The Master's in Social Work Program at the University of XXXX is my first choice for a variety of reasons. Your College of Social Work is well known for its national and international leadership in social work education, and I appreciate how it is ranked among the top programs in the South. Originally from California, I am a young African American, bilingual Spanish/English man born and raised in California who has made South Carolina his home after completing my undergraduate studies at XXXX College. I am in love with XXXX, the dynamics of diversity, our politics, tensions, resources, and beauty, human and natural.
Earning the MSW will provide me with the essential knowledge, skills, and values that I need to practice effectively as a social work professional, ethically, and collaboratively, to promote social justice and well-being, especially for vulnerable populations. Several of my professors at XXXX suggested that I would be a great fit with your program at the University of XXXX because it is especially rigorous and challenging, exactly what I seek. I look forward to contributing to the diversity of your program as an African American man from the West Coast who is fluent in Spanish and well-traveled, having made frequent trips to Latin America for extensive periods of time, most of it connected to my volunteer activities. I like to pride myself on my open-mindedness and critical thinking skills.
At XXXX College, I felt immersed in Black ideas, Black culture, Black people, and politics. I needed that engagement, not just with XXXX College but with the historical South in general. I see immense value in Blackness and Black spaces. On a historically Black college campus, one does not need a Black Culture Center or a club since the entire campus is both. Now, I seek to expand on what I learned at XXXX in many ways, to broaden my horizons, and to contribute to multiethnic and international discussions as a well-trained Black voice seeking sophistication and progress in my ideas and their expression.
Growing up in California, Spanish-speaking culture was all around me from the time that I was a small child forward. This was especially true of the area in which I lived and the schools that I attended, where most of my friends were always Latinos and speaking Spanish was as natural to us as speaking English. Just like any Latino child, I grew up speaking a mixture of Spanish and English.
I even have family members that are from Acapulco, Mexico which has a lot of Afro-Mexicans. Teaching English in Latin America on several extended trips south of the border – most recently going to Colombia to distribute clothes - has helped me to grow enormously as a citizen of the world with a profound appreciation for multicultural dialogue.
I am an especially good fit for your MSW Program at the University of XXXX because of your strong emphasis on the importance of diversity, social justice, and cultural sensitivity. I also keenly look forward to enrolling in the STEM Program and giving it my all since the social issues facing and surrounding minority males are particularly near and dear to my heart as a young man who happens to be black; and, thus, simply by virtue of this fact alone, is very lucky to be in college rather than prison.
At a historically Black institution like XXXX, one is always learning things that are relevant to one’s identity as a Black American, inside, and outside of the classroom. From discussing African- American and continental African history, to talking about current events that are relevant to the Black American experience, to holding conversations with my peers about ‘colorism’ or the appropriation of Black culture by White artists, I always feel like I was learning about me. This was especially important to my identity construction since in California I had little exposure in school to Black issues.
I distinguished myself as a volunteer with an organization called Y-Lead from June of 2012 through August of 2013, in XXXX, CA, working with young people, organizing fun and educational games and field trips, crafts, songs, snacks, etc. My second major experience that I feel strongly has prepared me for someday assuming a leadership role as an MSW Professional was from January through April of 2013 when I completed an internship as a clerk with the XXXX County Public Defender’s Office in XXXX. I provided attorneys, paralegals, and staff with assistance as needed, performing administrative tasks, and investigating legal topics using Internet resources.
My visits to the University of XXXX have convinced me that it would be an excellent location to learn from and to interact with so many diverse, cultural elements of expression. Your campus is full of life and always has interesting events going on. I especially enjoyed the career fair that I attended on campus. My Internet review of your faculty left me enormously inspired by their research and how they incorporate that into their teaching. Going to a bigger school will provide me with great social networking opportunities that I can carry with me well beyond graduate school. By completing my MSW Degree at a major, leading program like the University of XXXX, my education will be more rigorous, and I feel up to the challenge. My degree will also carry more weight. I chose to pursue a career in Social Work because I wanted to contribute to the unsolved mysteries concerning issues of inequality, especially social justice for young juveniles. I am convinced that your program is the best place to do this.
During my research training, I have become aware of how easy it is to become consumed in history that one forgets to think about the bigger perspective. I aspire to a career in social work because this is the best field for me to make my mark in the future as an agent of social change. My goal is to become a Social Worker inside of juvenile correctional facilities. I feel like I have a lot to offer as an African American who speaks Spanish, since both groups are so overrepresented in the justice system.
Despite being rejected by several programs; I was awarded a presidential academic scholarship to XXXX College. God defiantly works in mysterious ways. I moved into Stuart Hall two months later. What a mind-blowing experience. Not only did I immediately have to become acclimated to a diverse population of students, but I had to develop an understanding of an unknown culture attending college in the south, a culture quite different from California.
I looked to the University of XXXX as a beacon of hope for myself and other minorities. I feel extremely comfortable on your campus. Attending is convenient for me at this point of time in my life, also in terms of location and social network. I have worked extremely hard to build a solid social and professional foundation here in XXXX with a vast network of like-minded people here. I may go back home to California at some point in time but I long to establish myself professionally here in XXXX.
I just want to get my start here in XX and build my way up. I currently work for the XXXX Department of Juvenile Justice as a Juvenile Specialist/Juvenile Correctional Officer so I'm really learning a lot and getting hands-on experience dealing with juveniles. I would like to keep my state job with benefits and attend school at the same time. This is my first professional position with the system, and I am immensely proud and happy with the progress that I am making.
Considering my experience in Criminal Justice and my experiences abroad in Latin America, I hope to have creative things to contribute to class discussions. I seek a deeper grasp of many areas related to social justice as well as social work. The Honors Program at XXXX College introduced me to research beyond the classroom environment that has also helped to prepare me for your program. My first research project was concentrated on studying in Colombia, South America at the Universidad of La Guajira, with a focus on three sub-groups in particular: Afro- Colombians, Indigenous, and Mestizos. As a result, I gained depth and understanding.
Following the completion of my experience abroad for two months, I presented it at XXXX College Research Symposium and at the Office of the International Program in October and November of 2014 as well. My passion for Social Work has grown exponentially throughout my collegiate journey; my professors have facilitated my understanding and research has grounded my focus.
I thank you for considering my application to earn the MSW at the University of XXXX,
MSW Degree Black Latina/Hispanic California
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