Collegiate Social Work Organization Gets Involved

Editor-in-Chief

   The Collegiate Social Work Organization met Tuesday, April 22 to wrap up end-of-the-semester business and discuss future objectives and goals for the upcoming semesters.

   The group discussed several ideas to collaborate with the International Club next semester.  A CSWO member generated the idea for an international student resource booklet, which will contain general information about the community, such as which businesses offer student discounts.

Courtesy of Angelia Buford

Reaching Out - Members of the Collegiate Social Work Organization pose with students of the Head Start Program at Jordan Park.   The CSWO hosted an Easter egg hunt for two Head Start programs in Monticello; the other hunt took place at City Park.

   "The majority of businesses offer student discounts, but they don't advertise it," former president Randa Pruitt said, spurring a discussion on the actual number of local restaurants and business currently offering discounts.

   Newly-elected president Angelia Buford met with the International Club and its adviser Mary Whiting, director of Admissions, to discuss the resource booklet, as well as plans for a meet-and-greet.  The group said they would like to host the meet-and-greet in August.

   The group also discussed possible plans to host a Thanksgiving dinner for international students unable to travel for the holidays.  The two locations discussed comprised the Trotter House and the home of Trey Berry, dean of the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

   CSWO co-sponsor Andre Lewis, director and assistant professor of Social Work, encouraged the group to plan events for Social Work month in March.  According to Lewis, the Social Work program receives a resolution every year from the National Association of Social Workers to attend the annual state conference, and said he would like to see members of the university's Social Work program attend.

   "Every social worker in the state should try to go," Lewis said, "because it's your state organization."

   Lewis also said the group plans to nominate a student for social worker of the year, which will be awarded at the state conference.  In addition to attending the NASW conference in March, the group would like to hold an event to raise awareness and request administration to recognize March as Social Work month on campus.

   The group discussed ways they could work with other university events during March, such as participating in the Health and Wellness Fair, teaming up with another organization on a project and working more with the Student Government Association and Student Activities Board.

   In addition to involvement on campus, the CSWO works within the Monticello community.  This semester, the group hosted an Easter egg hunt for the local Head Start programs.  The group purchased plastic eggs and candy, decorated sacks and hid the eggs.  The group conducted one hunt at Jordan Park and one at City Park for children 3-5 years old.

   "We hope to make it an annual event," Buford said.  "The kids really enjoyed the activity and the interaction with us, the community."

   The group scheduled another Easter egg hunt for March 2009.  CSWO's plans also include holding a fall costume party for the Head Start programs in August; adopting a child at the Division of Children and Family Services for Christmas; and volunteering time wrapping Christmas gifts for the DCFS, the local children homes and the St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Little Rock.

   Buford said the group would like to "get more concrete ideas over the summer to hit the ground running in the fall."  She requested that members compile ideas for the topics discussed over the summer.  The CSWO's campus mailbox is located in the Social Work office on the second floor of the Memorial Classroom Building.

   Buford also asked members to write down three things they would like to see the CSWO achieve next year and three things they are willing to do to help the club achieve those goals.  She asked members to submit these ideas at the start of the fall semester so the group can begin implementing those ideas.

   "Each of us will have to do something individual for the group to succeed," Buford said.

   According to Buford, anyone can join the CSWO.  The group meets every other Tuesday of each month at 12:30 p.m. in MCB 204; meetings will resume in the fall.

Have a comment? Please e-mail us.

©The Voice 2008