I can't believe that I am almost done with my first year of graduate school in social work. Half done! It does not feel so long ago that I first climbed the steps of Haviland, extremely nervous and excited to be at Berkeley. So confused about social work. And convinced that someone must have mixed up applications in admitting me to the school because there was no way that I was in the same league as the amazingly experienced people in my entering class. I've weathered through! Wow, and I'm almost done.
I'm feeling particularly reflective after writing a brief statement for a scholarship application. Ok, don't know if my social work pals actually check my blog regularly (hello, are you reading this?), but I'm going to stick my short essay here, because I wrote it and it captures my thoughts. And its my blog and I'll post if I want to.
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My first year of study in the Masters of Social Work program has overwhelmed me with techniques for competent practice, tales of the tribulations in the field, practice in forming a research proposal, and a grasp of the social work vocabulary that so intimidated me when I first arrived in Berkeley. My previous experience in AmeriCorps mentoring and tutoring a caseload of middle-schoolers gave me the ideal and desire to work with children and families, and my MSW studies have provided me the path and method for doing so. As a Title IV-E recipient, I have weathered looks of sympathy and shock, even pity, but knowing that I want to serve in an area of critical need, I look forward to a year of challenges and learning in my second-year internship with Contra Costa’s Department of Employment and Human Services. I know that my education in social work will not “terminate” next year once I finally grasp a Master’s degree in my hands, but it has been – and continues to be – a good beginning.
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5 comments:
will you tell me more about title IV-E?
Ah, Title IV-E, as expressed in social work education, is a stipend of $18,500 provided each year that a recipient is in a two-year MSW program. Following completion of school, the recipient, me, must work for a county agency child welfare department for two years. Basically, a training program for CPS workers. Pays for your education. And some crazy work experience.
Go you! Would try to be more articulate but don't want to compete with the titled holder of a Title IV-E.
oh, you flatter me.
Jennifer, I am glad to hear you are being paid while completing the MSW. I hope that $18,5 is liveable in Berkeley, but I wonder if that's a foolish hope. I guess it works in cooperative living, right?
PS I think it's cool that you are training to be a CPS worker. You are now one of two MELLOW CPS workers (or future workers) I know.
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