Personal Statement: Social Work Training

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.

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.

One thing that I have always been certain of when it comes to my future is that I want to inspire, help, and have a positive impact on as much people as possible. I want to fight for those that have no voice and create any necessary social change in my community. The field of social work would help me accomplish that. Social work is a broad field where I would be able to work with various populations of people throughout the community ranging from children to the elderly. I believe that by pursuing a master’s degree in social work I will have a sense of deep satisfaction knowing that I will be prepared to face any obstacle in my future as a social worker. I am aware that social work can be challenging but knowing that I will be able to advocate for others that are helpless and fight for social justice will be very rewarding. I first became interested in social work seven years ago, after my aunt and her husband decided to become foster parents, I would help my aunt take care of the children, and they were all very sweet kids that I will never forget. My aunt and her husband were given the opportunity to adopt a 5-year-old girl and shortly after were able to adopt her newborn sister. It was a very joyous day for our family when the adoption was finalized. During that time I met their social worker, she was a very kind and knowledgeable woman that inspired me to pursue a career in social work. I admired how passionate she was about her job and how much she enjoyed making an

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.

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 have always desired to work with children. Growing up in an urban area you’re able to observe numerous family types and see firsthand abuse and neglect. Sadly, this was my motivation to go into the Human Services field. To reach my goals, I realize that I must pursue a bachelor’s degree in Human Services. I would like to obtain my Masters, but I figure one degree at a time. Obtaining this degree would contribute towards my efforts in working as a Social worker.

I am a 19 year old college student who grew up in Aurora, Illinois. Right now I’m going to college at Northern Illinois University to pursue a degree in family and child studies. By achieving this degree, I hope to become a social worker, and eventually work with children in the foster system. Over the past 19 years many things have grown me into the person I am today. This last sentence is what I will examine through sociological imagination throughout this paper.

When I was six and placed in the Foster Care System for three years away from my mother, it made me value the importance of family one needs a young age. This childhood experience I hold with me will benefit in the field of social work, which is what I want to pursue in college as my degree. I believe one of the most difficult obstacles I had to face being taken away from my mother while not knowing the problem of the situation and learning how handle at such a young age to be away from my mother's warmth. I give complete gratitude to my mother who fought her best to win us over when the odds were against her, and to the thoughtful social workers who understood the situation my siblings and me. As I now enter college I have taken a look at

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

I want to a be a social worker because i want to help people, and it also interests me since the 8th grade. My responsibility of being a social worker is to help solve and cope with people and their problems in their everyday life. As well help work with families to strengthen their parenting skills for parents who drink, do drugs, and who are abusive. I can also help prevent child abuse to the kids in the home and find a home for them who are unable to live with their biological parents.

I am interested in the field of social work because l have the confidence to be able to work alongside individuals who are in need of assistance and guidance. It is important that we, as a community, are able to work alongside one another to offer resources to those who need it. With my knowledge of psychology and my experience in the health care field, l hope to have the opportunity to become a social worker who can help people cope with problems in their everyday lives.

The field of social work is boundless, and my educational attainment from the bachelor of social work program at Grand Valley State University has adequately prepared me to enter the field. However, by obtaining a master’s degree in social work, I will only be further expanding my opportunities and amassing my knowledge and understanding of diverse populations and the field. At this time, I am motivated to pursue a master’s degree in social work, because I want to serve our country and practice in the field of social work; I want to be an United States Navy Social Worker. However, the U.S. Defense Department requires social workers to obtain their master’s degree before signing with any military branch. Moreover, I am motivated to obtain my MSW, so

December 2016 I received my bachelors in social work. Through earning this degree I have learned so much more than I could have ever imagined. From all the papers, group projects, presentations, volunteer work, and field placement I not only grew as a future social worker, I grew as a student. Over the past two and half years, I learned to be a confident presenter, work as a team member, ask for help when needed, and stay true to myself. With that being said I have also seen my grades improve, writing skills improve, and people skills improve.

1.What is so great about being a social worker? There are many different types of social worker all around the world. They are able to help so many any way that they can. When I was younger at one point my family got involved with some social workers. They helped us out with the best ways that they could think of.

My interest in pursuing a professional career in social work came from my passion to help others. I come from a Hispanic family that migrated from Monterrey, Mexico to Houston. I remember my parents having a difficult time adjusting to a new environment. My mother’s sister was her only resource. She was her go-to for everything, and although she had been living in the United Sates for a long time, she was not aware of many of the programs available for low-income families, like us.