Personal Statement

Master’s in Social Work (MSW)

I am enthusiastic to apply to the Master’s in Social Work (MSW) program at Boston

College. I strongly believe that this program is the next step on my path to being a mental health

advocate for disadvantaged and underserved populations, a goal that has motivated me

throughout my educational and professional experiences. As an undergraduate student at the

University of Connecticut, I pursued vigorous curricula in the fields of psychology and human

development, with a concentration in social policy and planning. This course of study allowed

me to develop a strong knowledge base in development and behavior, family structure, diversity

issues, and public policy. It was through these classes that I discovered my passion for serving

vulnerable populations and promoting child welfare, which I have been able to further develop

throughout my education, research, and work experiences.

My initial exposure to deeper exploration of mental health through research began during

my position as lab assistant on a grant through the Child Health and Development Institute of

Connecticut. The research team and I investigated the impact of mobile psychiatric services on

emergency department services for behavioral health issues. For this project, we collected data

on the individual characteristics of youth aided and the provided services in order to better

understand the efficacy of emergency mobile psychiatric services. This provided me the

opportunity to collect data on mental and behavioral health care utilization in the state of

Connecticut, as well as to see changes in trends over time. I was dedicated to this project as I

believe that a commitment to delivering evidence-based practice is imperative as a clinical social

worker. It was made clear to me that research evaluating existing practices is vital in order to

provide adequate care for communities and individuals. This opportunity nurtured my interest in

mental and behavioral health care and has driven me to pursue work with children and families.

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Personal Statement
Master’s in Social Work (MSW)

The field of social work particularly inspired me due to its holistic perspective of the

individual, working at the intersection of home, educational/occupational, and community

settings to foster collaboration across support systems. I think that identifying barriers to social,

emotional, and behavioral health, then subsequently breaking down these barriers using

successful interventions is the foundation of social work. This motivates me to evaluate new and

existing intervention strategies in order to identify the most successful evidence-based practices.

My professional aspiration is to support child welfare through the identification of effective

interventions across home, school, and alternative settings. Pursuing Boston College’s clinical

social work program with a concentration in mental health will allow me the opportunity to

develop the skills necessary to achieve this goal.

During my time at the University of Connecticut, I worked at the Center for Students

with Disabilities as both a note-taker and a personal assistant. These opportunities gave me first-

hand exposure to the difficulties faced by students with a variety of different disabilities (such as

learning disabilities, physical disabilities, ADHD, neurological conditions, etc.) and the barriers

these students must overcome. The assistance I provided to students, such as supporting them in

their activities of daily living and teaching them to organize their work and take effective notes,

enabled them to live independently and thrive academically, which would not have been possible

without individualized support. Becoming familiar with individuals with disabilities afforded me

significant insight into the treatment of individuals with disabilities by society and the frequent

misunderstanding regarding “invisible” disabilities. This realization motivated me to advocate

for equality and resources for individuals who are in need of support and to increase awareness

of the stigma facing those with all types of disabilities.

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Personal Statement
Master’s in Social Work (MSW)

After graduating from the University of Connecticut, I began working as a mental health

worker at a residential treatment program, where I provided emergency stabilization and support

to children experiencing emotional, behavioral, and psychiatric crises. The clients served by this

organization were extremely diverse both in terms of background and experiences, and many had

a history of trauma. This position taught me more about intervention strategies, common

behaviors during crisis, and how to build my “toolbox” of flexible solutions. As I became more

practiced, I participated in developing individualized treatments and worked as an integral part of

a multidisciplinary team of clinical staff, caregivers, community resources, and school staff. We

established intervention plans that spanned residential, home, and classroom environments and

identified protective and risk factors as well as determined helpful strategies to support the

child’s success. It was extremely rewarding to work in a systems approach with the team in order

to achieve positive outcomes for each child. During my time in this position, I developed and

disseminated effective therapeutic activities and valuable interventions to staff members

throughout the program in order to improve quality of care. I carry that drive with me going

forward and seek to expand my understanding through the social work program at Boston

College. Completing the child welfare certificate program would allow me to gain a deeper

understanding of the issues that these children may have faced, such as the impacts of trauma

and victimization.

Boston College’s mission of educating social workers who will be catalysts for lasting

change as well as scholars and leaders within the field resonates deeply with my professional and

personal aspirations. I believe that my experience and drive will make me an asset to the MSW

program and will prepare me to make an impact upon the field of social work and the

communities around me. I look forward to speaking further about my interests and aspirations

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Personal Statement
Master’s in Social Work (MSW)

with the admissions committee, as well as to hearing about opportunities for service and

professional development that Boston College has to offer.