Personal Essay: A Career In Social Work

I have always known that I wanted my life work to be helping others. Although I did not know what I wanted to do specifically, my goal was to find a career that can better lives of those less fortunate than I am, while also making a good living financially. Through schoolwork and volunteer experience I ultimately chose a path in social work, with an end goal of working with families who have been effected by addiction. I would like to work hands on with those who have the addiction, but would also love to help their family members cope with decisions made by their loved one.
As an undergraduate, at Western Michigan University, my studies were in psychology. Having previously worked with both children in schools and elders in nursing homes, I wanted to expand my resume when I chose my field work. I was able to complete my hours at Gryphon Place in Kalamazoo. This is a conflict and crisis center where I specialized in crisis intervention and suicide prevention. This experience gave me a feeling of accomplishment and pride in knowing that I was not only helping others but also saving lives. After working at Gryphon Place my career outlook changed drastically. Originally I just wanted to work with kids and I

did not necessarily know what I wanted to do; however, after this experience I knew I wanted to have a bigger purpose in life and make a meaningful impact on others.
At Gryphon Place I helped people cope with a variety of issues including: sexual assault, addiction, Asperger’s disease, suicidal thoughts and many other significant concerns in people’s lives. With Gryphon Place training and my own personal experience, I found that it was easy for me to understand those with mental health concerns. I felt that I was able to keep a neutral and nonjudgmental attitude when listening to people’s life situations. I believe this is a huge quality needed for those hoping to go into a career helping others.
I believe my background and childhood have helped me to grow into a nonjudgmental person with a very open mind and caring heart. I also feel that my childhood has made a bigger impact on my career choice than I thought it would. As a kid I experienced many difficulties within my family due to addiction. My brother was introduced to many different illegal drugs at a very young age. I have seen first-hand what this can do to a family and the direct effect it has on not only the user but everyone around him/her. Being just 3 years younger than my brother I have experienced these effects from childhood still into adulthood. Personally, I have taken the situation I am in and made this my motivation to do better with my life. I want to help others who are effected by a loved one’s addiction; I want others to know that there is always a bright side to a dark situation and sometimes it just takes a little more work to find that motivation and strength.
After deciding what I wanted to do with my career path I needed to look at schools that catered to my needs.

In truth, I originally wanted to apply to Aurora University because of the location and its convenience. After I researched the program and attended an open house I knew this decision was a good one. The three year part time program stood out to me because it fits in well with my current schedule. When I came to campus the atmosphere immediately felt welcoming and the faculty acted as if they truly cared about my future. Unlike other universities, the faculty gave life advice as opposed to advice just to recruit students to their program. I can see myself in the Masters of Social Work program at Aurora University and being happy while pursuing my

degree.