Sep. 8, 2025
This is part of a series of Q&As introducing faculty who have joined the College of Health Sciences for the 2025–26 academic year. Meet all of our new faculty members.
Katie Burnham Wilkins
Assistant teaching professor, School of Social Work
What classes are you teaching this semester?
For Fall 2025, I am teaching:
- SOC_WK 8050: Resiliency and Solution-Focused Practice
- SOC_WK 7730: Social Work Skills
- SOC_WK 4390/7390: Helping Strategies with Children and Adolescents
Tell us about yourself. What is your background?
I live in Columbia with my husband, Marcus, and our 5-year-old daughter, Harper. We love exploring our town, walking the MKT trail, finding new parks, going to the Columbia Farmer’s Market and hosting meals for family and friends.
I am a licensed clinical social worker who’s been working in the field for 17 years.
Prior to becoming a social worker, I received my bachelor’s degree in communication from Mizzou in 2005 and worked in marketing for a publishing company.
I completed my Master of Social Work at Mizzou in 2008. I was a social worker in the Homeless Veteran Program at the Truman VA Hospital from 2008 to 2020. In that role, I provided direct services to veterans experiencing homelessness and represented the VA in community efforts, including street outreach and participation in a variety of local, statewide, and national coalitions, committees and projects aimed at ending homelessness.
I also have experience as a social work consultant, helping community partners with things like writing grants, staff training and special projects.
What brought you to Mizzou? To your field?
I have been teaching as an adjunct instructor at Mizzou since 2022 and am thrilled to be on campus full time this fall!
I feel aligned with the School of Social Work’s commitment to community engagement, social justice and preparing students to be responsive, ethical practitioners. I’m excited to bring my experience collaborating across sectors of housing, mental health, substance abuse, employment, veterans’ services, local, state and federal programs to the classroom.
What is your favorite thing about your job?
Getting to work with such amazing students and a great team of people at the School of Social Work.
What has you excited for this semester?
I’m looking forward to being back on campus and reconnecting with students and colleagues in person.
What is a fun hobby or activity that you enjoy outside of work?
I love making floral arrangements!
What is your hidden talent?
I am an excellent gift wrapper!
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” It’s a quote from writer and poet Oscar Wilde that my friend (and fellow social worker) shared with me. It’s great advice!
