Get Involved at BUSSW
Hi all! I’m Shawn (he/him/his pronouns) and I am a second-year Clinical Practice major at BUSSW. As many of you know, it can be quite daunting to start graduate school and adapt to a new way of life. The adjustment can also be challenging as you try to make new connections at a new school in a new city. Below I share some suggestions on how you can make the transition easier and more satisfying by getting involved in the many opportunities happening here on campus. I hope you enjoy it!
Join the Student Union
The BUSSW Student Union (SU) organization provides an opportunity for students to connect with each other and get involved outside of the classroom. The SU has been around for many years and over time has gone through a few different name changes and a restructuring. Just recently, we’ve worked to make several improvements.
Previously, SU had several committees for varying identities and needs. Unfortunately, it was causing the union to become siloed and SU was unable to meet the needs of students. In response, we shifted our focus and became an organizing body that pushes student needs and demands to the forefront. Within this overarching mission, there are opportunities for students to join school-led committees such as Alumni Relations, Admissions and Financial Aid, Curriculum, Equity & Inclusion, and Field Education, as well as student-led committees including People of Color and White Students Confronting Racism/White Allies.
SU is also a place to foster student activism. This past semester, students worked with faculty and staff leaders within BUSSW to make the school more equitable for all of its students. A core component of this work has been to present anti-racism demands to address white supremacy that is built into the systems where we all work and learn. As future social workers, we should strive to build more equitable organizations and embed anti-racism efforts into our own learning environments. Most recently, students recommended three solutions to address the needs of students of color and, since organizing, we have been working with our school administrators to address these unmet needs. The reaction from the school has been very supportive. As social work students, it is important that we learn how to practice social work activism within our own school first, because if we do not do the work as students, we will not be prepared to do the work as professional social workers.
To become part of SU, all you need to do is be a student at BUSSW. That’s it! As a member, you’ll get to know your fellow classmates and help us continue some very important work. SU meets once a month, typically on the first Sunday of the month. Students can attend meetings in person or virtually, but you’ll miss out on the free food if you can’t attend in person! The door at SU is always open and students should feel free to contact sswsu@bu.edu about how to participate.
Tune In
A great way to stay connected and informed is by reading the weekly BUSSW student newsletter. This email is sent every Monday and has a wealth of information specifically geared towards students, including job, research and volunteer opportunities, and presentations, talks, conferences, and events happening within BUSSW and the larger Boston community. I highly recommend checking out the newsletter because it is a great way to stay in touch with what’s happening around you.
In addition, students receive a daily news email from BU Today, the University’s daily publication on all things BU. This is an awesome resource for staying tuned in to the broader BU community and University-wide opportunities.
Be an Ambassador
Another great way to stay active in the community is to volunteer to be a BUSSW Student Ambassador. You don’t need to be an expert on social work – you just need to be interested in sharing your experiences with prospective students. Sharing helpful tips and advice with prospective students is a rewarding experience and one that I have greatly enjoyed and appreciated. Plus, it looks good on your resume! If you would like to volunteer, email the Admissions team at busswad@bu.edu.
I hope this blog has been helpful to you. One last thing I would say about getting involved is to take the time to speak with and get to know fellow BUSSW students, colleagues, professors, alumni, and staff. You will learn about all kinds of activities happening both on and off-campus. Some of the best events I have been to were suggested to me by people at my job or field placement. It never hurts to ask, and it helps to build your network!
Please don’t hesitate to reach out through the Student Ambassador email account at sswamb@bu.edu if you have any questions. Welcome to BUSSW!
– Shawn