GSS Student Ambassadors

I chose social work as a career pivot from advertising because my most impactful professional experiences involved advocating for social justice and having vulnerable conversations, which social work provides in abundance. Social work offers a fulfilling next chapter at the right time in my life. I chose Fordham because I connected with the school and its community more than any other. Every faculty member and student ambassador I met validated my career change, and the school's reputation, reasonable cost, and excellent curriculum and field placement opportunities were also significant factors.

I chose social work because I've seen how much the right support matters when someone is struggling. Many people face mental health challenges due to circumstances beyond their control. I want to help individuals navigate difficult times while working with communities, especially immigrant communities of color, to address systemic barriers. Ultimately, my goal is to help people develop the tools they need to build fulfilling lives.

I chose Fordham because I wanted a program that provides a strong foundation in clinical social work while connecting me to the diverse communities and resources of New York City. I appreciated the opportunity to learn alongside students with a wide range of perspectives. Conversations with alumni also reassured me that the program offers strong guidance, which was especially important to me as a career changer.

As a career-changer, my path to social work has been somewhat windy. I previously lived in the Bay Area working in tech as a copywriter and marketer. After years witnessing income inequality widening and gaps in social services growing, I went back to school to become a certified substance use disorder counselor and worked for San Francisco-based behavioral health nonprofits. It's a privilege to do direct service work with my community and I'm excited to continue growing my social work skills here at Fordham and in New York.

I considered many MSW programs on both coasts, but ultimately Fordham was my top choice for several reasons. I was impressed by the breadth of options for field placement and drawn to Fordham's specialized practice certificates in Health and Crisis and Resilience. These benefits, the cost of the program, and the tailored and timely support I received from Fordham throughout the selection process helped seal the deal, and I'm thrilled to be here!

In my career as a journalist, I’ve always been innately curious about what drives people and the experiences that have shaped them. Over time, I found myself wanting to use the skills I’d honed—especially deep listening and communicating with empathy—to make a difference in people’s lives. Having experienced mental health challenges within my own family, I saw social work as a path to supporting other people navigating similar circumstances.

I felt immediately welcomed by the Fordham community, from my first information session to connecting with a student ambassador who patiently answered my questions. I was also drawn to the MSW program’s individualized approach to learning and the opportunity to deepen my knowledge through a Specialized Practice Certificate. All of these factors helped me realize Fordham was the right choice for me.

Recent trails faced by my community and family brought me to a career shift into social work. This time has emphasized my passion for helping others through empathy and advocacy. I respect how social work is designed to meet people where they are and to address systemic barriers to well-being. What excited me most about Fordham was not only its academic excellence but also the clear passion of its community. The conversations I had with staff and students made it clear that they foster a warm, inclusive, and caring environment. I hope to put that same collaborative spirit forward as a student ambassador and help others start their graduate journey. 

My path to social work has been guided by my work with Sunrise Association for Children with Cancer and Their Siblings, where I served at Sunrise Day Camp and volunteered at the NY Presbyterian pediatric oncology unit. These experiences highlighted the power of human connection, compassion, and honoring every child and family within their unique cultural context. Additionally, my four years in early childhood education reinforced my commitment to fostering safe, supportive, and developmentally appropriate spaces for children and families in New York City.

Fordham’s MSW program stands out for its dedication to serving the urban community with dignity, ethics, and culturally responsive training. GSS fosters deep understanding and cultural competency, making it the ideal environment for me to learn and thrive.

Choosing social work as a career is all due to that underlying feeling of knowing I can do more to help advocate and support bilingual and marginalized communities in different levels, through micro, mezzo and macro. Originally as a Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology major, my role was to help my clients learn how to speak. However with Social Work, I am helping that voice advocate and speak up in rooms where they never thought they could. 

My decision to attend Fordham's MSW Program is all thanks to the welcoming faculty, staff and ambassadors who supported me in the application process, and introduced me more into the field of Social Work than I knew at the time. With the various opportunities on and off campus and the field placements supported my decision overall.

I chose social work after realizing my undergraduate studies in psychology were missing a key component. I wanted to do more than understand people’s struggles, I wanted to help them work through them. What makes social work meaningful to me is the opportunity to meet people where they are, help them recognize their own strengths, and empower them to create change in their lives. My goal is to help people become the strongest versions of themselves, not by changing who they are, but by giving them the support to discover who they’ve always had the potential to be. 

I am pursuing an MSW after over a decade in human services, working directly with individuals facing trauma, violence, and systemic barriers. As a disabled, gender-nonconforming individual, my lived experiences drive my commitment to holistic care, creative problem-solving, and policy-level change for vulnerable populations. I strive to be the advocate I needed during my own challenging moments, and Fordham provides the ideal pathway.

Fordham’s MSW program offers the flexibility to work while taking classes at the Molloy campus. I benefit from expert faculty with local experience across micro, mezzo, and macro levels. Crucially, Fordham shares my devotion to community service and confronting social injustices. The program enables me to stay connected to the communities I serve while acquiring the skills necessary for meaningful individual and systemic change. Go Rams!

I chose social work after three years of working as a shelter advocate, where I discovered my passion for guiding and helping others. My experience was eye-opening and inspired me to pursue a career in this field. Fordham was my choice because its MSW program is clearly committed to student success. I especially appreciated that the curriculum includes field advisement sessions, demonstrating the program's dedication to supporting students throughout their entire journey.

I chose social work to help address the desperate need for mental health services in my Upstate New York community. I was drawn to Fordham because its MSW program was the only one that aligned with my personal circumstances, allowing me to earn my degree remotely in just 16 months with a local field placement. Additionally, I was impressed by the welcoming application process and the positive experiences shared by friends and family who are alumni. The supportive community and helpful information sessions solidified my decision.

After a long career in retail and advertising, I chose to become a social worker because I wanted to form genuine connections with people and help them reach their full potential. I am at a point in my life where I want my work to be more meaningful and service-oriented, and I can’t think of a better way to make a real difference in someone’s life than through social work.

I chose Fordham’s MSW program because of its respected reputation and its strong connections to organizations and potential career opportunities. As a nontraditional student juggling work and family, the flexibility of the online program and its combination of remote learning and in-person field placements, made a career change a real possibility for me when it had not felt possible before.

My choice to pursue social work was fueled by my passion for helping others. I wanted a career that enabled me to make an impact in someone's life, whether that was by empowering others to create and meet their goals, providing access to resources, or simply offering a safe place where people feel comfortable expressing themselves.

I chose Fordham's MSW Program because of its emphasis on experiential learning. I believe the program is well-rounded in the sense that you have access to an extensive network of organizations for hands-on learning at your practicum site, accompanied by comprehensive academic coursework.

I chose social work as a career because I knew that I wanted a people-oriented helping profession that valued and supported an individual holistically, acknowledging their environment and lived experiences. I am working towards becoming a therapist that specializes in neurodivergent children and their families. 

I chose Fordham's MSW Program because of the instant sense of community I experienced early on in my application phase. I wanted a school that allowed me flexibility in my program of study and options. I appreciated Fordham's strong clinical reputation that aligned with my professional goals. Fordham's program cares about their students and prepares them for all aspects of their social work education including fieldwork.