/news-archive/tag/social-work-month/ 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Mon, 22 Mar 2021 16:29:06 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /news-archive/2021/03/22/social-work-month-tamiko-johnson/ Mon, 22 Mar 2021 16:29:06 +0000 /news/?p=78573 ... 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Celebrates Social Work Month: Tamiko Johnson]]> 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is recognizing outstanding social work students in celebration of this March. Graduate student Tamiko Johnson, from Benton, Arkansas, is set to graduate this upcoming May before launching her career as a social worker.听 Tell us a bit about yourself.听 I am a mother of 3 grown children. I entered the social work program as an undergraduate in August 2018 and graduated May 2020. I entered graduate school in advanced standing in the social work department in May 2020. What made you decide to study social work at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock? My father died from cancer in 2017. I felt like my family would have benefited from having a social worker to help us process cancer and death. I also have several friends who are social workers. They began to tell me of the many ways I could help people and my community as a social worker. I was told 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock had one of the best undergraduate and graduate programs in Arkansas. What are your plans after you graduate? My plans after graduation are to sit for my licensure exam and begin my career as a mental health professional working with adults. March is Social Work Month, and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) announced that the theme this month is Tell us why you think social workers are essential. Social workers are essential because we meet our clients where they are. Our mission is to help our clients maximize their strengths and help them soar to their purpose in life. Social workers pick up the broken and help them discover that their brokenness can be healed, and they can create a beautiful life. Social workers advocate for the oppressed, marginalized, and the ones who get lost in the shuffle. How has studying social work affected you as a person? Studying social work has shown me my own brokenness, my biases, and that I truly have a humble heart to serve people. Who have been some of your mentors or supporters throughout your time in the program? My mentors are Tameka Seals and Elizabeth Fowler, the MSW field coordinator. My supporters are my children, my family, my significant other, my sister friends, and my church family. What advice do you have for people thinking of majoring in social work? Be prepared to do some deep personal healing, and be patient with yourself. Utilize your instructors, they have your best interest at heart. Connect with your classmates, and enjoy the journey.]]> /news-archive/2021/03/22/social-work-month-lakendra-mackey/ Mon, 22 Mar 2021 16:26:20 +0000 /news/?p=78563 ... 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Social Work Month: LaKendra Mackey]]> 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is recognizing outstanding social work students in celebration of this March. The next student to be featured in this installment is senior and first-generation college student LaKendra Mackey.听 Tell us a bit about yourself.听 I鈥檓 from Texas. I am a mother, veteran, sister, daughter, and various other titles. I love anime, BTS (K-Pop), and Asian dramas. I enjoy trying new foods and learning how to overcome my numerous apprehensions. I joined the BSW program in Fall 2019 and hope to graduate in May 2021 with honors.听 What made you decide to study social work at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock? I have been through some crazy life hardships. At first, I was either in denial or ashamed about the situations I found myself in. I had to humble myself and ask for assistance. I reached out to the Veteran Hospital at Fort Roots, and a social worker asked me, 鈥淲hy are you here?鈥� I just let it all out. She does not know this, but she saved me that day. She hugged me, and I realized I hadn’t had a hug in so long. My mood changed, and I felt like I could see the sun rising.听 At the Veteran Day Treatment Center in Little Rock, two other social workers have been helpful in my journey with affordable housing. They have been very encouraging in my decision to pursue social work.听 These three ladies always pushed me to go forward. Whenever I became distant, they rallied their resources and made sure to involve me in life again. Because of the struggles I was facing, I realized that there are probably others like me and that I want to help them like I have been receiving help. The whole pay it forward.听 What are your plans after you graduate? I want to get my MSW degree. I have applied for a concurrent degree plan with the Clinton School of Public Service for the . I am still feeling my way around. Whatever avenue I decide on to pursue my MSW, I plan to spend my time learning and exploring all aspects of becoming the best social worker.听 March is Social Work Month, and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) announced that the theme this month is Tell us why you think social workers are essential. Social workers are everywhere. They are deep in the trenches with nurses and doctors. They鈥檙e at schools and daycares, at the nursing homes, hospice, hospitals, and other places providing resources and comfort. They are standing on the sidelines voicing their opinions and advocating for people. Social workers are working with the homeless population and giving them the necessities to combat the spread of COVID-19.听 They do this because social workers get the job done. They receive the action plan, and they execute it. Social workers are soldiers for humanities.听 How has studying social work affected you as a person? Social work humbles you to a certain point. I am not so quick to judge people anymore. When I catch myself thinking stereotypically, I am quick to self-reflect and call myself out on the act. Social work makes you aware of the environmental, social, mental health, and financial aspects of a situation.听 Who have been some of your mentors or supporters throughout your time in the program? My family has always been my biggest supporters. My social work classmates have been very involved with cheering me on and demanding I reach for the stars. Vocational rehabilitation, Trio SSS, and SADI have, in their own way, allowed me to taste greatness, and I have acquired a taste for it now.听 Also, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has been very supportive of me as a non-traditional student. I can truthfully say that when I wanted something, they provided me with the resources to thrive.听 What advice do you have for people thinking of majoring in social work? You need to be able just to listen and then, after the session, you write. I feel like I have written about six great works of literature to rival Shakespeare. If you can’t actively listen, this may not be for you. If you detest writing, this is not for you.听 The main question is why do you want to do social work? If the answer is that you enjoy helping people, you don’t need a social work degree to help. Be honest with yourself on why you want to do social work. ]]> /news-archive/2021/03/18/social-work-month-infinity-wallace/ Thu, 18 Mar 2021 17:39:18 +0000 /news/?p=78570 ... 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Celebrates Social Work Month: Infinity Wallace]]> 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is recognizing outstanding social work students in celebration of . Graduate student Infinity Wallace has been studying social work for the past four years, but said she feels like she has always been a social worker at heart, even before pursuing the degree.听 Tell us a bit about yourself.听 I was born and raised in Little Rock. I briefly lived in a few other states like Louisiana, Virginia, and Tennessee growing up, but I always found my way back home.听 What made you decide to study social work at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock? I decided to study social work because I have seen a drastic need in my community ever since I was a little girl. There is an overwhelming amount of economic, social, and racial injustice that continues to impact individuals and influence larger systems, like the criminal justice system, educational system, and public policy. My plan is to alleviate many of the injustices and disparities that so many people, including myself, have both experienced and witnessed. I chose 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock because they offered a competitive social work program right here at home that I knew would equip and empower me to reach my professional goals. What are your plans after you graduate? I received a summer scholarship and internship in Washington D.C. as part of the EmpowHER program. However, the program was delayed again due to Covid-19, so I will not be able to attend after graduation like I initially planned. Instead, I plan on staying home and focusing on launching my career. I eventually want to run for local office here in Little Rock so I may even search for some opportunities that will help me hone in on some of my skills in that area so that I can try to make a difference right here in my community. March is Social Work Month, and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) announced that the theme this month is Why do you think social workers are essential? They are the change agents that we need. I think one of the things that 2020 showed us is that, although we have come a long way, we still have quite a long way to go. As social workers, we have the ability to meet people where they are and walk with them as they get to where they need to go. We are essential because we see the dignity and worth of every individual and can make positive differences in whatever role we assume. How has studying social work affected you as a person? It has allowed me to reflect on who I am and what I value and has challenged me for the better. This profession is definitely not easy, but the rewards are great. Seeing the difference you can make in the lives of others while also seeing a difference in your own life is worth more than any salary, title, or accolade there is. Who have been some of your mentors or supporters throughout your time in the program? The entire social work faculty have all been such great mentors and supporters. They have been true examples of social workers and are great at using their own experiences as teaching examples. My classmates have also been so supportive of one another as we continue to learn and grow together. Even amid a pandemic, my classmates continue to show an exceptional amount of courage, ambition, and strength. In addition, God and my loved ones have undoubtedly kept me going even when it was hard to do so. I could not have done this without them. What advice do you have for people thinking of majoring in social work? It will not be easy. Sometimes you will question yourself and the world around you, but that is how you will know that you are growing. Trust me, when you look back on your social work journey and see the impacts that you have had on countless souls, you will be so happy that you chose this career, and so will the rest of the world.]]> /news-archive/2021/03/17/social-work-month-glendaliz-torres/ Wed, 17 Mar 2021 17:35:30 +0000 /news/?p=78565 ... 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Celebrates Social Work Month: Glendaliz Torres]]> 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is recognizing outstanding social work students in celebration of . After working in the field for over 20 years, sophomore Glendaliz Torres will become the first in her family to earn a degree.听 Tell us a bit about yourself.听 I am originally from Puerto Rico. I鈥檝e been studying social work for about two years.听 What made you decide to study social work at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock? I decided to get a degree in something I love to do, and I heard that 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock had a great program. What are your plans after you graduate? I鈥檓 going to apply for the and continue working as a home visitation specialist for program. March is Social Work Month, and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) announced that the theme this month is Tell us why you think social workers are essential. Social workers are essential because we are the most knowledgeable about the communities that we serve. We are educated in diversity and community engagement, and we are passionate about social, economic and racial equity. It is my belief that social workers should be anywhere that decisions that affect people are being made. How has studying social work affected you as a person? It has made me more aware of how important it is to advocate for people and resources. It has nurtured my growth as a person and as a social worker. I have a clearer understanding of people and how our environment shapes us all. Who have been some of your mentors or supporters throughout your time in the program? My instructors like Mr. Dave Hoffpauir, an adjunct professor who teaches Practice I and II. He has an amazing belief in his students. He continuously challenges us to look at things differently and ask the hard questions so that we always do our best to make informed decisions, not only for ourselves but for our clients. The whole social work class of 2021, we supported each other and encouraged each other to keep going when the world was upside down, basically all of 2020.听 What advice do you have for people thinking of majoring in social work? It鈥檚 not a profession, it’s a calling. Social workers make the world better, no matter what field of social work you go into. If it鈥檚 your calling, do it. ]]>