Letter from dr. Seitz
Hurray, Hurray, Hurray, the Department of Social Work has been re-accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) for another 8 years (2019-2027). Thank you again for everyone who played a part in helping to make the social work program at Messiah a success and for assisting in the re-accreditation process. And a special note of appreciation for Donna Zack, the Department’s administrative assistant, who worked tirelessly to assure that the self-study document was complete, formatted properly and submitted on time!
Each year I have an opportunity to reflect on the year and to provide a few thoughts related to the Social Work Department. This year I want to consider the concept of lifelong learning, the general idea of continued learning throughout the lifespan to enhance competence. I would suggest that within social work, lifelong learning should focus on how we continue to develop competence within the framework of the five dimensions of knowledge, values, skills, cognitive processes and affective processes. As social workers, we should continue to enhance our knowledge and skills to meet the changing needs of our communities. Additionally, lifelong learning should strengthen our critical thinking skills, should shape what we value, and should influence how we work and live our lives in society.
Many times we tend to think of lifelong learning as something that happens after more structured educational learning has ended. However, the foundation of how we see and practice lifelong learning is conceived during formal academic studies. For Christian social workers the roots of lifelong learning occurs when as students we begin to intertwine faith development with ethical, competent and professional practice. We begin the journey of lifelong learning with a spirit of humility, a level of understanding that we need to submit to God and to those God has placed in our lives to help straighten our paths (Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV). As we continue to develop a maturity of intellect and skill, our emotional reactions and perceptions of situations are shaped in ways that facilitate our behavior to be more in alignment with the fruits of the Spirit (joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, Galatians 5:22-23, NIV). Ultimately, lifelong learning within the framework of a Biblical understanding of study transforms our mind and actions in a way that is pleasing to God (Romans 12:2, NIV).
Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalm 25:5, NIV)
Strength and peace,
Dr. Charles Seitz
Department Chair and Professor, Social Work
the elusive concept of diversity
Dr. Charlene Lane
For those of you who are not aware, I love photography and poetry writing (surprise, surprise).
As the semester ends, I would like to share a poem I wrote a couple weeks ago. Teaching a class that addresses issues surrounding race, ethnicity, diversity and social inequality has really taught me a lot. Many times as Christians was quickly try to sever in superficial, yet socially acceptable ways. However, there are times we lack a deeper understanding of what serving in a diverse world means. The word of God tells us in 1 John 3:18 “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and TRUTH.” It is my firm belief that we must serve God’s people with a level of authenticity that is second to none. We are to love those who cannot recuperate and let our action be less self-serving and more incline to uplift humanity. In this diverse world we live in, lets strive to embrace what appears to be different.
The Elusive Concept of Diversity
It is more than Black or White or Green you see, It’s understanding the uniqueness in you, the uniqueness in me. That’s a key component to valuing and understanding diversity. It’s not your one Black friend or liking sushi, it’s valuing the uniqueness in you, the uniqueness in me. It’s not going on the mission trip & helping those impoverished minority souls. It’s seeing the Soul connections, the Connections to you, the connections to me. So what is diversity….. It’s embracing and valuing others without hypocrisy. It’s seeing me as God sees me. How utterly boring the world would be, if everyone looked like, talked like worshiped like me …. Or you. The wise CREATOR designed uniqueness in nature, in you and in me. So why is humankind so apprehensive when it comes to genuinely embracing diversity, could anyone tell me?
By: Dr. Charlene Lane
identifying and maintaining priorities
Crucial to the development of a professional identity in social work is the ability to simultaneously navigate the responsibilities of the profession and obligations to self-awareness and self-care. The consequence of failing to manage these requirements has grave consequences. However, the care of others and attention to the self cannot be balanced regardless of how much effort is exerted in the process. The professional / personal balance quest is an unending attempt to achieve the impossible. The demands of the workplace will pull the individual emotionally and physically from their personal life. The requirements of one’s private life will limit availability in the field. One client emergency or an unexpected sick day and the meticulous arrangements for maintaining this balance are toppled. Much like the task of spinning proverbial plates on poles that eventually come crashing down, this balancing act cannot be sustained. The expectation that these obligations can be balanced will lead to feelings of failure, frustration, and eventually burn out. The alternative to a quest towards balance is instead a focus on priorities. The requirements of the profession and personal life must be met through careful attention to identifying and maintaining priorities. Knowing one’s core priorities allows for those to be met first. Like concentric circles extending outward, the central priorities and values are met regardless of circumstance with additional priorities on the periphery achieved as resources become available. Making self-awareness, self-care and professional obligations the central priority brings this process into focus. This allows for the prioritization of competent, ethical and professional practice while maintaining personal self-care. The ability to engage in this process of identifying and maintaining priorities is a vital aspect of professional development and a component of the educational experience of students in the Social Work Department at Messiah College. The mission of the Social Work Department is to train students for ethical and competent generalist social work practice through the integration of principles of the Christian faith and social work values. These are the priorities of the Department. As faculty, we are honored to assist students to grow into prioritizing at their core, personal identities as professional social workers who integrate Christian faith principles into practice.
Professor Michelle George
Social work club
Social Work club is the department club focused on promoting connections and community throughout the social work department. Our three programs include the Prayer Shawl Ministry, the Department Bible Study, and the Peer Mentor Program. The Prayer Shawl program focuses on knitting, crocheting, and looming shawls for people in need so that the department can pray over them and distribute them to support people experiencing adversity. The Prayer Chaplains oversee the spiritual health of our department, holding occasional prayer nights and operating a bible study during the semester. The Peer Mentor program focuses on intentionally connecting upperclassmen and underclassmen in a mentor-peer relationship. As underclassmen learn to adjust to the department's expectations and Messiah as a whole, the Peer Mentor program provides them with a guide and a friend. If you’re interested in any of Social Work Club’s events or programs, email socialworkclub@messiah.edu!
Lauren Mast, Vice President
goliath must fall
Missed coming to Bible Study this semester? Check out this clip to see what we did!
phi-alpha events
Phi Alpha, the National Honors Society for Social Work, participates in a service project each semester as well as holding Cookies & Questions events for the department. In April, the student members of the club helped run a conference on campus sponsored by the Collaboratory and the organization Uniquely the Same. Uniquely the Same is an organization that is an ally in understanding and addressing the core needs of individuals and families affected by disability or economic disadvantage. Members led a facilitated discussion around micro, mezzo, and macro practice for advocacy of individuals and families affected by disability. The club also welcomed it's new members and celebrated accomplishments of the graduating seniors in the induction ceremony at the end of April.
Aileen Gummow
2018-2019 Phi-Alpha President
induction ceremony
The Phi-Alpha National Honor Society is made up of social work students who maintain a GPA of 3.5 in the required social work courses. The department congratulates the students who have been appointed as Phi-Alpha members for the 2019-2020 academic year:
Brooke Aulthouse, Bre Austin, Mary Dougherty, Melissa Farnsworth, Erin Herzog, Fatimah Jan, Dakota Kelso, Lauren Mast, Eli McCabe, Katelyn Pearson, Titus Ridgeway, Will Sloyer, Andrea Timbone, Eden Willis, and Sarah Wylie
Social Worker of the year
Each year the department identifies one student as “Social Worker of the Year” to be representative of what it means to be an ethical, professional and competent Christian Social Worker. Judy Mahoney was chosen to receive this award because she clearly demonstrated what it means to be a servant leader. Judy was intentional in seeking guidance and direction from faculty in a variety of mentoring relationships that demonstrated a high level of professionalism and respect. In choosing this student, the department recognizes her strong academic achievements, her high professional standards, and her intentional commitment to being ethical. Congratulations Judy! The department is proud to contribute to the growth of such competent, ethical, and professional social workers.
alumni of the year
Ashely Johnson received her BSW from Messiah College in 2012. In 2015, she graduated from Widener University with her MSW. During those years, she worked as a caseworker with Dauphin County Children & Youth primarily doing child abuse investigation before being promoted to a supervisor position. In 2018, she began her current role as the Coordinator for the Child Abuse Prosecution Unit through the Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office.
In addition to her work, she serves as a volunteer working with women in the adult sex industry through She’s Somebody’s Daughter, and also serves on the Messiah College Social Work Department’s Community Advisory Committee. She and her husband have been foster parents for almost a year and currently have two amazing girls in their home.
As a thank you for her continuing contributions to the students of Messiah College, the department is proud to have presented this year’s Alumni Merit Award to Ashley Johnson.
adventures in lithuania!
My experience at LCC in Lithuania has shown me what it means to fully embrace a culture different from ones own. I have been exposed to various cultural differences and ways of life in rooming with three Ukrainian students, living on a co-ed floor with students from countries such as Syria, Iraq, Armenia, and Ukraine. I find myself asking others about their study abroad experience including others from my home university, and I am finding that LCC has provided me a much broader and deeper experience that I could have ever expected or imagined. It has pushed me to form a better version of myself, as an individual who will potentially be working with clients from such countries or groups of people. I believe that this semester abroad has provided me with a holistic view at working collaboratively with others and maintaining a greater self-awareness.
"I am beyond amazed at the friendships I have established, the relationship I have strengthened with myself, and the increase in WONDER and JOY I am finding in my journey with God. This experience will prove beneficial in working with a diverse clientele, but also, a newfound confidence in myself and my ability to adapt will prove successful in the future."
Cameron Walker, '20
a prayer for our graduating seniors
"Father God, thank you for these graduating students. We pray that you will give them direction, purpose, and perseverance as they enter the next phrase of their lives. Give them clearness of mind to move forward into the plans and purposes that You have for them. May these Christian social workers gain wisdom from You and have discernment for ethical, professional, and competent behavior. Guide them in their future endeavors and cultivate a desire in them to seek You more each day. We pray that they will rise above ungodly behaviors and have the boldness to stand up for what is right wherever they work, study, or socialize. May they be eager to do good and resist evil all the days of their lives. Use them in might ways, in Jesus name, amen."
- Mary Dougherty, Department Work Study
Credits:
Created with images by Kendal Husband - "untitled image" • Wendy Rueter - "untitled image"