Social Work Personal Statement

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.

Social work involves passionate individuals who are dedicated to helping others by providing services to vulnerable children, families or individuals in need, while constantly looking for ways in which we can improve society. This discipline is dedicated to helping people find solutions to their problems in order to make the world a better place. I chose this field of study, because I find the job of a social worker rewarding. I have always enjoyed helping others and knowing that I have made a difference in someone’s life. It is no secret that this is a challenging career; however, the feeling of knowing that you made the world a better place is indescribable. I have simply decided to make my passion of helping others into a career. I know that in order to make my passion a career I will need to get the best education and training possible.

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

My interest in mental health and social justice arose early in my education, specifically when I learned about the complexities of the brain and how it molded people into who they are. I knew from there that I wanted to pursue a career that allowed me to help and guide others; I dreamed of being a catalyst for change. My undergraduate studies in psychology at the University of Michigan increased my fascination with the mind, providing me with a solid foundation for my graduate studies. My minor in gender and health complemented this, diversifying and expanding my knowledge of marginalized populations. The moment I learned about the field of social work during a career fair in my sophomore year of college, I felt that it was the answer I had

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.

There are many reasons why I want to join the undergraduate program in social work. Many of these reasons come from both academic and personal experiences. As a child I lived in a poor neighborhood where I was surrounded by people who were experiencing poverty, homelessness, cultural and language barriers, unemployment, discrimination, and other problems. I also saw friends and family later in my life go through hardships that ranged from child abuse, domestic violence, to drug addiction. These experiences greatly affected how I saw the world.

For a majority of my life, I wanted to be a pediatrician when I grew up. I had wanted to be a pediatrician due to my passion to work with children, in addition to enhancing the lives of children. As I continued to grow up, I realized that science is not my strong suit and I would never survive medical school. I do not recall how I learned about the profession of social work, but around the eighth grade I have known that social work was the profession that I wanted to pursue. The idea of helping others is what initially struck me as compelling because I did not understand social work in it’s entirety, but I knew that I would relish a life of helping other individuals.

Starting from being a certified nursing assistant, to becoming a unit secretary for a hospital that specialize in wound care, I have always known that I wanted to help individuals in need. However, I noticed that I was not happy with helping individuals in medical need. It wasn’t until I decided to continue my education that I introduced to the world of social work. Going up with a single mother that suffered from drug abuse, my family depended on social services for a lot of assistance, from everything such as food stamps to family counseling. This life experience helped guide my thoughts on pursuing social work as a career. I know that I want to help individuals that are down on their luck, but I want to take it one step farther, by providing individual counseling to adults that may need more one on one time, than what is normally given from a social service agency. Counseling will also give me a chance to do what I love most and that is to talk and get to know the individuals that I am helping make like changing decisions. Working as a clinical social work has my interest because it does not put limits on what I can do or who I can help, and it will set me up for my future goal of becoming a licensed clinical social worker. Being my own boss and changing my community is my dream job, opportunity and goal. I am currently on my way with changing my community and living my dream, because I am currently working for a non-profit

I have chosen to pursue an MSW degree because I want to enter into a career that would be challenging, interesting and perhaps life-changing. Although I have a background in psychology, I’ve grown fond of the counseling aspect within the social work field. An MSW degree will allow me to work in different settings while gaining knowledge of the dynamics of complex issues that come with helping others. While working in positions that have exposed me to many groups of people, I have gained in depth knowledge of how dynamic and multidimensional humans can be. This is an understanding that I not only learn while working, but personally experience within my own household.

I am pursuing a graduate degree in social work at this time because there is a great need for social workers to enhance the social well-being of disenfranchised persons. When I was growing up educational, environmental, and economic inequalities in my neighborhood meant hardship and uncertainty for youth and families. Witnessing the unaddressed trauma from these hardships in the community became a growing concern for me. Social workers are needed to assist with remedying the plight of the poor and disenfranchised.

I intend to earn my Bachelor's and Master's of Social Work so I can pursue a career in clinical private practice with the elderly. In addition, I will double minor in gerontology and sociology to further prepare me for my future career. Because of my credits from high school and work ethic, I will be able to graduate with my Bachelor’s in just three years, which will result in significant savings of college expenses. Due to my past experiences with bullying in which my supposed good friends over a three-year period, I always knew I wanted to work in the social work field. Since Rhode Island College has one of the top social work programs in the country, I was sure this school would be a great fit for me.

Social workers possess an innate set of talents, characteristics and skills that enable them to work as helpers and aid others in recognizing their own skills and abilities. For, as long as I can remember I have always wanted to be a social worker and make a difference in the lives of others. I can attribute my passion for helping others to my parents; because of them, I have developed a set of values that are similar to social work’s core values. They lay the foundation for not only what I believe as a professional, but are essential to who I am in my personal life. The values that have been installed in me through my parents and reinforced throughout my education allow me to understand and recognize that everyone has a story to tell and

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.

My vision of the social work field is being able to help people in need and being the person that people can look back on and remember as a huge help in time of need. I think my core values and beliefs will help me be an effective social worker and help me succeed in this field. It is in my belief that a person should never be knocked down when they are going through hardships, and rather empowering them. I also believe that not everyone could be a social worker because it takes a certain kind of empathetic and self-aware person. I truly believe that my upbringing has humbled me to understand and not be judgmental of people’s issues since I’ve seen a lot in my short twenty-one years.