My long-term career goal is to become the finest Social Worker possible. Thus, I am applying to the distinguished BSW Program at XXXX University. Your program is my first choice because of its sheer excellence. I was raised by a family that went through repeated periods of crisis during my childhood and adolescence due to issues that took me some time and effort to resolve. The traumatic experiences I endured as a young person helped strengthen me in the long term and guided me to a fulfilling career I can imagine: a social worker. After first earning the BSW, I hope to go on to earn the MSW. Throughout both programs, as much as possible, I look forward to focusing my research projects and practice on the elderly, family services, and children with disabilities since I am seeking a long and fulfilling career in Social Work with experience in various areas.
My passion for caring for the elderly began with caring for my ill grandmother and, eventually, my mother. I spent years caring for my mother, a dialysis patient, and I learned much about how to treat and comfort dialysis patients. There is a need for social workers in this area, and I am incredibly fortunate to have made a friend of my mother’s social worker. I have studied intensively on my own how so many of our elderly people have been left behind or marginalized, often as a result, at least in part, of language barriers. As a Latina who grew up speaking Spanish in the home, I am sympathetic to the plight of many who still struggle as I did as an adolescent, making a great effort that is necessary to learn to speak and write English well, and this will help me to be compassionate, and to empathize as well as communicate in both languages. In this way, I can help my clients fully use available resources if possible.
I especially look forward to advocating for victims of domestic violence as a social worker in the decades to come, doing all I can to helping to liberate women from abusive relationships. I was once a victim of domestic violence, and I know how difficult it can be to free oneself from an abusive relationship. I will always be indebted to the social worker who helped me escape my tricky situation with an abusive partner. She believed in me, treated me with respect and dignity, and did not judge me. Instead, she inspired and empowered me to secure the resources needed for my kids and me to be safe. She was and will always be one of my principal inspirations in wanting to become a social worker.
As a career social worker, I want to treat all my clients with respect and dignity, helping them to achieve an enhanced sense of self-worth. It was through her that I learned how demanding but also how rewarding the career of a social worker is. My social worker helped me to understand that being a social worker is a selfless career, the primary reward of which is seeing one’s client safe, healthy, happy, and successful in what they set their mind to accomplish. My parents taught me that we didn’t come into this world just to be part of it but to make a difference by helping those in need without judging them or being self-interested. I have volunteered in several social-work-related positions over the last couple of years. I most enjoy helping people of diverse backgrounds and sectors of society, providing them with resources according to their needs.
I have completed the prerequisite courses for application to an undergraduate social work program. I have also taken several classes in Social Work and have been familiarizing myself intensively with the ethical codes of responsibility that guide our profession. I have also carefully cultivated friendships with people who are social workers and am learning a great deal about the profession and the demands, responsibilities, and rewards associated with the field. Lately, I have been reading a book by Lenna Dominelli, “Introducing Social Work.” Reading her work helped me to appreciate how much more fully I love the idea of becoming a social worker for so many reasons, most of all the fulfillment that comes from helping others frankly and honestly and giving one’s all to make that all-important, positive difference in someone’s life.
I currently serve as an AmeriCorps Student Ambassador through Riverside City College and volunteer in Health and Psychological Services. In this position, I encounter students from many diverse cultural, religious, and ethnic backgrounds. The job entails one-on-one conversations with students regarding their experiences and issues with health services and mental health counseling. I frequently connect with county public benefits coordinators, Cal-Fresh, assisting students with applications. I coordinate, plan, develop content, and schedule guest speakers to deliver presentations, workshops, or seminars. I engage with partners throughout the community to bring more resources to colleges. As part of my training, I have attended various lectures on courses, including Safe Talk and Seeking Success, helping me better understand the challenges faced by students in crisis. This opportunity has improved my organizational skills and has allowed me to put into practice what I have learned about the ethical principles of social work.
I serve as the event coordinator for Alpha Gamma Sigma, and our mission is to give back to the community. We volunteer at operation safe house, magnolia rehab, habitat for humanity, and many other places. Volunteering allows us to give back to the community and help people from all kinds of backgrounds. I am also a member of the Humanities Club at Moreno Valley College. On Veteran’s Day, we prepared a BBQ; on Mother’s Day, we baked dinner and gave gifts. On Thanksgiving, we collected donations to prepare food baskets in collaboration with various local agencies and deliver them to needy families. I love volunteering and helping others. The absolute best gift that one can receive is to see someone’s grateful smile. We must learn what walking in someone else's shoes is like to help them achieve a purposeful, meaningful, and rewarding life.
I’m no stranger to demanding schedules and deadlines since my experience working as a quality control lead helped me to organize, time manage, and multitask quite effectively. I was expected to have 99% of the counts completed by the end of the shift. I was also responsible for systematically deleting thousands of non-existent products and submitting daily reports of our progress. I became adept at resolving issues through communication; thinking on my feet enabled me to diffuse tricky situations and resolve disagreements to everyone’s satisfaction. I passionately believe in equality and the importance of diversity in the workplace. Working while studying has taught me discipline, sacrifice, and strict prioritization of my time.
I am frugal and have money saved for my education. My central focus is earning the BASW, which is my number 1 priority. I intend to work only as far as it is comfortable to do so after enrolling in your program, and I will dedicate all my time, 24-7, to excel and give my all. I look forward to making myself available for all field practicums in the senior year, again, my top priority. I am thankful that I have the support of all my family to achieve my career goal of becoming a professional social worker. This will be a triumph for my family as well.
I could not be more highly motivated to better the lives and prospects of elderly individuals and their families, especially those with scant resources. I have gained many valuable insights from my past experiences with inspirational moments that have fed my passion for progress and human uplifting. I enjoy developing strategies for realizing my full potential, and I want to help others do so as well.
Thank you for considering my application.
BSW Personal Statement, Research and Practice, Elderly