Social Work Student Overcomes Obstacles to Earn Degree
Social work was an easy career choice for new graduate Katherine Holtz, whose difficult personal circumstances led to her decision.
鈥淚 was married to an alcoholic and addict for almost 10 years, and I lost myself,鈥� Holtz said.
A nontraditional student from Beebe, Arkansas, she has graduated from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in social work.
鈥淚 wish I would鈥檝e had somebody to guide me,鈥� Holtz said. 鈥淥ne of the areas that is still lacking in society is help for addict鈥檚 families. In order to help people, especially kids, you have to be able to understand them. I wanted to be able to fill that gap for somebody.鈥�
Earning a degree has been a long time coming for the mother of three children, two 鈥渂onus鈥� children, and a grandson she gained guardianship over two days before her sophomore year. When she started at Arkansas State University-Beebe in 2019, she and her husband were waiting for her grandson to be born. Now, at three years old, he tries to help Holtz with her assignments.
鈥淗e added a couple lines to a paper once, and by a couple lines I mean a page and a half,鈥� Holtz said. 鈥淥f course, that changed my reference page too. Most professors would have counted off, but mine said 鈥榯ell him thank you and that I loved his work.鈥� I didn鈥檛 even notice he鈥檇 done it. I stepped away for one second, and he wasn鈥檛 even at the computer when I got back!鈥�
Despite her 4.0 GPA, it hasn鈥檛 always been easy for Holtz. The second half of her freshman year was all remote due to COVID-19 restrictions, and she had to learn all the software used for online learning.
鈥淢y 18-year-old, who is now a freshman at Arkansas State University-Beebe, had to look over my first couple of papers and teach me how to use Google Drive,鈥� Holtz said. 鈥淚n high school we were using computers to learn how to type, so it鈥檚 very different now.鈥�
School has been rewarding in all aspects, but Holtz notes the support of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 social work student community as one of the most beneficial parts.
鈥淢ay Atkins, coordinator for the Bachelor of Social Work program, said 鈥榝ind your people鈥� on the first day, and that has stuck with me,鈥� Holtz said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always had a hard time fitting in because I鈥檓 older and my kids are older, but I have found a handful of true friends who I can call at 2 a.m. and know they鈥檒l be there for me. I have not had that sense of attachment outside of my family in a long time. To do social work, you have to have a heart for people and a heart for change, and I think that鈥檚 why we work so well.鈥�
Holtz also gives credit to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Child Care Connections for help searching for and paying for quality child care. The program is available to eligible undergraduate students to help them continue their education without day care being a hindrance. She said she will continue using the services for as long as possible, especially now that she has been accepted into the advanced standing part-time Master in Social Work program.
Her children have helped a great deal throughout this process. Her daughter, who was on a traveling missionary team, came home to help Holtz with her grandson.鈥淪he stayed home and babysat him while I went to classes,鈥� Holtz said. 鈥淚 draw a lot of strength from my kids, and they鈥檝e been my biggest cheerleaders.鈥�