by Chloe Yopp and Chris Hilburn-Trenkle
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work celebrated the start of a new academic year with a week of gatherings welcoming faculty, staff and new and returning students to the School. On Friday, Aug. 16, the festivities concluded with orientation for more than 100 incoming 2-year and 3-year MSW students. The event included breakfast and lunch, a student-led panel, welcoming remarks from Dean Ramona Denby-Brinson and more.
Faculty, staff and students gathered in the Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building at 8 a.m. on Friday to enjoy breakfast before orientation kicked off with speeches from several leaders at the School of Social Work, including Vice Dean Robert Hawkins, Interim Associate Dean for MSW Education Andrea Murray-Lichtman, and Assistant Dean, Recruitment, Admissions and Financial Aid Sharon Thomas.
After Thomas welcomed the new students to the morning’s orientation, Hawkins and Murray-Lichtman shared words of inspiration for the next generation of social workers.
The first session of the day was led by Clinical Associate Professor Travis Albritton, who facilitated a discussion reflecting on the class’ summer reading — Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond. After Albritton left the stage to loud applause, NASW-NC Director of Membership and Communication Seth Maid presented a short PowerPoint about his organization, and later current 2- and 3-year MSW students led a panel that offered advice to the incoming students as they start their time at the School. Before pausing for lunch, students also got the opportunity to meet with their faculty advisors in breakout sessions.
Denby-Brinson greeted the audience in the afternoon with words of empowerment, noting the world was in a better place because of the more than 100 future social workers in the auditorium who would lend their skills and expertise to help individuals all over the world.
“You’re going to be the change maker, you’re going to be the one to enter into communities locally, all over our state, all over our country, and many of you even internationally,” Denby-Brinson said. “You will be that individual that shows up for children. You’ll be that individual that shows up for families. You’ll be that individual that challenges systems, that asks the tough questions, that says, ‘No, that’s not okay. We’re not going to accept that. We’re not going to accept that people continue to live in poverty.’ That’s how I know the world has gotten better.”
The week’s festivities concluded with Clinical Associate Professor Laurie Selz-Campbell and Albritton sharing their presentation, “Exploring Justice in Social Work Practice.”
“I’m so excited about this year and everything that awaits us … Thank you for choosing social work and thank you for choosing Carolina,” Denby-Brinson said. “I hope you have a wonderful year.”
Incoming MSW students by the numbers
- Average Age: 26.8
- Age Range: 21-58
- 23% identified as students of color
- 14% noted CMPP (community, management, and policy practice) as intended specialization
- 10 dual-degree (one Master of Public Administration, four Master of Divinity, five Master of Public Health)
- 18% are first-generation college students
- 30% have moved to North Carolina for graduate studies
- Four international students from Canada, South Korea, Rwanda and Sri Lanka
- 17% multilingual in languages including Arabic, Korean, Japanese, Swahili and American Sign Language
- Seven AmeriCorps volunteers, three Teach for America members
- Two college advising corps members, two Fulbright Program members
- Two Duke-UNC Rotary Peace Fellows
