Class Year: August 2023
Degree Program: MSSA Online
Concentration: Community Practice for Social Change
Hometown: Timonium, Maryland
Field Education Organization: FosterHope Sacramento in Sacramento, California
Before beginning at Case Western Reserve University, what were you doing?
I spent two years in the nonprofit field as an executive assistant working primarily with DEI-related initiatives.
Why did you choose CWRU/the Mandel School?
The Mandel School had a great track record and an excellent community practice curriculum with an established online program.
Describe your field education practicum experience and any work/projects you have done.
Fundraising plans, grant writing and program development and implementation are all things I work on pretty consistently during my field practicum!
Describe any extracurricular activities you're involved with on- or off-campus.
I am the online student representative of the Mandel Council, the co-chair of the fundraising committee of Sacramento’s Lavender Library, and a member of the Sacramento Women’s Chorus!
What are you most looking forward to this semester?
Applying what I’m learning in my specialist coursework in my field placement—specifically using what I’m learning about partnerships and collaborations as well as mental healthcare policy to help support my agency in new offerings for mental health services for foster youth.
What do you hope to do with your degree?
My dream job is to work at the UN as a macro social worker. I also really enjoy grant writing and program development through a social work lens.
What is your favorite thing about CWRU/the Mandel School?
The professors at the Mandel School have been amazing wells of knowledge and have been incredibly encouraging and supportive. They bring diverse real-world experience to their lectures that help bring concepts that are sometimes a little abstract to life.
What is your favorite thing about Cleveland?
Cleveland has a rich history that we can use to understand social work concepts. Although I’m remote and haven’t been to campus, I really appreciate the course content we have surrounding Cleveland’s history!