Each year, Master of Social Work students spend their Spring Break on national and global immersions in communities very different from their own. These experiences range from learning about policy making in Washington, D.C., to seeing the impact of human trafficking first-hand in the Philippines. 

This year, our students had the new and unique opportunity to spend time living with the Lakota people on the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Reservation in South Dakota. Students were able to directly contribute to capacity-building for local service providers; engage with Native American children, families and communities in a culturally appropriate manner; and exchange evidence-supported interventions with a host social service agency.

"Coming on this immersion, especially towards the end of my academic career, it really refocused me and it reminded me that this is the type of grassroots work that I want to do," said MSW student Kendra Bullocks. "This is why I fell in love with this profession. This is why I wanted to be a social worker."

Watch this video to learn how this immersion experience affected our students and left them with a renewed sense of purpose.

South Dakota Immersion Program