A makeover is in the works for the School of Social Work

Gerald Harris
MC Contributor/Staff

Social work jobs are in demand and Jackson State University is making sure that those who graduate with a degree in social work are able to compete with the job market.

In fact, changes have already been made to start immediate improvements to the program here at Jackson State.

Shonda K. Lawrence, Chair of the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program stated that she found that the social work curriculum had not been updated in quite a while.

“It is very important that our curriculum include courses that mirror current societal needs, issues and problems.  We must adequately prepare our students so that they are competent and are able to apply their knowledge and skills in the field while addressing what’s happening in the world today.  The BSW faculty reviewed and initiated proposals to update the curriculum.  The proposed changes to the curriculum were approved by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee,” said Lawrence.

The biggest beneficiaries are the students of the social work program, and Jackson State has a long history of graduates of social work.

“The bachelor of social work program has produced hundreds of graduates since 1975.  Our graduates work in several fields in Mississippi, across the country and internationally,” said Lawrence.  “Some of them teach in our programs, supervise our students in their field placements, present and participate in school conferences and workshops, participate in fundraising and make financial donations to our program.  The BSW program has one of the largest enrollments and continues to graduate dedicated students that refer students to JSU.  Social work helps to facilitate and maintain JSU’s connectedness to the community.”

Students have embraced the change and believe it will be very helpful to their future careers.

“In my opinion the curriculum changes focus more on classes that can help social work majors when the get into the field. The classes that were added can help students become better social workers! I am very happy I came JSU to major in social work,” said Mashara Cook, a senior from Memphis, Tenn.

The changes will also include a degree of visual change, including a petition to obtain a new building.

“It is our hope that we receive funding from the Mississippi State Legislature for a $20 million new facility. The School of Social Work has some of the fastest-growing academic programs at the university with all three Council on Social Work Education accredited degree programs.  Currently, the programs are spread across two campus locations and have serious space issues.  A new social work building would give us the space to accommodate our growth and facilitate greater interaction and productivity between programs,” said Lawrence.