Chattanoogan: Serving Others Revitalizes Bo Walker

  • Wednesday, February 3, 2016
  • Claire Henley Miller
Bo and Pat Walker
Bo and Pat Walker

Bo Walker says he is inspired when he sees his clients, or former clients, overcome adversity and succeed.

In a recent interview, the social services director of Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute described how his celebrated career in social work unfolded.

Born and raised in Selma, AL, Bo personally witnessed the Civil Rights Movement. He said many of his teachers served as key figures in the movement that strove to obtain for African Americans equal access to the privileges and rights of U.S. citizens. His teachers and friends also participated in the Selma-to-Montgomery March led by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1965 that heavily contributed to the passage of the Voting Rights Act.

Several of Bo’s friends, classmates, teachers, and neighbors were injured in Selma’s 1965 Bloody Sunday incident.

“This has had a major impact on my personal development and commitment to social justice, and exercising my civic duty to always vote,” he said.

He was the second in four generations of his family to graduate high school, the first to attend college, and the only one to receive his master’s degree. He completed his Bachelor’s in Sociology from Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa, NC. Then he worked on a Master’s of Science in Social Work at the University of Tennessee – Knoxville’s School of Social Work.  

At Warren Wilson Bo learned about social work. He said he played basketball there and was honored twice as a member of the Outstanding Athletes in America Colleges and Universities. Before his introduction to social work, he wanted to be a basketball coach and shop teacher. But he soon discovered his truer calling.

Because he served as one of the leaders on the carpentry crew at Warren Wilson, he said he gained skills in leadership and accountability. He also had to complete a major service project during his undergrad years. Bo developed an adaptive physical education program for children with physical and developmental disabilities, which struck a chord with him regarding the needs of others.  

His advisor – who recognized in Bo “an inherent ability to connect with people” – further introduced him to the field of social work and helped him receive a grant for graduate school. The grant required Bo to complete two years of work in the mental health field. After graduating from UTK, he accepted his first job as a psychiatric social worker at Moccasin Bend. “And the rest is history,” he said.

“I have been blessed with a diverse, rewarding, and successful career in social work,” Bo said.

He was awarded Employee of the Year his second year at Moccasin Bend. After his third year he left to do outpatient counseling at the Chattanooga Psychiatric Center (later renamed the Fortwood Center), where he worked for 11 years. Two years ago Bo returned to Moccasin Bend as the director of social services.

“I always had an affinity for Moccasin Bend – served on the Board of Trustees for several years and thought this is the perfect place to end my career.”

He said growing up in an impoverished environment in the “segregated South” gave him a sense of empathy and compassion for his clients, allowing him to instill a sense of hope.   

One way he has done this is through his work as the associate director, chief operating officer, and clinical director at the Partnership for Families, Children, and Adults. The Partnership helps Chattanooga residents through a variety of social services programs. Bo said his 15-year tenure with the organization afforded him “an opportunity to positively impact thousands of lives as a core member of the executive management team.”

He has been married 40 years to his wife Pat who he calls his “soul mate.” The couple has two sons – Quincy, a Sociology major living in Nashville with his wife and two kids; and Brian, an architect who lives in Washington D.C.

“We are so proud of both sons and feel blessed to be grandparents,” Bo said.

He believes if people “are guided by a sense of purpose and integrity, great things will happen.”

Exemplifying this philosophy are Bo’s many certificates and awards. He has been honored with several social work awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award, and received the Diplomate in Clinical Social Work – the highest credential bestowed by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

Bo also served as vice president of the NASW from 2006 to 2009. He said the core values of social work are compatible with his personal values, which were developed at Warren Wilson. He stated the importance of having a solid spiritual base to keep one grounded and “help one overcome adversity.”

A quote he often shares with others comes from Mahatma Gandhi: “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” Bo thinks it is up to the individual to be personally responsible to make things better.

Regarding this he said, “I consider myself a lifelong learner, always give my best effort, and am revitalized by serving others.”  

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