Spring Break/ Field

My final field placement is going well and it is with great hopes that I plan to transition into a full-time position upon graduation. Being a voice for children who cannot protect themselves, Assisting parents to be their best, and Helping the community understand that children are our future; thus child abuse is not an option. These are just a few of the important things that I have done over the course of my final semester. I spent 40-hours last week at my field placement and Spring Break is coming to a close as I write this message. My work at the agency where I have been placed has been extremely meaningful and the learning has been tremendous. Despite the frustration and occasional stress, I am thankful to have had as many field placement experiences as I have had. Thanks to Wake County Human Services, Guildford County Department of Social Services, and Durham County Department of Social Services I am confident that my experiences with each and the classroom learning that I have acquired have prepared me to be the great social worker that I will be declared to be on May 8, 2010!!!

Spring Break is Almost Here!

With my final semester underway, it is good to know that Spring Break is almost here. I will not be on an exotic beach or in the Cayman Islands for Spring Break this year (maybe next year :) ), but I will be making a difference in the lives of children and families in Durham, N.C. My final internship is with Durham County Department of Social Services and thus far it has been a joy! Please stay posted for some of my recent experiences in the coming weeks....

Final Semester Soon To Arrive

HEEYYYY!!! Hope you have had as great a Christmas season as I. I am super excited with the approaching New Year and my FINAL semester of grad school. The journey has been a great, rich learning experience, but I am ready to graduate with my TWO degrees and conquer the world!! As I will soon be closing this chapter of life, feel free to hit me up via email at csd1010@email.unc.edu with any questions that you may have about the MSW program at the greatest school in the nation ("UNC-Chapel Hill").

Be on the lookout for my final postings in 2010.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

S.A.G.E.

Here's a shout-out to all the faculty who have engaged in the Fall 2009 Students Achieving Graduate Education (S.A.G.E) activities. THANKS for all that you do!!

During the three years that I have been at UNC, it has been a pleasure to be involved in S.A.G.E. S.A.G.E. exist thanks to the brilliance of two School of Social Work faculty ( Dr. Vanessa Hodges and Dr. Iris Carlton-LaNey). For curious minds who want to know, S.A.G.E is a program or perhaps you would say a series of planned activities focused on students of color at UNC's School of Social Work. S.A.G.E. exist as a forum for students of color to address the challenges of being a minority at a majority insitution. For me, S.A.G.E. has offered a bonding experience with colleagues and faculty. It has strengthened my committment to social justice and welfare and indirectly provided me with my 2009-2010 Research Assistantship.

Some of S.A.G.E.'s yearly activities include: pre-orientation, potlucks, discussion forums, community outings, etc.

Stay tuned for future S.A.G.E. happenings at UNC's School of Social Work....

Last Year Underway!

What can I say? Time is certainly passing by. Can't believe that two full years ago I began this journey and MY how I've grown. My last year of graduate school is officially underway. In May of 2010 I will proudly announce that I am a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill with a Master of Social Work and a Master of Public Administration. The journey has not been easy but, with faculty support, good peers, a good educational infrastructure (Go HEELS!), and a life purpose I have endured. As I end this process to begin something great, I will attempt to post on a more frequent basis. It will be important for many of you to see how the final year of a dual degree graduate student unfolds.

For starters, last weekend was a blast here at UNC. I attended the UNC vs. ECU (my alma mater) football game and it was wonderful. Of course I was cheering for the Pirates, but what can I say, UNC came hard! This weekend I'll be attending my first ever graduate weekend course. Will update you soon! Until next time, be easy, but work hard.....

Professional Work Experience

The summer is almost over and classes will be resuming soon. As a dual degree student, my summer has been spent completing a professional work experience (internship) with the Director of Guildford County Department of Social Services. This experience has been extremely rewarding and educational on multiple levels. It's not often that you get the opportunity to work directly with a public administrator who oversees 600+ employees. Additionally, I have begun the process of formulating my research topic for my final year Capstone Paper (a MPA requirement; similar to that of a thesis). My plan is to address "How are N.C. counties reducing the number of children in foster care". If anyone has any ideas thoughts or feedback you'd like to put out there about foster care, feel free to hit me up. Until next time, be easy and strive to create the change that you desire to see in the world.....that's definitely my plan!

Spring Break is Almost Here!

With less than a week away from Spring Break, I'm beginning to sense relief from fellow classmates who will be graduating in May. Unfortunately, as a dual degree candidate I am not afforded that luxury at this time. Nevertheless, I will look forward to Spring Break, as well as upcoming events such as "Social Work" Lobby Day, the N.C. Child Welfare Education Collaborative Conference, Social Work and Law Day, and my plans to present at the 2009 National Association of Black Social Worker's Conference. In times such as these, I have to remind myself that now is not the time to get restless, instead I must move forward with my dreams knowing that the dreams of others will be brighten as a result of such.

To see how my dream as a dual degree candidate has and is coming to past check out http://www.sog.unc.edu/uncmpa/students/ChanittaDeloatch.html

Opportunity Galore

One thing is for sure; as a MSW graduate student at UNC-Chapel Hill, you can never say/ask "where are the opportunities"? As the week has progressed, I am amazed at the number of scholarships, training programs (free of charge), workshops, and lecture sessions that are available to enhance oneself. Furthermore, I am delighted to know that the School of Social Work has taken an active role in engaging students on the concept of being a leader within the profession. On yesterday, I attended a discussion/presentation at the school given by DSS Director, Joe Rayomnd. Joe discussed the essentials of leadership and performance management (knowing what we want to achieve within an organization (outcomes) and striving to make that happen). As a dual degree student with the School of Government (MPA) a lot of things mentioned during Joe's presentation resonated well with me. Future practitioners within social work must come to truly understand that helping organizations and the services that we seek to provide are only going to be as good as the leadership within them. Personally, it is my belief that an organization with a great mission and a leader with no vision is doomed. With that being said, know that the MSW program at UNC is a wonderful place to be "if" you really aspire to be a world changer on all levels!

Cold Outside, But Warm Inside

A new semester has begun and after less than 2 weeks of class the ground in Chapel Hill, N.C. has turned completely white. Yeesssss!.....It snowed yesterday; a rare happening in the central part of the Tarheel State. In sum, I must say it is extremely cold outside, but warm inside. Warm not only inside the walls of the School of Social Work at UNC, but warm within my heart and soul. As I embark upon a new semester I realize that I am much closer to acquiring a MSW than I was two months ago. I feel warm inside because last semester was extremely strenuous as a dual degree candidate, but I somehow made it to Spring 09. I am warm inside because I will have the opportunity this summer to engage in a 10-week internship that will be life altering for me, as well as children and families that I encounter later in life. I am warm inside because of the historic moment that our nation and nations around the world were able to witness on yesterday, 1/20/09. It is my pleasure to let the world know that although it is cold outside, I am warm inside and optimistic about life as a graduate student at UNC. Go HEELS!!

It's Over!

The semester has ended and Christmas is two days away!! What a great feeling.... family, friends, food, and fellowship.....all the wonderful things that bring great eustress after a long semester of writing papers, reading articles, role playing, doing group work, giving presentations, and much more. Although the Winter Break is not officially a break for me, it is a great time to relax mentally and prepare for Spring classes. When you have passion within it's sometimes hard to just chill as the world around you continues to revolve. As a grad student, my winter break has been spent working to pay bills, emailing potential agencies in regard to a summer internship, completing additional coursework from Fall, preparing for spring classes, and working on various projects with my RA position. I guess this is the world of a dual degree candidate; when you're being exposed to two disciplines....it may not appear to be luxurious at the moment, but the hard work and dedication will someday pay off not only for me, but for children and families across N.C. and the nation. So no matter what it may seem like....I'm still living the Good Life of a MSW/MPA dual degree student!!!

New Job: RA Positon @ The School of Social Work

See the email excerpt below regarding my new job at the School of Social Work.....

"We have a new MSW Research Assistant, Chanitta Deloatch. Chanitta is doing a dual degree, MSW/MPA, and attended ECU as an undergrad. She will be with us until the end of Spring Semester".

As the semester draws to a close, new beginnings are starting. On Monday, I was offered a RA position with the N.C. Child Welfare Education Collaborative and have gladly accepted. I am positive that this experience will enhance my professional development and provide me with the opportunity to contribute to current happenings in the social work arena. Several RA positions are offered throughout the School of Social Work and I am elated to be a part of that number. Be on the lookout for future updates regarding my work with the Collaborative.

Mid-Point

Now that Fall Break has come and gone, the fall semester is almost over. Pretty soon Thanksgiving Break will be here and before you know it the semester will be complete. What a joy that will bring! In the meantime, it's very refreshing to know that as a graduate student with the SSW at UNC-Chapel Hill you actually get a fall break. This Fall Break I had the pleasure of getting away to San Franciso, California! (Talking about a vacation much needed) I was able to go wine tasting in the famous Napa Valley and sightseeing at Fisherman's Warf; which included a boat tour up close and personal at the Golden Gate Bridge and Alacatraz. In fact, the most significant thing about my Fall Break was the fact that I didn't do any school work at all. A mental break was definitely in order and as a graduate student that is something that many individuals failed to realize. It's okay to say enough is enough sometimes because at the end of the day your physical and mental health is key! Better to get in the habit of taking care of myself now than waiting until I begin direct practice with children and families.

Faculty Support

If you're wondering how complicated life is as a graduate student. I will be very candid and say that the demands are high, readings are long, lectures are a must, caffeine will become your best friend, and most importantly, faculty support is mandatory. Faculty support at the School of Social Work has made a world of difference in my experience as a graduate student. Being away from one's hometown, family, and close friends is a hard task to overcome in and of itself, but factoring graduate school into the equation makes being away from social supports seemingly unbearable. There are times when the stress of being a student causes me to question whether or not I should continue my studies. It is at these times that the faculty support provided by the professors and staff at UNC are invaluable. Having someone to validate your feelings, offer advice, guide you, and be supportive of your endeavors are all the many reasons why faculty support is mandatory in any graduate level program. Personally, I'm extremely thankful that I chose UNC School of Social Work, an institution that not only prides itself on faculty support but an institution that actually delivers!!

Thanks to the professors and faculty who have impacted my experience!!!
(You know who you are)

Why I Love Social Work Courses

The school year is officially underway and as a dual degree student I must say, social work courses are by far the best. They are practical and packed with useful information unlike other disciplines whose focus is primarily on academia. Sharing practical knowledge and experiences within the classroom is very common. I also love the social work courses at UNC-Chapel Hill because you will never leave a classroom without learning a new theory, principle, concept, or societal intervention. These are the tools that I will ultimately utilize to effect change and create social justice for children and families not only in N.C., but across the nation. Now if that isn't exciting then I don't know what is!

One Month To Go!

As of yesterday, one month remains before 2008-2009 first-year students arrive at the Tate-Turner-Kuralt building (UNC's SSW) to embark upon an educational journey that will last a lifetime. Some individuals may be nervous and some will be excited, but one thing is for sure and that is the fact that UNC-SSW is a welcoming institution where all new and returning students will be embraced with smiles, hugs, and handshakes on Aug. 14.

Now that I'm a second year student I can't believe my first year is complete. The time went by soooo fast, but when I was reading tons of articles a week, completing papers, and attending field it seemed as if the semesters would never end. At this point, I can only trust that the upcoming school year will provide me with as many learning experiences as last year.

Welcome...

If you're Confused, Concerned, or Curious about life as a graduate student at the School of Social Work at UNC-Chapel Hill, fret no more.

Have questions? As a UNC-SSW ambassador, I am eager to provide answers and offer assistance as you coontemplate attending one of the TOP Social Work programs in the nation.