KENNESAW, Ga. | Mar 31, 2026

Ashley Singh lives her life in all caps and exclamation points.

A first-year graduate student in Kennesaw State University’s MSW/MBA dual degree program, Singh keeps a full calendar and an unabashedly positive attitude, much to the delight of her mentors. In fact, one of those mentors, CARE Services program coordinator Ally McElwee, remembers emailing students in the University’s ASCEND program and being struck by Singh’s infectious positivity.

“She responded back in all caps and with exclamation points, ‘Yes, I’m so excited, can’t wait to meet with you,’” McElwee said. “The enthusiasm was unbeatable, and it turns out she’s like that in person – so much joy.”

Singh has always been this way, ever since her childhood when she experienced a bout of homelessness. She learned then to never take anything for granted and to pursue as many opportunities as possible.

“I’m just doing what I usually do, putting other people first,” Singh said.

On top of classes in KSU’s Wellstar College of Health and Human Services and the Michael J. Coles College of Business, Singh interns in the Rome City Schools social work office while also serving as an ambassador for ASCEND, a program designed to ease the transition from high school to college for students who have experienced homelessness or foster care. Additionally, Singh works as a facilitator for KSU’s chapter of Silence the Shame University, a mental health awareness program for college students.

Though she appears to have a full plate, Singh is merely carrying the momentum she picked up during her undergraduate days. She started on the Double Owl Pathways track to earn a bachelor’s in human services and the master’s in social work, which allowed her to get started on her MSW while an undergraduate. She later joined the MSW/MBA dual degree program as a precursor to a possible career path.

“I want to have my own private practice someday,” she said. “It’s not what I want immediately, but if I know accounting and finance, it will help me in the future.”

The benefits of social work are profound to Singh. While attending a STEM magnet school in Gwinnett County, Singh’s father suffered a heart attack and couldn’t work, putting the onus on Singh to help the family in that way. Realizing she was nearing her capacity to balance school and home life, she eventually asked for help through counseling. After graduating from high school and enrolling at KSU to pursue a degree in environmental engineering, she couldn’t shake the thought of helping schoolchildren in the way that she had benefited.

“A lot of people in that high school had mental health issues; a lot of us were stressed, but that’s just part of the grind,” Singh said. “I saw how my people were struggling mentally and emotionally, and I wanted to help people.”

Last week, Singh shared her story at Social Work Day on the Hill in Washington, D.C., to advocate for more social workers in the halls of power, an event organized through the Congressional Research Institute for Social Work and Policy (CRISP), which she connected with through KSU CARES. Last fall, she presented at the Embark Leadership conference in Athens, where she again advocated for institutional support for students who have experienced difficulties but continue to press on – like Singh.

“I work in the pantry at CARES, I work with emergency assistance, and I’ve had a graduate assistant position there, too – kind of a jack of all trades,” she said. “That’s why I was invited to the Embark conference and I got to talk about my experience with ASCEND and CARES. They’ve made such a difference for me.”

The current internship with Rome City Schools best reflects Singh’s goal for the immediate future – a position as a school counselor or social worker. Beyond that she’d like to pursue a doctorate and continue in a role of helping people. McElwee is also pursuing a doctorate and delights in the successes of a young woman she calls ASCEND’s “big sister to everyone.”

“I could see her running a nonprofit someday, just continuing in a leadership role and helping people,” McElwee said. “I could see her in my seat someday, and I’m absolutely fine with that.”

Singh could see herself at KSU, too, enthusiastically giving back to the university that has given her so much.

“I truly do love it at Kennesaw State; it means the absolute world to me, and I’d love to come back,” she said. “There are so many opportunities here. You just have to embrace them.”

– Story by Dave Shelles

Photos by Darnell Wilburn Jr.

A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.