Category: Testimonials & Student Stories

A Personal Investment in Social Work and a Life-Long Mission to Change the World

A Personal Investment in Social Work and a Life-Long Mission to Change the World

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Social work, education, online learning

The Kent School of Social Work at the University of Louisville has a long tradition equipping social work professionals to serve and advocate for vulnerable populations. That’s because we take our chosen field professionally, but also personally. With bachelor’s and master’s in social work programs, we prepare future social workers to make a difference in their community, the society and the world.

Our tradition is carried forward by the outstanding faculty and staff at the Kent School, and our success is a reflection of the many individual successes that our undergraduate and graduate social work students achieve when they go into the world. At the helm of Kent’s online programs are two exquisite professors who combine pedagogy with real world experiences and draw motivation from their own very personal stories.

Dr. Shawnise Miller, Director of UofL’s online Master of Science in Social Work, came to social work by way of a family legacy.

“My grandmother was the director of a local social service agency and from an early age, I spent time at her office. I didn’t go to daycare, I went to work with my grandmother. And even after starting school, I would spend my summer breaks at her office. Watching her help people and their families shaped me greatly.”

It was there she learned that help can come in a variety of forms. “It could be providing direct services like food or financial assistance for rent…or it could be advocating on behalf of someone or even whole groups of people.”

Dr. Miller learned compassion from her grandmother and began to see the professional channels through which she could effectively carry on the family tradition. She stays involved in the field and is a mentor and resource for her students.

In the classroom, Dr. Miller helps students learn concepts and methods within the context of every-day environment challenges. She says, “I love seeing the light bulb moments for my students… and watching them make connections between course materials and real-life situations. That is truly rewarding.”

Dr. Armon Perry, Director of the online Bachelor of Social Work program at UofL, has his own personal story to share:

“I am from Montgomery, Alabama and I grew up in a not-so-nice neighborhood. But, I went to high school in a wealthier part of town and sat in class next to kids who drove nicer cars than any of the adults in my neighborhood. The juxtaposition between what I saw in my neighborhood versus what I saw at school compelled me to think about the ways in which the intersection of people’s race, class, gender, and family of origin shaped their life chances.”

Dr. Perry was the first in his family to attend college. When he first met with an advisor, he shared his desire to change the world, starting with the people he knew. “I told her i wanted to help people like the ones I grew up around, in hopes that they could one day live like the people I went to high school with.”

“My advisor sent me to Beverly Hall, which is where the Social Work Department was located, and I signed up.” Dr. Perry’s contribution to the field extends well beyond the classroom. He is actively involved with the 4 Your Child project — a Kentucky program aimed at helping fathers take more active roles in their children’s lives.

This type of personal investment in the mission of social work drives Dr. Miller and Dr. Perry to in turn educate and empower their students to be a force for change.

At the Kent School of Social Work, we are proud of our tradition and the dedicated faculty who carry that tradition into the 21st century. Our online bachelor’s and master’s in social work degrees extend the reach of that tradition and leave a legacy of skilled, compassionate social workers set to make a difference at a time when their services are needed more than ever.

Whether you’re just getting started in the field or you want to pursue your master’s, the right education can help you reach new heights in your career and enhance your ability to fight injustice. We hope you’ll join our learning community and you’ll let us join you on your mission to change the world.

Master of Science in Social Work at University of Louisville
Advice from a Non-Traditional Student

Advice from a Non-Traditional Student

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Sara Keinath isn’t your traditional student. An active wife, mother and career professional, her passion for social work led her to pursue her Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) at UofL — an online degree that provides the learning flexibility she needs.

How did you start your social work career?

“I am a wife, mother and non-traditional student who went back to school a little later in life. I was unsure whether social work was my true calling until late in my undergrad career, but now I feel like this career is most certainly my home.”

Why the MSSW program?

“When I was pursuing my undergrad in psychology, I knew I would need to continue my education, but was unsure what I wanted to do. I tossed around getting a Psy.D. in clinical psychology, because I thought I wanted to do counseling. That was until I did an internship that focused more on case management. Then I did my research and realized that a MSSW degree would allow me to do case management work along with the clinical/counseling side, plus offer the job opportunities that are more widespread.”

Did you consider a specialization?

“I did not specialize, simply because I wanted to have a more general experience and it allowed me to pick and choose my electives to get that broader educational experience.”

Why did you choose UofL?

“I chose UofL, because at first I was looking at local programs and I was impressed with the Kent School’s curriculum and reputation. The majority of social workers I had talked to had been educated there and had positive things to say about the program. Then when UofL started to offer the online program option, it became the obvious choice for me.”

What did you find most valuable in the online format?

“I liked that the online courses offered the same content and the same professors as the on-campus program. I am a non-traditional student who went back to school once my children were in school. Due to my family’s schedule, a traditional format wouldn’t have been ideal. I needed flexibility and the online program afforded me that. Being able to spend time with my family and be an inspiration to them are very important things to me.”

How has the internship helped you in your current position?

“I am currently employed at Hosparus and have always loved hospice work. That was my goal even before I started the UofL MSSW program. They have employed many interns over the years, and due to my internship there, I was offered a permanent position. Without that ‘in’ I highly doubt I would be an employee there. I am very thankful that it worked out that way.”

What are your professional plans for the future?

“As of now, I honestly just really like where I am. I have no desire to go anywhere else. Having said that, I am currently pursuing my LCSW and once I finish that program, I do hope to do some private practice work on the side.”

What advice do you have for other students in an online social work program?

“My advice is to stay on top of the work. It can be easy to say, ‘I’ll do that later,’ but then before you know it you have dug a hole that is too deep to crawl out of. Also, getting to know your classmates and networking with professors has to be approached differently in the online learning setting. I highly encourage students to make the effort to form those relationships, because this program can be difficult and they will need that support from those students who are in it with them.”

About UofL Online Learning

If Sara’s story resonates with you and you’re interested in pursuing a master’s in social work, visit our online MSSW program page.

The University of Louisville currently offers more than 20 online programs in various areas of study for adult learners who are not able to come to a physical campus, but want to earn a college degree or certificate and advance their career.

From the Online Classroom to an Overseas Hospital
From the Online Classroom to an Overseas Hospital

From the Online Classroom to an Overseas Hospital

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Rhea T. Williams, BSN, RN, BS is a married mother of two, a U.S. Air Force veteran and has worked as an ICU nurse in Germany and the US. She shares her experience as an online student pursuing her RN-BSN degree at UofL and details how the degree has made a difference in her career.

Tell us a little about your career path leading up to your decision to enroll at UofL.

“I came to nurrhea-williamssing after working in other areas of healthcare for a few years. As a first generation immigrant to the U.S., I witnessed first-hand the struggle of trying to access healthcare and dealing with all other seemingly more pressing aspects of every-day life.

My career in nursing is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream to become a primary healthcare provider. After the completion of my associate’s degree, I began working as a critical care nurse in an Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU) in inner city Baltimore. I went on to become a Cum Laude graduate of the Bachelor of Science in Nursing for Registered Nurses at University of Louisville while living in Germany, and I currently work as an ICU nurse at a large hospital and PRN ICU at a small community hospital. In addition to my degrees in nursing, I also hold a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.”

What motivated you to pursue an RN-BSN online program?

“My job as a critical care IMCU nurse in Baltimore placed me on the front lines of working with under-served populations. Most of the clients were uninsured and sought healthcare assistance only after multiple problems had compounded into complex cases. Even though I worked on the IMCU, our ICU at that facility was so small that we cared for clients that normally would be ICU patients at other hospitals.

It was a great learning experience and propelled me to further my education in Nursing so that I could be of greater assistance to those with the greatest need. I decided that I wanted to complete a bachelor’s in nursing and hopefully continue on to the FNP one day.”

Why did you choose UofL’s online RN-BSN?

“I chose UofL after much deliberation, because I knew that I would be completing the majority of my degree while living in Germany. It was important to me that the process of completing my degree was as streamlined as possible and that everything would be as accessible to me as if I was living in the United States.

While there are several wonderful universities in my home state of Maryland, I was searching for a school that would be able to tailor the program to my unique circumstances, while having the support systems of a large university. Of course it didn’t hurt that UofL is an amazing school with a great reputation in the academic world.”

What did you like best about the RN-BSN program at UofL?

“My favorite classes were A&P and Pharmacology, mostly because I found them to be the most challenging. I really appreciated taking those courses, as some BSN programs do not require these two classes for graduation. I think that they really provide a solid foundation for becoming a better nurse and for pursuing graduate level studies.”

Do you have a favorite project you worked on in this program?

“My absolute favorite was the community health project at the end of the program. As I was in Germany I had to go out into the community, explore the German healthcare system and collect various health statistics. I spoke with German doctors, nurses and healthcare administrators about how they approach care and how the national insurance system works there. It allowed me to gain a better understanding of different approaches to healthcare that I might not have otherwise experienced.”

How did the 100% online format work for you?

“Well, as you can guess by now, the online format would be the only one that would work for me. Frankfurt, Germany is six hours ahead of Maryland, and so an 8:00 a.m. start for me was the middle of “snooze time” for everyone physically at UofL. I needed to be able to access my virtual classroom at any time and complete coursework as necessary.

We also spent a good portion of time traveling, which made it important that the system requirements were as universally standard as possible so that I could use most computers anywhere to complete class tasks and assignments on Blackboard.”

How has UofL’s RN-BSN program helped you in your current position?

“I feel the education I received at UofL gave me the confidence to go into ICU nursing knowing that I had a good academic foundation. As I said earlier, I really value the coursework requirements in this program. Every class was informative, applicable and relevant to the practice of nursing today. It also fostered a desire to make improvements in my individual practice of nursing.

I personally wrote and developed a mentorship program for new nurses at my hospital using the tools that I gained completing my degree at UofL. The benefits of a UofL education are prominent and palpable.”

What does your current career path hold for you? Where would you like to go?

“I am currently in the process of completing applications for graduate school — yes, back to school for me. I plan on becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner and heading back to some of those immigrant and underserved communities I hold dear to my heart. It is my goal to complete the DNP as a terminal degree in nursing, but I am not ruling out an additional Masters in Public Health like one of my UofL professors and mentors.”

What advice do you have for other online students considering enrollment at UofL?

“In order to be successful at online learning, honest self-evaluation is key. Know how you learn, what you need in order to complete coursework and tasks. Know when to ask for help. Your professors are there to help you and will do what is needed to ensure that you gain the knowledge if you are putting forth the effort.

All of my professors at UofL were always only a short email away. Just because you are a distance student does not mean that you do not have the same access and support traditional students do.”

Join nurses like Rhea on a path to success with UofL online learning!

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program at UofL is designed for nurses with an associate degree or a nursing diploma. The program potentially qualifies registered nurses for higher earnings and a broader range of employment opportunities. This program also facilitates the Institute of Medicine’s recommendation that 80% of nurses earn a BSN degree by the year 2020.

UofL’s online RN-BSN program was recently honored with a ranking of ninth in the nation for value and curriculum quality by affordablecolleges.com. Working nurses can complete the Bachelor of Science in Nursing in as few as five semesters, although students are welcome to take more time if needed.

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