TCU Social Work Students visit the UN

Fort Worth, TX

4/22/2008

By Hannah Mathews, Office of Communications

For a group of senior social work majors, the road to graduation led to New York City to participate in the Global Social Work Student Conference. In March, eleven students led by Dr. Tracy Dietz and Professor Leslie Lovett of the social work department in Harris College had the chance to visit New York and experience the workings of the United Nations.

The Conference was a part of the 25th annual Social Work Day at the United Nations and discussed the importance of global social work. The keynote speaker, Mitchell Goldman, is a film director and an advocate for children. His projects deal with human themes of overcoming hardships and overcoming adversity.

“It was very cool to be at the UN with so many social workers from all over the world,” said social work student Joy Borjes. “I thought it was really neat because it showed that, while we were all diverse individuals, we have so much in common. Because we were all social workers, we had the same values, knowledge and skill sets that everyone else had. We have a common concern for the welfare of all people, and we acknowledge that every person has a unique worth.”

“It was really powerful to see how different 1,000 people can be, but also how much can be accomplished because those 1,000 people have a shared experience and desire to work. It was a testament to the power of social work,” continued Borjes.

“As a social work student it was inspiring and encouraging to walk into the United Nations, said social work student Kelly Rand. “Sometimes it feels as if the social work profession is undervalued and misunderstood, but at the UN, social work is acknowledged as a mechanism of peace.”

The students made sure to make the most of their weekend in New York; some students visited schools that have graduate programs, others took sightseeing tours, and all of the students had the opportunity to tour the United Nations.

The planning for the trip was almost as extensive as the trip itself. The group divided themselves into subcommittees with designated responsibilities such as fund raising, travel, hotel accommodations, and sightseeing.

Both Dr. Dietz and Professor Lovett hope to take this trip again next year with another group of students, because this year proved to be a wonderful and amazing opportunity.