Student Spotlight: Learning from the ‘Littles’
Get to know MSW student Kristi D. (SSW ’25)
Kristi D. tells how her undergraduate experience led to a previously undiscovered passion for social work. She explains how the diverse range of experiences among her cohort influenced her learning, and why finding camaraderie among peers is important for incoming MSW students. Kristi also illustrates her passion for working with children, who she affectionately calls ‘the littles,’ and how she tackled working with adolescents within her field internships.
Could you describe your background to me? What are your interests outside of work and school?
I’m a mix of introvert and extrovert. When I’m with extroverted people, I’m more extroverted, but when I’m by myself, I’m in bed reading or painting. I mainly like to do watercolors and acrylics. I’ve also been coloring a lot recently. When I’m with my friends, I like to go out and explore. Since moving here from California, it is the first time I’ve lived outside of the West Coast. So far, it’s been fun to explore the city and do things with friends.
I feel like the people are a lot more real here, in the best way. In California, it feels very superficial. So, with everyone here, I appreciate the bluntness and the “realness.” It aligns more with me.
Why social work? What drew you to the field and how did you become interested in becoming a social worker?
Well, it’s kind of a funny story.
I know that I was meant to be here because, originally, I was putting off applying to BU, but not for any particular reason. I think I had my sights set on Seattle and Washington University. I got put on the waitlist and then BU kept extending their deadline. When it kept getting extended, I was like, “Okay, I’m just gonna do it.”
When I got in, I thought, “Oh, I guess this is where I’m supposed to be; this is what I’m supposed to be doing.” Even when I was applying, I was looking at the values and the mission statement, and I felt like it aligned a lot with what I wanted to be doing.
So, that extension was like a window that was continually opening for me to take.
What is your most memory or experience standa out for you in your academic career at BUSSW?
The people I’ve met and the people in my classes. I’ve learned a lot from my peers, which was common in undergrad, but I feel like it’s a bit different in the MSW program, because everyone is so different. Everyone has so much experience or different kinds of experience. It’s interesting to hear from their perspectives. I’ve learned a lot from not just professors, but from classmates too. We talk about what social work is, how they go about it, what they prioritize, and what they’re passionate about. Especially in the MSW program, it focuses a lot on our experience and what we’ve done.
Even in my intern cohort, we have all kinds of different experiences within social work, even though we’re all kind of new to the field. So, that’s been a good part of the experience here too — in the classroom, outside of the classroom, projects and things like that.
What makes social work worthwhile to you?
I took a social action and justice class my first year in undergrad. We were required to take a seminar, and I waited till the last minute, so there weren’t a lot of options left. Social action and justice was the only one available. But I thought, “This seems like something I’d be interested in.” I took it, loved it, and learned so much about social issues and marginalized groups. I felt like that kickstarted me towards social work.
The first year was focused on learning about social issues, and in the second semester, you got to choose a class that applied to the social action and justice aspect of the course. And again, I waited till the last minute for that one too. Social work 200 was available and it was all held online during COVID. I had an amazing professor for that course, and I dedicate everything to her. She’s the reason I’m here in this program now. I wanted to declare it as a major, but it wasn’t offered because it’s a very small program. In my capstone class, there were only four of us. It just wasn’t big enough to be a major. So, I ended up declaring sociology so I could declare social work for my master’s degree. Since then, I feel like this is what I was meant to do; it’s my path.
The concept of helping people is really what keeps me going. A lot of my students (I worked with kids in a high school) talked about [how] they don’t have a lot of support. So, I want to be someone that people can rely on. I’ve been like that with all my personal relationships, and I think that’s an important part of social work.
What work are you proudest of during your academic career?
I never thought I would be able to work with high school students. I [thought], “This is so far out of my realm,” and now it’s like a reality. I did it, and it felt right. It wasn’t as scary as I thought it was going to be. Teenagers are scary. Especially since I’m young, I’m 22, just out of undergrad. So that was kind of weird; there wasn’t a large gap. I’m used to working with the ‘little littles’. There’s an adult gap there; there needs to be a lag of four years [for it to feel normal].
So, it was a little bit [nerve-wracking]. I was wondering, “What are [student] relationships going to be like? Will it end up going to be more of a peer relationship?” So, I felt like I was more worried about setting that boundary of, “We’re not peers. I’m the adult and you’re the child.” If that makes sense but not trying to make it sound like I’m so powerful and authoritative. I was worried about that, but it was fine. Honestly, it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
What are your favorite courses, professors, and events at BUSSW?
Nina Arnoff. [I] absolutely love her.
Hope Haslam-Straughn. She’s amazing.
Peter Treitler. He was great. I think he’s on sabbatical this year.
Kim Hokinson. I have her this semester. She’s absolutely incredible.
Layla Kayr. Yeah, I love her. I took racial justice with her last semester and she’s amazing.
What are you looking forward to after you graduate? What fields are you interested in working in?
First, I’m excited about being done with school. I’m so ready for that. Part of the reason I did the MSW program was because I felt like I wasn’t ready to get a job. But now that I’m in [the program], I’m ready. I feel like I’m really open to anything.
The population I’m interested in is children, I love working with kids. I always have. So, I don’t know what exactly I want to do, but I know that I want to do something with kids. I see myself in schools right outside of graduation, mainly because that’s where I’ve done most of my internships. So that’s where I feel comfortable right now. I don’t really have a specific [career destination], but probably public schools. Ideally, [kindergarten] through fifth grade; I like the ‘littles’. I just think there’s so much to learn from them, and they’re just so authentic. That’s the best way of putting it. I’ve never met a disingenuous kindergartener. They will tell you how it is. They’re so funny, and they’re just oblivious to the world. So, it’s just like a good refresher when working with them. And I have patience. So, I feel like I know how to communicate and interact with them.
What is your dream job in the field of social work?
I don’t know what role this would fall under, but I’ve always wanted to work on reforming the education system, even before I started pursuing social work. From things like, how teachers are paid, what’s taught in schools, how it’s taught, who it’s taught by, the resources that are available. I just want to change it all. Even the higher education system. I think there’s so much room for improvement.
I’ve also been passionate about the incarceration system. Abolishing the system and finding other strategies, but the education system is always the first thing that comes to mind, especially since everyone has to get an education or has the opportunity to get an education.
I was even thinking about declaring macro as a minor, but I didn’t want to stay in school longer.
I’m taking all the classes; I’m taking communities, and I’m taking policies. I feel like I’m gathering information from those [courses] that can prepare me if I decide to go into policy work in the future.
What is your advice for other MSW students?
Always do what feels right to you, and don’t be so hard on yourself.
I think when I first came in, all I could think about was, “Am I going to make any friends? Am I going to like my internship?” Or, “Is my class going to be hard?” I know that’s hard to put aside, but knowing that we’re all in this together. We’re all overwhelmed. I can’t speak for everyone. But the people that I’ve talked to have said that there’s a lot you have to take on during [the program]. Give yourself grace, be patient with yourself and with others, and be dedicated to learning.