Global Site Navigation
Section Navigation
Skip Navigation
About SimmonsQuick FactsSimmons HistoryWhy a Women's College?The Educational ContractNews and EventsPubs, Orgs, and ConferencesSimmons Strategic PlanWork at SimmonsCampaign for Simmons

» Ugandan Social Work Professor Brings Compassion to Practice


Dr. Hugo Kamya describes himself as a "stubborn optimist." Recently hired by the Simmons College School of Social Work as an associate professor, Kamya' s worldview keeps him hopeful and determined in the face of life's challenges. And he has indeed faced life's challenges.

Growing up in Uganda, East Africa, Kamya was a student at a time when the country persecuted, jailed, and even killed those pursuing education. He fled to Kenya in the late 1970s, where he studied philosophy and religious studies. After graduating from St. Thomas Aquinas Seminary in 1983, he decided to volunteer to work with L' Arche, a community for mentally handicapped adults in Syracuse, New York. Political unrest in Uganda made it impossible for Kamya to return to his home.

Inspired by the people Kamya met in Kenya and at L' Arche, and by the events in his home country, Kamya enrolled at Harvard Divinity School. Kamya received his master of divinity in theology and counseling in 1987 and then began to consider how he could combine elements of theology, spirituality, and social work practice.

"In Africa, the sacred and the secular are intertwined. I was influenced by the priests' and missionaries' sense of service and commitment to humankind and I became interested in bringing together spirituality and social work in an effort to best serve others," said Kamya.

Kamya enrolled at the Boston College Graduate School of Social Work, where he eventually taught for 14 years and chaired the clinical sequence. In his research and counseling, he found it necessary to address spiritual questions with clients.

"Our discussions about what oppresses them almost always turned into deeper questions about the existential self, such as 'Who am I? What is the purpose of my life on earth?'" said Kamya, who is currently writing a book about integrating spirituality and clinical social work.

Through the years, Kamya has managed to link all of his diverse experiences into a broad array of social work research, including the psychological impact of war, especially for children; political persecution and trauma; supporting unaccompanied minors from Sudan, also known as the Lost Boys; female genital mutilation; children living in families with HIV/AIDS; culturally competent services for immigrants and refugees; and interracial relations.

Faculty and administrators at the School of Social Work are happy to welcome Kamya, and excited by the diverse experiences he will bring to the classroom.

"We are thrilled that Hugo has joined the School of Social Work faculty," said Interim Dean and Professor Stefan Krug. "His reputation as a scholar, researcher, teacher, and practitioner is exemplary, and his work incorporates a broad range of interests. Hugo has worked extensively with study-abroad programs, most recently in Uganda. And we are excited for him to continue his involvement in international education here at Simmons."