In May 2024, master of social work students and field instructors attended the inaugural Workforce for Student Well-being (WSW) Retreat, celebrating the first cohort to complete the WSW Community of Practice (CoP) course. This 2023–24 cohort included two Walla Walla University students, and three others are currently taking advantage of this course.
The two-day retreat in May promoted networking and helped students finalize their qualifications for the Educational Staff Associate certificate as a school social worker with the state of Washington. Analizeth Pesquiera, field education director at Walla Walla University and a WSW field instructor, said she went to this year’s retreat to “celebrate this amazing opportunity and step in the right direction for mental health for all children in the school district.”
The WSW is preparing social workers for work in high-need public and tribal schools and advancing the careers of skilled social work professionals through training, mentorship, and financial support. WWU master’s of social work students are encouraged to take advantage of the WSW Initiative’s conditional scholarship for MSW students that offers up to $30,000 to offset master’s degree expenses–recipients are required to virtually attend weekly WSW CoP classes on top of their regular work and field practicum hours.
Pesquiera said she benefited from both the retreat and the weekly CoP training. These events not only offered valuable knowledge from the hosting WSW team, but attending also meant Pesquiera could see for herself what would be expected of future WWU WSW scholarship recipients. Now she has a better understanding of how best to help students throughout the course.
The WSW scholarship has four slots for WWU students each year. To learn more about the WSW program and to apply for their scholarship, go to wswinitiative.org. To learn more about the master's of social work program at WWU, visit wallawalla.edu/MSW.
Posted Dec. 6, 2024
