Personal Statement Of Purpose: Master Of Social Work

My intended major is Sociology. Once I earn my degree I intend to find a career in either social work or teaching. In choosing social work my focus will be low income families and programs that decrease social inequality. As a child I yearned for the ability to help people, to change someone’s life for the better and give them back the strength and hope they have lost through life’s battles. I gained this eagerness to provide assistance when my parents brought me to their homeland of Guatemala. Guatemala is a very poor country and I saw the despair and hopelessness of many while others still strived every day to elevate the lives of their family amidst poverty.

I began my social work studies over twenty-five years ago at Utah State University in Logan, Utah. I never questioned my decision to pursue a career in social work; I loved my classes and worked hard to learn as much as possible. But the information I gained in undergraduate school simply opened the doors of my education. Most of my learning has come through constant questioning, personal research, and especially through work and life experience. Through these experiences I have encountered the challenges faced by individuals, families, and society and have been able to further access and develop the innate personality traits and abilities that originally led me to study social work as well as learn and practice the many skills necessary to be a successful mental health counselor.

My main reason for applying to the Simmons School of Social Work is that it is an accredited university with an excellent reputation as an educational institution and offers an MSW program that is predominantly online. I attended Thomas Edison State University online and earned my bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.9. Once I made the decision to continue my education, I searched for MSW programs that were available online with CSWE accreditation in compliance with New Jersey State social work licensure. I found that Simmons’s specialized program in clinical social work is well suited for my educational needs.

With a focus on the University of Pittsburgh’s MSW program, I anticipate a curriculum that will give me tools and unique procedures to analyze and understand clients’ different life situations. This program will provide me with the knowledge to evaluate and apply research methods. I will become more activity oriented to the prevention and alleviation of social problems. Upon completion of master degree, I would have demonstrated empathy along with a genuine desire to improve the quality of the lives of others. The University of Pittsburgh’s MSW program will not only offer a path of

Growing up I witnessed my sister and grandmother deal with serious mental illness. My sister and grandmother both were diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It has always been my passion to help them manages their episodes. Growing up witnessing these episodes I always knew that I wanted to help those who are struggling to cope with mental health issues. Social work is not just a passion of mine, but a solution to the struggles many people face every day. I learned my “caring and compassion” for others, from my mother. My early experiences were a driving force for me pursuing my master’s in social work. As a child, my mother took in adults, children, and families within our neighborhood and afar to aid them in difficult times. Whether it was for a meal, a night, or longer, she has spent her life caring for others. The passion my mother possessed for helping others has become my

The decision to take the clinical route as a second year MSW graduate student, was one that took no hesitation to make. My passion for children and the preservation of families have been a propelling factor in my Social Work career; both academically and professionally. These two entities have motivated me to remain steadfast on the journey to obtaining my MSW so I can continue to be a vessel for children and families who are in need of support and empowerment. The clinical spectrum of social work practice has strengthened my ability to work proficiently with multiple clients and perform well when assisting families in different realms of social work practice. The knowledge gained during my four years as an undergraduate BSW student and

Many veterans are underserved and need tremendous help. Due to increased deployment and the veteran population increasing; there is a large demand for social workers to provide them with supportive services. Many veterans struggle with readjusting to civilian life after deployment, while others struggle with invisible mental wounds from war trauma. Unfortunately, many of these veterans are returning to the United States without adequate support services and their human rights are being compromised. The social work profession is dedicated to serving the nation’s veterans. Social workers strive to empower the veteran population and support recovery to meet each and every individual need.

I am writing to express interest in appointment as a Core Faculty Member in Social Work at Walden University. Attached is my vita for your review.

I decided to apply to the social work master because I have encountered a lot of different experiences, problems, and achievements over the past four years. Similarly, I have always had a deep desire for helping others in a caring and supportive way. I faced many obstacles through my adolescent years such as: having an eating disorder, self-harm, and depression. After going through therapy, I realized that I wanted to help young people to overcome problems and to be able to help them to move forward in life. I want to make them comprehend that change is possible as long as the person want it.

As a veteran of the U.S. Army, I have always been committed to selfless service. It seems to be a natural transition to pursue a career as a social work educator and researcher. As an educator, I would like to enhance students' ability to observe, critique, and question the things that they learn regarding social issues. This will enable students to become stronger advocates for social justice while allowing them to think critically about how the larger societal systems have an impact on the lives of individuals, families, and communities. My pursuit of research stems from the desire to gain and add knowledge around issues that impact urban communities.

For as long as I can remember, I have always had an interest to work in a field of helping others. At first my focus was on youths and how I can help those individuals in need, but then I became more interested in working with elders who can not properly care for themselves. I also became interested in working with families that are going through a difficult time in life such as a divorce or a bad living environment. These thoughts greatly influenced my professional ambition. My desire to further formalize my love for helping others has gained my interest toward the field of social work.

When I am an advanced level practice social worker, my goal is to be committed to social justice and empower my clients. In order to achieve this goal, I have decided to pursue my masters degree at the Walden University School of Social Work. This graduate program will prepare be to be an even more competent and effective change agent in the advanced level of practice. When working with veterans and/or members in the military, it is important to embrace a strengths perspective in practice. This graduate program will teach me how to contribute to the empowerment of veterans and/or military members while embracing a strengths perspective in a clinical practice setting. This program will increase my cultural competence as a clinical social worker. Which will in turn, help me understand and respect the cultural diversity of veterans and/or members of the military at all levels of government.

Growing up, I always had a knack for wanting to help others. Upon entering college I knew I wanted to work in a helping profession. I matriculated my college career as an Early Childhood Education major. My goal was to teach in low income middle schools and improve test scores of students. However, upon entering the program I knew that teaching was something that I was not passionate about. My grades began to slip and I was placed on academic probation. I was determined to find something that was for me in college. I knew that I wanted to continue to help others and after researching the many jobs a social worker can have is when I changed my major to Social Work. Choosing to major in Social Work was one of the best

After spending over a decade studying and working in a vast spectrum of fields, I can no longer ignore my ardent desire to dedicating my life in social work. Prior to completing my Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Associates degree in Radiography, I attended cosmetology school and established my own business in bridal make-up. At a younger age, I was drawn to the allure of the beauty industry for creativity purposes.

I am writing to inform you of my interest in the Fall of 2015, Bachelor of Social Work program at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Attached you will find my application with applicable documentation.