to address issues. However, if someone answers these questions truthfully in a way that doesn't align with the system's expectations or norms, it can make it harder for them to receive the help they need. “We don’t all fit into these (predetermined) categories.”  And this “disconnect,” says Tellez, complicates people’s ability to access appropriate assistance.

“Offering an undergraduate program was a big shift in the William James College trajectory, but it aligned with our mission,” says Kerri Augusto, PhD, Director of Undergraduate Studies. The College developed the program to be accessible to working professionals like Tellez who is also a father to daughters ages 7 and 10. In addition to the current blended version, a fully online option for the bachelor’s program launched in Fall 2024.

While Tellez hasn’t always had the advantage of attending privileged and resource-rich schools, his passions and academic growth were nurtured at William James College. He counts his friendship with Mari Carmen Bennasar, PsyD, Director of the Lucero Latino Mental Health Program, as critical to connecting him with—and including him in—the Latino community on campus. 

“Through the fellows program, I took advantage of the local support to network and assist with building a diverse and culturally competent environment …be in the rooms where conversations [about equity and inclusion] were being had, and get invited to sit at the table, sustained by the knowledge that I belonged, that the work matters,” says Tellez who counts the network of people he found at William James College invaluable to his educational and professional journeys.

Field experience at “The Spot” in Roxbury, a drop-in center for transitional age youth dealing with mental illness, derived from his current case management role. The position, born of a relationship forged with Director of Emerging Young Adult Services Laura Falotico during their work on an anti-racism task force at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center, was co-created with him.

“Due to the stigma surrounding mental illness, we rely on acronyms so young people can openly talk about going to The Spot to see their HOMIE,” says Tellez of language (the latter term being his unofficial title in his internship role) that does not immediately call to mind a mental health care coordinator. In the midst of supporting others, Tellez continues to forge his own path forward.

Since earning his bachelor’s degree, he has remained passionate about psychology. Inspired by his older brother, who holds a master’s degree in civil engineering, Tellez is working toward his own master’s degree at Boston College and part of the Latinx Leadership Initiative. 

“In order to make changes at a macro level, I need to have my LICSW—which requires a concentration in micro social work,” says Tellez who admits he never really planned for masters certification. With an advanced degree and licensure within reach, the future is full of possibility.

“The system has survived this long due to how it was built, and now it’s my job to hold the door open to others,” he says, underscoring a belief that those tasked with making policies are typically out of touch with the very clients their policies will impact—a truth that both frustrates and motivates him.   

 “I need to keep going; I can’t just stop,” he says, before referencing A Bronx Tale, a movie in which Robert DeNiro tells his on-screen son that the worst thing in life is wasted talent.

“I have talents and a calling which, if I don't use them to reach my fullest potential, will be wasted; after all the sacrifices my mother made, this is not an option.” 

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