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Words of Wisdom from
Beth Woodward-Wilges, BSW '02:
"I am encouraged by your [program's] continued
efforts to challenge yourself and those around you. You have set a good
example within the university, which has transpired to the community, and
the students you serve each year. I am quite proud to be a USF alum.
I wanted to write and share some of my thoughts and also update you on my
life since I have phased out of college. In the months after [Jan Nes and
I volunteered in] Ghana, I found myself very inspired, blessed, fortunate,
and began to look for more. I needed a new challenge outside of the
confines of Fort Wayne.
Graduate school became what I thought was the next most logical step. I
applied to Loyola University and the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC)
and was accepted to both programs. In January 2001, I left the Center for
Nonviolence and moved to Chicago to get settled in a new city
before I would begin graduate work in the fall. I had two semesters of
Spanish and one Philosophy class to complete for my undergraduate degree,
but I thought I would easily finish the courses through correspondence
work from IU. I quickly learned that once I took a job with Genesis House,
an agency that assists women in prostitution, as an Outreach Educator, my
correspondence work fell to the back burner.
I was excited and in awe of the work I was
accomplishing at Genesis House. I was working at night (from 9p to 7a) on
a mobile van. I toured the neighborhoods of Chicago while walking the
beats passing out condoms, providing HIV and STD education, giving HIV
tests and results, facilitating a needle exchange, and making referrals, food, and offering support to the
women.
Prior to the fall semester, I accepted a placement position at a community
mental health organization and began to re-evaluate the upcoming year. I
still needed to complete two semesters of Spanish, a philosophy course, in addition to beginning the full-time course work
within the accelerated program at UIC, and a graduate placement. I spoke
with the Dean of UIC and was granted permission to begin the fall semester
under the condition that I would complete my undergraduate degree by the
end of the fall semester.
I was faced with a dilemma. I made one of the most difficult decisions to
date and made a bold move to move back to Fort Wayne and return to USF. I
accepted a position at the YWCA Domestic Violence Services as an Adult
Outreach Advocate in September of 2001 and applied for a new challenge in
January 2002 by applying for the Education/Outreach Specialist position
all the while completing my three remaining undergraduate credits. In June of
2002, I received my BSW degree.
I have learned several key lessons through out the past two years. First,
there is more for me to accomplish in a school setting at this time. I
have learned that entry level social workers are much needed, yet their
impact is seen on a day to day basis and not on a program or community
level, which becomes frustrating. Looking back, I know that I was very prepared for graduate
school in 2001, yet I had not experienced the direct client service that I
can now appreciate.
I have worked with a variety of agencies that I can now appreciate for
each of their strengths and weaknesses. I know a lot more now about what I
need from an agency and its mission. For the first time, and I'm sure not
the last, I have learned to deal with burn out. It is not surprising when
I read the NASW newsletter to find that a third of all BSW graduates leave
their field within their first five years. It is important for me to work
with others that are committed to furthering their skills and knowledge
and that the agency facilitates and/or supports that growth.
Other light bulb moments for me include: knowing that I don't have all the
answers and that is ok, communication is key with clients, your
co-workers, and other service providers, there will be times when people
won't be nice, but it is not necessarily a reflection on you, boundaries
are so important, confidentiality needs to be respected, remaining calm in crisis helps
those in crisis and also yourself, women can be petty, clients will lie or
try to use you, some people have not accepted there is a problem or that
change is necessary, clients benefit most when they are ready and willing
to make a change, take compliments and cherish them, take vacation, be
professional, being honest goes a long way, and that the classroom will
give you the tools, but it can only take you so far."
Beth Woodward-Wilges,
BSW '02
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