Running head: PERSONAL STATEMENT

PersonalStatement
JeliannCarrillo
SocialWorkPortfolio
WayneStateUniversity

Running head: PERSONAL STATEMENT

EnteringthisprogramIdidntreallyknowtheresponsibilitiesofasocialworker
andtheendlessresponsibilityasaprofessional.Startingwithbeingamandatedreported
andstayingalertevenwhenyouarenotactuallyonduty.Iamalwaysasocialworker,no
matterwhereIgo.SocialworkershaveacodeofconductoutlinedintheNASWcodeof
ethics.Thisisknownasthebibleforsocialworkers.Itwillguardyourrightsand
outlineexactlywhattodowhenyourenotsurewhattodo.Iidentifyasaprofessional
socialworkerandIstrivetoconductmyselfaccordingly.
SocialworkersfollowtheNASWcodeofethicstoensureethicalandprofessional
practice.Ourpracticesarerootedfromsixethicalprinciplesthataretobefollowedand
respected.Theprinciplesare:service,socialjustice,dignityandworthoftheperson,
importanceofhumanrelationships,integrity,andcompetence.Theseprincipleswere
foundedasthepurposeandfoundationofourprofession.
ComingintotheprogramIwasverybrutallyhonestanddidnotknowhowto
wordthingssensitively.MyfirstyearintheprogramIwasreprimandedendlesslyabout
beingtooharshornotshowingempathytoclientscenarios.Luckily,Ihadprofessors
suchasJunandDavidAllasiothatpushedmetothinkcriticallyandlearnhowto
communicatemyprofessionaljudgmentswithoutcomingoffasrude,coldheartedand
judgmental.IlearnedthatasasocialworkerImustadvocatefortheadvanceofhuman
rightsandsocialandeconomicjusticeforall.Duringmyprogramprofessorschallenged
mewithdisturbing,reallife,unethicalscenariosthatreallymademeconsidermyvalues
andlitaninternalflameofdesiretopursuejusticeandequalityformyclients.

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Oneofthemostrevolutionarytopicsthathasbeensweepingthesocialwork
realmistheimportanceofembracingandinclusionofdiversityanddifferencein
practice.Newerstudiesinsocialworkresearchhavebeenconductedtostudydifferent
ethnicalgroups,migrationpatterns,socialchangedduetodiversity,etc.Thesocialwork
professionispushingforculturalcompetenceandsocialdiversitydototheincreasein
immigrantpopulationsintheUSA.Thecodeofethicswassuretoincludedifferent
aspectsofdiversity.Therevisionstates:Socialworkersshouldobtaineducationabout
andseektounderstandthenatureofsocialdiversityandoppressionwithrespecttorace,
ethnicity,nationalorigin,color,sex,sexualorientation,genderidentityorexpression,
age,maritalstatus,politicalbelief,religion,immigrationstatus,andmentalorphysical
disability(NASWCodeofEthics).
With social work taking a shift from predominantly micro practice
to an increase in the macro/ research practice area, a few courses I
encountered in the program helped me understand the difference and
the importance of research- informed practice. When I first began the
research methods class I felt overwhelmed and terrified. I didnt have
an interest for macro practice so I thought the class would be pointless
so I thought. After writing both my research papers on topics that I
am passionate about I found research to be very informative.
DuringmyundergradcareerIalsotookinterestinpsychologyclasses.Since
socialworkandpsychologyissimilarinmanywaysIwasabletoapplyknowledgefrom
bothfieldstoevaluatehumanbehavioranddifferentsocialenvironmentstobettermy

Running head: PERSONAL STATEMENT

practice.Understandinghumanbehaviorisveryimportantwhenworkinginthemicro
practiceofsocialwork.Knowingthatsocialenvironmentsarevitalcontributorstothe
clientssituationitisimportantforthesocialworkertobeabletoputtopracticeand
evaluatethoseenvironmentsforinterventionpurposes.
One of the classes I knew I would be least interested in was my
policy class. Although I wasnt thrilled to take this class, I did learn a
great deal. Without persistent advocacy of a social issue there would
be no policy changes. The policy course allowed me to understand the
importance of amending policies to suite the needs of the population.
Policies are meant to promote social and economic well-being for all.
As this is not the case with some policies they must be amended,
which is where social workers come in advocate for change.
Althoughthecoursesdidhelpinlearningthetheoreticalframeworksandmethods
oftheprofession,whattaughtmethemostwasworkinghandsoninthefieldasanintern.
WorkingattheNationalCouncilofAlcoholismandDrugDependence(NCADD)Iwas
abletoengage,assess,intervene,andevaluateindividuals,families,groups,
organizations,andcommunities.IntheprogramaswellasatNCADDIwaspushedto
analyzetheclientssystemsanddeterminetheimpactandinfluencetheyhaveoverthe
clientsrecovery.Iwasresponsibletofacilitatinggrouptherapysessions,intakeclients,
assistingoalsettingandevaluatesocialworkermethods.Myintensivewritingcourse
challengedmetoreflectoneverysinglestepwiththeclient,fromintaketointervention
evaluation,andsubmergedmyselfintotheagenciespractices.
OverallIhadaverypositiveexperienceatWayneStateUniversitysSchoolof

Running head: PERSONAL STATEMENT

socialwork.Therigorousprogramdefinitelylivesuptoitsprestige.Ilearnedagreatdeal
ofinformationandthankstoprofessorssuchasAllasioandJunIamnowaconfidentand
knowledgeablesocialworker.Iwilldisplaygoodsoundjudgmentandprofessionalism
andalwaysrememberthatIamamandatedreporter.