When 13-year-old Jayme Closs escaped January 10 from her kidnapper after nearly three months in captivity in western Wisconsin, she ran to a woman walking her dog nearby. The woman was Jeanne Nutter, MSW ’04, who immediately brought Closs to safety and called 911.

“I can tell you that I have never been so proud to call myself a social worker,” Nutter wrote to MSW program director Megan Morrissey. “This is what we do! Although I have not done direct practice in a long time, those skills stick with you […] I cannot tell you nor thank the U of M enough for providing me with the foundation that enabled me to be the best I could be for Jayme … It was a huge privilege to play a small part in getting her to safety … Such amazing instructors I had.”