News Archive
Alumni
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A career in social work requires compassion and dedication to serving vulnerable populations. Earning a Master of Social Work degree can help to provide the knowledge and skill set necessary to embark on a fulfilling career in the field.
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Marine Corps veteran Glen Peña, MSW ‘18, reflects on how studying social change and innovation at USC helped him secure his dream job as a university veteran coordinator.
Glen Peña has dedicated his life to helping others. After serving 9 1/2 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, Peña continued pursuing his passion for service by enrolling in the military track of the MSW program at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work.
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Marion Sanders knows what it’s like to face adversity. Her dedication to supporting the homeless is a product of her own childhood trauma, which included being separated from her mother, who has experienced homelessness herself.
Unfortunately, Sanders’ mother is not alone.
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As a young girl, Brunilda Chavez, MSW ’80, never thought she would have the chance to pursue a graduate degree. She was from a traditional Mexican-American family, and girls were expected to work and turn over their paychecks to the family. There was no money for college.
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Recently elected member of the California Democratic Party executive board, JC Cruz, MSW ‘16, is applying his social work training to improve communities throughout California’s Assembly District 51.
Passionate about applying a macro-level focus to social policy and politics, Juan Carlos “JC” Cruz, MSW ‘16, is dedicated to working for the betterment of local communities and underrepresented populations.
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Lots of people talk about gratitude during the holiday season. But to be grateful for traffic? That was a new one to Brandee Sosa, MSW ’18.
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Meet Maria Ruelas, EdD ‘18, MSW ‘13, whose leadership has been instrumental in expanding mental health care and social services within the Lawndale Elementary School District.
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Ramona Merchan, alumna of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, was recently honored for her enduring service to both the USC community and children in need throughout the Los Angeles area.
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As one of the first nursing alumni of the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, Akila Aisner, MSN ’18, will soon become a family nurse practitioner.
A few years ago, he was working at a hospital in Marina Del Rey, California, as a registered nurse (RN). As he developed relationships with his patients, he was often frustrated that he did not have the knowledge base―or professional stature―to treat them within the medical model. He decided to pursue a master’s degree so he could care for his patients in the way he thought they needed.
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June Simmons, MSW ’70, was inducted Oct. 27 into the California Social Work Hall of Distinction, a program within the California Social Welfare Archives (CSWA) that ensures the advances and lessons of the profession remain available to future practitioners and researchers.