Personal Statement On Social Work

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.

As a woman diagnosed with social anxiety,I was entrusted to be under the care of a social worker so as to help me manage my disorder. Personally, I have gone through so many experiences which collectively made me develop a deeper insight into the roles of social workers as compared to other health caregivers. Besides that, I have seen a lot of transformative supports to people who have various social problems provided through the selfless care of the social workers. Subsequently, this further fueled my ambition to study and support the most disadvantaged and vulnerable persons in the society. I firmly believe that my motivation towards helping

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

The pursuit of a doctoral degree is both exciting and humbling for me. It is exciting that I have a clear vision of the career I want to pursue as an academic, and humbling to think of the great opportunity I could have to teach future social workers. Early motivation to enter the field of social work was in response to adverse childhood experiences with domestic violence, parental substance abuse, poverty, and homelessness —further complicated by foster care intervention. My foster care experience included five foster placements, enrollment in countless schools, countless lost relationships, and a failed adoption. Though these experiences created much hardship, they have certainly promoted resilience and helped lead me to my current ambition of seeking a Ph.D. As a recipient of foster care intervention, I exited state custody through legal permanence. Through education, advocacy, and direct social work practice with youth in residential treatment, I acquired new skills and insight to addressing social and child welfare problems. I am excited for the opportunity to promote the field of social work in the classroom and improve the lives of youth in the foster care system through my research.

When I first heard of human services, I was first confused with being human resources. Back then about two years ago, I made the decision to go with social work from my original psychology prerequisites. Calling the CSU, Dominguez Hills office, I was actually confused of the word human services when I actually called for information on social work. After some research with human services, I've decided to major in the field and to attend at CSU, Dominguez Hills. How I got into human services/social work, it was a long personal journey I had to take that lead me to this field.

At the time of my graduation, however, I was six months pregnant and knew that I had too much going on to start a master’s program. In the past year, I have spent a lot of time researching different schools and programs. I chose the MFT program at VSU because Marriage and Family therapists can work in a variety of places with people from all walks of life. Of course I am biased towards VSU because it’s where I received my bachelor’s, but after reading about the MFT program, the emphasis on multiple perspectives and diversity sold me on my decision to apply. I come from a very diverse family, some of which have also struggled with many mental health issues. Because of this, appreciation of differences taken on with an open mind is very important to me. After completion of my graduate degree, my goal is to work in a mental health institution for children and adolescents. I have always had a special place in my heart for young children and have worked with an array of ages throughout my time as an undergraduate. Mental health disorders are so easily overlooked, especially in children, so I want to be an advocate for those in need.

Name: Zebra A. Seabron Degree Sought: Master of Social Work/Management and Policy School Selected: Rutgers University – Newark Term Desired: Summer 2018 Personal Statement for the Master of Social Work Program Rutgers University was listed “among the world’s top 1,000 Universities measured in 2017 by the United Arab Emirates-based Center for World University Rankings.” “Rutgers ranks 49th in the world, 32nd among all Universities in the United States, and 15th among Public Universities in the United States.” According to U.S. News and World Report, “The Rutgers School of Social Work is ranked among the best Social Work Graduate Programs in the nation and has one of the most ethnically, and racially diverse student population in the nation.”

My passion for helping the vulnerable is one reason I ‘am inspired to become a social worker. I also want to be available to provide support to those who have nowhere else to turn. My experience in social work has taught me to celebrate the small victories towards positive changes. I look forward to gaining the skills and knowledge to aid me in becoming a successful social worker.

Significant relationships and life experiences that have I have had in giving or receiving help that have motivated me to enter the field of social work would be my dealings with other social workers I have worked with at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Southern California and my life experience as a military child and my experience serving, retiring and making a successful transition from active duty service member to civilian from the Navy. I am the only child to my biological parents. My childhood seemed normal, standard and carefree. My early beginnings were uneventful and ordinary. In elementary school I performed well academically, and participated in the Boy Scouts.

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 have worked alongside social care teams for my local council for the last 8 years. Within this time I have realised that my desire to help families with their difficulties has blossomed and I wish to go that one step further and be able to support them from the frontline. My first step closer has been to enrol on an Access to Social Studies course where I am studying applicable subjects, Psychology, Sociology, Politics and Social Policy. I work with Educational Psychologists and professionals dedicated to helping children with learning difficulties. I recently completed a secondment to a social care team.

Indian nationalist leader Mahatma Gandhi once stated, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”. This simple yet powerful quote motivates me to remain steadfast in the mission of aiding others. I’m pursing a Masters in social work because by working in this field, I can educate, advocate, motivate, understand, and encourage resilience to clients from every walk of life. It is a profession that will allow me to practice both on a micro and macro level simultaneously. Lastly, working in social work gives me the capacity to challenge policies affecting disadvantaged communities.

The composition of the United States of America is rapidly growing as well as the amount of problems that plague vulnerable person in society. On the undergraduate level I pursued a degree in social worker due to my interest in alleviating the needs and empowering people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty especially in urban communities. I would like to pursue graduate school to obtain an advanced skill set that I can utilize to empower this population. I am confident that I am well prepared for graduate work due to my current gpa of 3.7 and active participation in my field internship. During my undergraduate career I have acquired the generalist knowledge of the social work profession by learning and applying theoretical

Social Work Nowadays with increasing expenses on healthcare sector, many people still cannot have the proper medical service. At this point, it becomes the sphere of interest for social workers who help such people to navigate the world of healthcare. Social workers address the social, emotional and financial needs that often accompany healthcare issues. Thus, they help people to deal with difficulties which happen to be the consequences of life traumas, crucial changes and social injustice (Sokanu.com, 2016).

I am applying to the two year program at Stony Brook University because I want to further my education so that I can pursue my goal of helping others achieve a successful and productive life. My passion originates from realizing that there is a need for social workers who can make a difference in people’s life by being supportive and providing the necessary aid needed for everyday survival. Therefore, I believe by completing my master’s degree in social work I can help build a better world by providing care and services that is imperative and vital for survival. There have been many experiences that have influenced my goal to be a social worker. I have learned through personal and profession experience that helping people can have a huge impact.