The new association will sort out long-term and short-term goals.
By R. Eguia
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
Students illustrated how diverse the social work field is on Tuesday when they introduced themselves at the student Social work Association and stated their interest in the field.
Those interests included disabled veterans, Peace Corps, foster children, social policies, abused children, adult education and social research.
Social work Professor Courtney Prior facilitated the meeting in the absence of social work Professor Beatrix Perez who had a previous engagement.
When one student said they had no idea what they were going to do in the social work field, Prior said, “It’s OK to not know because this is a place to share resources, plans and ideas.”
The 14 social work majors who attended the meeting signed up for volunteer hours at their fundraising booth and to help clean up San Pedro Springs Park.
Ryan Mixon, president of the association, said, “We are still in the baby steps of our club.”
The association started in the fall and they are fine-tuning their long- and short-term goals.
Mixon said it is not easy to start a club, and a lot of their recent meetings have focused on the foundations and organizations of the club and recruiting people.
Social work sophomore Rene Ortega said talking to others has helped him with planning his future in the social work field, which he said is unlike other majors because there are so many different avenues to pursue.
Ortega has worked at a children’s shelter and is learning about other options from the association.
Mixon’s long-term goals for the club will be determined by the association’s continuous efforts to survey students.
The club last sampled about 100 students inquiring about social problems students were experiencing.
Mixon said there are a lot of homeless students on this campus. He wants to create a localized program for this college that will target the most prevalent social problems.
The association wants to offer the best services for students and is considering hosting a free lunch to fight student hunger.
The club is planning a trip to Dallas sometime in spring to learn more about the social work education system.
“It’s hard to pinpoint social problems because there are so many factors,” Mixon said.
“One bad decision can change your life. It’s not easy to be a human being today,” he said.
For more information, call 210-309-1545.