"We have been going through a process of recruitment,” said BYU–Hawaii’s Social Work Department Chair John Reeves, citing a newly produced brochure as well as marketing attempts toward local high schools. “A large number of students are undecided when they arrive on campus,” he said. “We want to offer social work as a viable option.” (Pictured top: students engrossed in a lecture)
Joe Spurrier, senior in social work from Laie, was one of those students who discovered the major while at BYU–Hawaii. “I started out in EXS, then psychology, which led me to social work,” said Spurrier. “When I first started, I didn’t know social work was offered, and I didn’t really know what it was.”
Reeves noted that many students, particularly from the target areas of Asia and the Pacific, may be unaware of what social work entails, and said, “We’re trying to get the word out about what we do and, once students understand, they can decide if that’s what they want to do.”
Spurrier is currently working as a youth counselor at the Bobby Benson Center in Kahuku. “We try to help them [the youth] understand decisions they’re making and help them set goals and work for them,” said Spurrier. He credits time spent with troubled youth while serving an LDS mission in Houston, Texas, as planting the seed that sparked his interest in the field. “Social work [the major] was the next step,” he said.
“Many students are members of the LDS church and many of the values of the LDS church are the same as our core values in social work,” said Reeves. “Returned missionaries come back from serving all around the world and social work allows them to continue working with people throughout the world. It is global and, if they graduate in social work, they can go anywhere,” he added.
Reeves also praised the social work program’s ability to place students in the field, and said, “When students ask themselves, ‘Is there going to be a job out there for me?’ There will be.”
“We’re very pleased with the number of students that do internships, do a good job… and are then offered positions,” said Reeves (pictured left in his office). “We typically have 4-5 students that get positions through a practicum or internship. The job market has really stayed strong despite the economic hardships.”
Rose Bradfield, class of 2006 alumna in social work from Laie, received an offer from the Hawaii Center for Independent Living following her internship there, as well as offers from North Shore Mental Health and the Bobby Benson Center. Bradfield has since started a family and recently moved to Utah, but still hopes to find part-time work with a high school or junior high.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the employment of social workers is expected to increase by 22 percent during the 2006-2016 decade, a faster-than-average rate for United States occupations.
Reeves also noted that BYU–Hawaii is an accredited school, meaning that, for international students, the degree they earn here translates into opportunities for them back home. He gave the example of a student from Hong Kong and a student from Canada, who both qualified to become registered social workers in their home countries due to the degree they received at BYU–Hawaii.
Doctor Sharlene Furuto lectures on the intricacies of social work
Reeves suggested that students who want to learn more could take the introductory class to social work. “It is also considered a GE class, so it counts, even if you decide social work is not for you,” he said. "We just want students to know our strengths.”
--Photos by Monique Saenz