Personal statement What social work means to me? Why I wamt to become a social worker? What I want to con

Personal Statement Requirements The personal statement should be a 3-4 page, double-spaced, typewritten document that addresses the following points: 1. Describe how your interest in social work developed, and the philosophy upon which this interest is based. Include the influence of personal, professional and/or volunteer experiences on your interest in a social work career. 2. When you apply to the UConn School of Social Work, you must select your concentration. Discuss the factors influencing the concentration you have selected. How does this relate to your career goals? Complete descriptions of the concentrations can be found at: https://ssw.uconn.edu/msw/. Please be certain that your concentration selection is correct since this is how your application will be evaluated. 3. Having read our mission statement below, please describe how your career goals align with our objectives and mission. MISSION STATEMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK The mission of the University of Connecticut School of Social Work is to provide professional master, doctoral and continuing professional social work education which will promote social and economic justice, and the improvement of human well-being. This mission derives from the University’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research and scholarship, service and outreach, an expanding international role, and commitment to public service. The School is committed to helping students become professional social workers by developing professional values and ethics, judgment and skills that equip them for life-long critical analysis of their practice, of social welfare services and of the context of society’s social, economic and political structures. The School is also committed to teaching advanced, research-informed practice methods, focusing on strengths of individuals and families, groups, communities, and organizations, and the practice of social policy. Graduates are prepared to lead in contexts that shape practice by valuing human diversity, working for human rights and against oppression and discrimination, preventing and alleviating the effects of violence and poverty, particularly in urban centers, and advocating for improved social policies and services, locally and globally. 4. If you have prepared for, or been employed in another field of work, discuss why you want to change to social work. 5. If you are now employed in a social service agency, describe in detail how a professional social work education would improve your practice. 6. What do you consider to be your personal strengths and limitations in relation to your development as a professional social worker?