Michael Anthony White
MC301 Contributor/Staff
The School of Social Work at Jackson State University hosted their first annual Red Carpet Gala on April 11, 2015 in the JSU Student Center.
The purpose of the event was to raise proceeds to provide financial assistance to students and fund faculty and student professional development activities. Attendees came out and enjoyed entertainment, food, door prizes, and a silent auction
“We have three social work programs. We are the only school in Mississippi that has all three, and we have been educating students since 1975,” said Shonda Lawrence, Chair of the Bachelor of Social Work Program.
In January, Jackson State’s College of Public Service and School of Social Work were presented a $25,000 check for their outstanding services to the community.
“Over the years, our department has really grown. Our students are required to do a field placement for their community service hours. They are expected to gain up to 400 hours of community service,” said Lawrence.
According to the Council of Social Work Education, 452 programs provided information on 16,386 students in field placements as of Nov. 1, 2013. Among the field placement categories, child welfare continued to have the highest concentration of students, followed by family services, school social work, mental health or community mental health, aging social work, and health.
“I’m a transfer student; a lot of our transfer students are nontraditional. With the change in curriculum, I can graduate on time and they have treated me so well. It feels like I have been here the whole time,” said Hali Wszolek, a social work major.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), there are many job opportunities for people going to the field of social work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects 15.1 percent employment growth for child and family social workers between 2012 and 2022. That translates to approximately 43,100 new social worker positions to fill.
“My experience in the social work department has been awesome. I changed my major from business administration to social work because I want to be able to help those that do not have a voice to speak,” said Tracey Davidson, senior social work major.
BLS also reports that social workers who specialize in children and family welfare made a median salary of $42,120 in 2013, according to the BLS. The best-paid 10 percent in the field earned around $72,350, while the lowest-paid made approximately $27,420.
This growth is thought to be due to the needs of children and of the aging population, as well as to the fact that substance abusers are increasingly being placed into treatment programs rather than being sent to prison.
“Being at Jackson State with the Tiger family has been a wonderful experience, and I would not change it for anything in the world,” said Davidson.
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