Social Work Program at UW-Stevens Point
Dalton Connor, a December 2014 graduate of UW-Stevens Point, enjoys a warm day with two residents at the Marshfield Care Center. Connor turned his social work major into a job as the center’s director of social services.

UW-Stevens Point social work majors advocate for those in need

As a first-year student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Dalton Connor wanted a major that would help him help others.
 
The Stevens Point native found that and more in social work, a growing field driven by increased demands for health care and social services. His experiences at UW-Stevens Point led him to an internship at the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King his senior year and a job at the Marshfield Care Center before his graduation last December. He has since become the center’s director of social services.
 
“What I liked most about the social work program was that our professors drew from their own personal work experience in our classes,” he said. He often finds himself in situations that were discussed in class.
 
“Being an advocate is really the main role of a social worker,” Connor said. “My professors stressed that each person is in a different situation, and that you need to put yourself in their shoes. Pull from their strengths to help them find the resources they need.”
 
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in social work are projected to grow 19 percent by 2022, faster than the 11 percent average for all occupations. In the next seven years, jobs in health care social work will increase by 27 percent.
 
“Our program sets students up to be more employable in a variety of settings,” said Professor Amy Boelk, director of the Social Work Program at UW-Stevens Point. Graduates find employment in the medical, child welfare, juvenile justice, aging, substance abuse, mental health and corrections fields.
 
Created in 2010, the UW-Stevens Point social work program was accredited in 2014 by the Council on Social Work Education. This gives its students the opportunity to more easily earn their state credentials as well as complete their master’s degree in one year, Boelk said. The program also has an emphasis on serving Native American populations, with Professor Sonny Smart​ taking students on trips to social services offices for the Ho Chunk, Lac de Flambeau and Oneida nations.
 
Professional social workers are also hired to teach upper level classes, Boelk said. “It enhances our curriculum as they are able to share the realities of the work with them.”
 
The program courses includes social work methods and casework, social welfare policy and administration, human behavior, diversity, a seminar on ethics and practical job preparations, and professional field experience.
 
About 70 students worked in the community during the 2014-15 school year to complete at least 400 hours of work experience, said Assistant Professor Jess Bowers, coordinator of field experiences. The jobs included casework and acting as a full staff member in various community service agencies.
 
“Most students say that their internship is the most valuable part of their education at UW-Stevens Point,” Bowers said. “It helps them form their concentration area. It also gives them the confidence to know they can do the job. It’s really great to see them blossom.”
 
Connor interned in the Veterans Home for a semester, working closely with those needing moderate care as well as those suffering from severe dementia. The experience taught him how to change the ways he approached and communicated with each resident, depending on their physical needs and routines.
 
He also enjoyed being able to share his experiences with other social work interns, as they all met with Bowers each Wednesday to discuss strategies, ethical challenges and other experiences from a variety of fields with each other.
 
“I can’t say enough about how that experience shaped me,” he said. “I’ve always been extroverted, but I learned how to apply that in my field at the veteran’s home.”
 
Connor is seeing a need for more social workers in his field due to changes in strategies for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients, an increase in short term patients and the fact that people are living longer than before. There is also a need for advocates for the elderly due to complicated health insurance process and changes in coverage.
 
Social work has given Connor a field that is hands-on, challenging and offers more opportunities in communication skills and working with diverse populations, he said. He especially enjoys working with older people and hopes to continue this work throughout his career.
 
“The older generation has given so much in their lives and America would not be what it is today without them,” he said. “I can make their lives a bit better in small ways or in the long run. I just like being with them and knowing I can make a difference.”