Spotlight on Alumni - Brenda Sites
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Brenda Sites earned her MSW degree in 1998. Brenda is a program manager for the state of Missouri. She also serves as president of the MU School of Social Work Alumni Organization.
Q. What made you decide to pursue a career as a professional social worker?
A. I wanted to learn about the process of helping others. After investigating the profession of social work, I was drawn to the hands-on, practical approach and the diversity of work environments.
Q. What advice would you give someone who was considering a career in social work?
A. Be open-minded about your career path. Social workers make a difference in so many areas and on so many levels. Explore as many as you can. You never know when you might make a connection.
Q. How did you decide upon the MU School of Social Work?
A. I was living in Columbia and was very fortunate to have a solid, accredited program in my backyard. But I was also fortunate enough to meet some of the faculty at a conference and I was sold on the program.
Q. What aspect of your educational experience at the MU School of Social Work has been the most valuable in your current job?
A. I did not leave graduate school thinking I would ever work for a crime victims' program. In fact, I thought I would wind up working with offenders. But the foundation I gained at the School of Social Work has been invaluable in every setting. The interaction skills, the processing skills, the self-evaluation -- these have been necessary in every career step. Most of all I think the field experience really brought it home for me. My practicum was tough, and so was my supervisor, but I was able to really identify my strengths and areas for improvement.
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with us, Brenda.
If you would like to get in touch with Brenda, email her at brenny513@yahoo.com.
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