When advocacy meets opportunity, an advocate can go back to school.
A mother of two and a current MSSW student at UT Social Work, Medeiros likes to joke that she is one of the “most experienced” peers in her cohort. The witticism is selfdeprecating in nature, but it comes with a kernel of truth: Medeiros has the life experience that sets her up as a student leader.
Born and raised in Austin next to the Forty Acres, Medeiros grew up in a home believing one day, someone in her family would go to UT.
Now on the path to get her MSSW degree, she’s locked onto a clear target of becoming a pediatric hospice social worker.
She had originally planned on being a stay-at-home parent, but after reflecting on her life experience, homeschooling her kids during COVID, and dealing with a partner’s cancer diagnosis, Medeiros started to reconsider how to use her experience to serve families – and who would be the member of her family to finally attend The University of Texas at Austin.
“UT is a top 10 school,” she said. “And if I’m going to go get a social work degree, why not go big?”
She had a heart for service, a history in advocacy, and a readiness for impact. All she needed was a friend to say the “right” five words: “Lori, just go to school.”
“We can’t help people if we don’t inform ourselves,” Medeiros said. “If you care about making the world better, social work — especially at UT Austin — can change the world.”
Peanut: Daniel’s Story
Before taking classes and starting her practicums, Medeiros was already a seasoned pro at advocating for change.
In 2015, her son, Daniel Pressley — aka “Peanut” — sustained a traumatic brain injury called shaken baby syndrome (SBS). As Medeiros was attempting to navigate the medical system as a young mother, she realized quickly that she was overwhelmed in the “chaos” of trying to triangulate care for her child, as well as trauma-informed emotional care for her family.
“I didn’t know what services existed or how to access them,” Medeiros said. “And it made me realize that if I didn’t know what services were available, how many other people wouldn’t know either?”
When Peanut was recommended to move into hospice care for end-of-life treatment, Medeiros was reluctant, assuming that hospice solely meant “death, sadness and an ending.” During her experience in hospice and palliative care though, under the assistance of social workers, Medeiros realized “how much help I actually needed.” It was with the work of social workers that Peanut’s passing became “a beautiful transition” and Medeiros realized her calling.
“If I can help people get to where they need to be, they won’t suffer as much,” Medeiros said. “People need to be privy to resources, and they need support in difficult times. That was when I first felt like I needed to be an advocate and in pediatric hospice care.”
Through that tragedy, Medeiros made it her focus to prevent child abuse with an emphasis on ending SBS. Mederios and Peanut’s story also played a role in advocating for the passage of SB 316, a bill passed by the Texas Legislature that requires the Health and Human Services Commission to create a SBS brochure and mandates that hospitals, birthing centers, and midwives present the information to new parents.
With her voice and Peanut’s story, she presented to local community groups, high school students, transition homes for young men who had been previously incarcerated, as well as jails and detention centers for young men and women.
Lori’s Future
Fast forward to 2025. Informed by her past and passionate about her future, Medeiros is actively preparing for a career in pediatric hospice work.
To expand on her skills, Medeiros deliberately chose practicum placements that strengthen her skills with children’s psychology, trauma response, and language. She chose to do school social work in Austin ISD for her practicums, first serving at Galinda Elementary to refine her bilingual capacity. For her master’s practicum, she’s at Patton Elementary in Austin ISD, where she helps students process emotions and trauma, and she’s sharpening her ability to meet kids where they are.
“Impulsiveness in children can come from not being grounded,” she noted. “Trauma or other factors can play a significant role in behavior and understanding where that root behavior comes from is so critical into understanding a child going through major life changes.”
Since starting her practicums, she said her knowledge in cultural understanding and relationship building has grown significantly. Medeiros said her experience lets her see how socioeconomic status, language barriers, parenting stress, and inflected trauma shape behavior — and how grounded, compassionate responses change outcomes.
“Even how parents process things changes how children process things,” she said. “Cultural competency matters when helping children and their families.”
Support the Finish Line
As a single mom herself, Medeiros has noted how much assistance she’s received in getting her degrees. She also notes how important financial assistance has been in addition to emotional assistance.
A recipient of the Texas Advance Commitment, and scholarships like the Betty Louise Vesowate Endowed Scholarship and the Kerr Family Pay It Forward Endowed Scholarship in Social Work, Medeiros has been able to pay for school and bills, allowing her to focus on becoming a skilled social worker. Without that support, it would have been “impossible” to return to school, but these resources have built up Medeiros on her journey.
“UT was one of the few schools that allowed funding if you met the requirements,” she said. “And staff has helped me through the process step by step, making it all possible for me to be the best social work student I can be.”
Medeiros also noted the emotional and community-based support she’s received through UT Social Work, specifically the professors and administrators who offer the kind of encouragement that “turned a big university into a small, familial community.”
“They know me by name, they celebrate my progress, and write letters of recommendations that open doors,” said Medeiros. “I’ve never needed to ask for extensions, but professors gave accolades, told me they were proud of me, and supported my life.”
Even leaders like Dean Allan Cole and Associate Dean Rebecca Gomez take time to connect, she said, which has “squashed” impostor syndrome and made her feel like she belongs on the Forty Acres. Add in student peers that treat Medeiros like a regular colleague, practicum supervisors that encourage her, and a full support system that helps her develop, and she’s ready for the future.
“I can pull this off because UT and UT Social Work provide so many opportunities,” she said. “All you have to do is take them.”