Meet some of the current Bloomington BSW students and recent grads as they reflect on their experiences as social work majors:

Laura Bonano, senior

Hometown: Ft. Wayne, IN
What I learned most about social work: The endless paths and career opportunities that being a social worker will provide me.
What I learned most about myself: That I'm capable of doing things that scare me in the hopes of a greater cause.

Noorie Brantmeier, alumna

Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA
What I learned most about social work: I learned that social work is not only about helping individuals through direct practice but is also about helping large groups by advocating for justice at the policy level.
What I learned most about myself: I have to "Be the change I want to see in the world." - Mahatma Gandhi
Current position: Guardian ad Litem
Favorite job duties: Advocating for children; empowering others

Tracy Brookshire, senior

Hometown: Bloomington, IN
What I learned most about social work: It is present at all levels of life, social, governmental, political, environmentally, and individually.
What I learned most about myself: I had a great base, now I have the skills to be more effective.
Current position: Single parent
Favorite job duties: Teaching my son social responsibility and the importance of advocating for others.

Jason Carnes, alumnus

Cohort: Class of 2005
Hometown: Bloomington, IN
What I learned most about social work: What I learned most was just how much need there is for good social workers in this country (and the world) and how much of an impact we can have. Also, I learned how powerful individual group empowerment can be as a catalyst for social change.
What I learned most about myself: I learned to accept everyone for who they are and to be the change that you want to see in the world.
Current position: Student
Favorite job duties: Social Work Student Association president; intern for Congressman Baron Hill

Whitney Dather, junior

Minor(s): Biology, psychology, and criminal justice
Hometown: Fishers, IN
What I learned most about social work: I've learned that social work is all about empowering people-- focusing on their strengths and helping them find ways to build on those. The School of Social Work has been a big help in connecting me to the community in Bloomington.

Harmony Davis, alumna

Hometown: Brown County, IN
What I learned most about social work: How to truly respect and embrace all aspects of life.
What I learned most about myself: That I am a strong, capable, independent woman who can help others who have a need.

Olivia Dole, junior

Minor: Psychology
Hometown: Columbus, IN
What I learned most about social work: I learned that social work is a profession that is essential to society today. It is a great way to apply a love for service to a career.
What I learned most about myself: I learned that I am a much more capable and responsible person. I also learned I am a much better leader than I thought I was.

Marci Beth Goldberg, alumna

Hometown: Buffalo Grove, IL
What I learned most about social work: Strengths-based perspective
What I learned most about myself: I work well with elementary-aged children.
Current position: BSW intern at Broadview Elementary School
Favorite job duties: Friendship groups at lunchtime, meetings with parents, social histories

Debra Hoesman, senior

Hometown: Bloomfield, IN
What I learned most about social work: It is very versatile and opens up a lot of employment opportunities.
What I learned most about myself: Seems I've been doing social work my whole life and didn't know what it was. Now I can be "official" and it feels good.
Current position: Case manager
Favorite job duties: Home visits

Tanice Hughes, alumna

Cohort: Currently in the two-year advance standing program at University of Southern Indiana
Hometown: Evansville, IN
What I learned most about social work: A social worker means fighting for those who are in need, rich or poor, young or old, woman or man, the blanket covers them all. They also encourage their clients by building on their strengths, not their weaknesses, in order to help and empower them to get out of their situation. Social workers do not limit their work to individuals and groups of people, but also work with communities and organizations. They help plan, build, and even strengthen communities and organizations by advocating for certain policies to be implemented. Social workers strive for political action to take place that will better situations for those that are less fortunate.
What I learned most about myself: While in the social work program at IU I learned that I really have a way with people. Going through the social work program allowed me to experience different populations outside my norm, such as older adults and the homeless.
Current position: Student/Day Care Worker/Basketball Personal Trainer
Favorite job duties: Planning activities for children

Suzanna Lambert, junior

Minor(s): Psychology and sociology
Hometown: Elkhart, IN
What I learned most about social work: It's an exciting and fun profession that I can feel satisfied about at the end of the day.
What I learned most about myself: I love feeling like I can help to change the things that frustrate me about the world.

Natalie Langley, senior

Cohort: Senior, class of 2006
Minor: Psychology
Hometown: Bloomington, IN
What I learned most about social work: I like how social work is about empowering individuals to make them feel worthy and to help themselves in their challenges.
What I learned most about myself: I have learned I have the ability to work with many diverse populations.
Current position: Practicum at Hospitality House
Favorite job duties: Advocating for residents, being on a personal level with them

Julia Lehman, alumna

Minor: Spanish
Hometown: Midlothian, VA
What I learned most about social work: That it encompasses a variety of settings and specialties, not just the traditional job titles associated with it.
What I learned most about myself: That I can create change as just one person.

Rachel Lubetsky

Minor: Hebrew
Hometown: West Bloomfield, MI
What I learned most about social work: I love being able to help people and watch their changing process.
What I learned most about myself: I have learned I have the ability to empower people and make a difference in people's lives.

Sophia McCormick, alumna

Hometown: Fishers, IN
What I learned most about social work: It has shown me how to empower my peers and even myself.
What I learned most about myself: I care very much about emotions and feelings. When delegating tasks I work best in groups with people I can relate to.
Favorite job duties: Working with children

Shaya Newton, senior

Cohort: Senior, class of 2006
Hometown: Marion, IN
What I learned most about social work: There are about a million jobs a social worker can do. It's very exciting!
What I learned most about myself: My favorite thing to do is watch people progress and make connections.
Current position: Intern at Templeton Elementary
Favorite job duties: Individual time working with students, especially when I see they are making progress or they have good news for me.

Michelle Orr, junior

Hometown: Mishawaka, IN
What I learned most about social work: This field acknowledges that at-risk populations deserve a fighting chace to get ahead.

Caitlin Owens, junior

Minor: Sociology
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN, and Indianapolis, IN
What I learned most about social work: Very dynamic field!
What I learned most about myself: I have interests in more fields than I had previously thought after starting to take social work classes.
Current position: BloomingKids president
Favorite job duties: Contact with children and schools, fundraising, etc.

Sigall Rave, junior

Minor(s): Psychology and sociology
Hometown: Malvern, PA
What I learned most about social work: Social work is a good miz of all of my interests. I think a BSW will prepare me to go in many different directions after I graduate.

Daphne Richards, junior

Hometown: Bloomington, IN
What I learned most about social work: Respect for all.
What I learned most about myself: My current beliefs are not concrete-- my mind is not closed.
Current position: Options for Better Living, Arlington Rugrats Daycare
Favorite job duties: Interacting with people; paperwork

Chelsea Rood, junior

Minor(s): Public health education; psychology
Hometown: Lexington, KY
Current position: Caseworker for StoneBelt ARC
Favorite duties: I get to use a feeding tube and other medical instruments. I really enjoy the medical aspect, as well as policy.

Maria Rubio, senior

Hometown: Monticello, IN
What I learned most about social work: I learned that there is a great sense of community within the social work field, and that there are endless possibilities for all of us to make a difference.
What I learned most about myself: I learned what my strengths were while working at my practicum agency. I love working with families.
Current position: BSW practicum at Family Solutions
Favorite job duties: I enjoy family preservation because big changes can happen when everyone works together.

Theresa Schwartz, senior

Hometown: Ft. Wayne, IN
What I learned most about social work: That it is my passion... at this point I could not imagine myself happier in any other profession.
What I learned most about myself: I have learned that I am my best self when I am learning and practicing social work.

Jessica Scott, senior

Minor: Psychology
Hometown: Valparaiso, IN
What I learned most about social work: That every person has strengths, even if they are not readily noticeable.
What I learned most about myself: I learned how many strengths I have and how I can show others their own.
Current position: Head Start
Favorite job duties: Helping out with children, making home visits, performing children's skills assessments.

Megan Smith, junior

Minor: Psychology
Hometown: Schererville, IN
What I learned most about social work: I learned there are a lot of people, like myself, who think about social issues and genuinely believe in social change.
What I learned most about myself: I learned that I have the tools to help people and since I have them, it is my responsibility to use them to the best of my abilities.
Current position: Advocate for Community Engagement at Shalom Center
Favorite job duties: Working with volunteers and service learners to help them understand how important their volunteer work is to the guests at Shalom Center.

Elizabeth Trevino, junior

Minor(s): Spanish and criminal justice
Hometown: South Bend, IN
What I learned most about social work: I learned that there are many different fields of social work that one can get into, more than I expected.
What I learned most about myself: I learned that I can be really opened to new ideas and work well with others.
Current position: Advocate for Community Engagement

Julia Valdez, junior

Hometown: South Bend, IN
What I've learned most about myself: I've learned to become more open-minded and to have fun with learning.

Leila Grace Voyles, alumna

Hometown: Bloomington, IN
What I learned most about social work: Social work is the helping heart that works toward equality. Social workers work in and out of the system towards peace.
What I learned most about myself: I learned how to work in a group, see the good in all and become an empowering powerhouse!
Current position: Building Health Relationships, Project Coordinator
Favorite job duties: Teaching, learning, empowering teens, networking, working a group

Clarissa Wentworth, junior

Cohort: Senior, class of 2007
Hometown: Dayton, OH
What I learned most about social work: In college, students are prepared for degrees, but with Social Work as a major, students are prepared for working with and empowering clients while they are actually IN college.  It is really unique to be in this program!  And I'm realizing through the network of social services that there are so many social work fields to explore!

What I learned most about myself: I have been able to internship for Family Solutions, a family preservation agency that works to keep families together after a crisis and guides them with knowledge and services.  I am experiencing first hand what is taught in our junior year.  I am realizing how practical the courses I have taken are to the job.  Every day I see skills played out in the work place.  It is exciting to see that I know may skills and need to practice them, but also that there is much more to learn and discover. 

Gina Wertz, junior

Minors: Psychology and communication and culture
Hometown: Shelbyville, IN
What I learned most about social work: I have learned that social work is an extremely diverse and flexible field. There are many options, ranging from challenging jobs which allow me to make a great impact to easier jobs which are less influential; from jobs that pay a great deal to those that do not; from jobs that help me support myself to jobs that help me support my dream of improving my community.
What I learned most about myself: I have learned that although I cannot shape the world or even my community to fit my ideals, I can support positive aspects of the system and work with others to change its negative ones. I have also learned that the values of "right" and "wrong" and the way to achieve social justice are constantly being negotiated; it's a very hard game to play.

Stephen Wisehart, junior

Hometown: Kokomo, IN
What I learned most about social work: That understanding how systems operate and affect myself is the essential key to personal empowerment.
What I learned most about myself: That I thrive in a multi-cultured, diverse environment.

Stephen Young, senior

Cohort: Senior, class of 2006
Hometown: Pendleton, IN
What I learned most about social work: One kind act can cause innumerable benefits.
What I learned most about myself: I've learned that I have much more to learn.
Current position: Positive Link
Favorite job duties: HIV testing and counseling