On Wednesday, August 28, GSS held a kickoff event for our newest cohort of Fordham GSS/NYC Public Schools Collaborative Fellows. This is the second year GSS Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) students will participate in the program.
Over 40 M.S.W. students will intern as school social workers in 34 public schools across the five boroughs this year through the Collaborative. In addition to their field internships, students receive specialized coursework, dedicated resume and interview preparation, and a scholarship stipend.
“The Fordham GSS/NYC Public Schools Collaborative program has grown so much, and we’re thrilled about that,” Janna Heyman, Ph.D., GSS professor and Collaborative lead, said.
Hands-on Learning
Collaborative students are not entering into a passive experience. From day one, they are working with every professional in the school building, and receiving guidance from school social workers on site.
From left to right: Dr. Janna Heyman, Dr. Roger Ball, Gwenith Mitchell, Dr. Noah Angeles, Meg Fleming, Dr. Linda White-Ryan, Elizabeth Basile
“Last year, schools in crisis leaned on the Collaborative students to go in and provide support,” said New Visions High School Superintendent Dr. Noah Angeles. “We had an influx of enrolled students, and our interns were pivotal to get them acclimated.”
While on-site, M.S.W. interns’ responsibilities span four main areas, said Meg Fleming, who provides student support to Fordham M.S.W. students through Angeles’s office:
- Building school-wide support
- Counseling and direct practice
- Parent and family engagement
- Use of restorative practices
Meg Fleming
Fleming emphasized that the program may expose students to adolescents with a different childhood experience than their own, which can be challenging to establish rapport. However, it’s an opportunity for social workers to get comfortable working outside of their own experiences.
“Take away your [previous]experience and focus on the needs of the community,” she said. “Some things are not going to be automatic to you if you haven’t lived in the area where you’re working.”
Students are in their practicum at the schools and meet regularly with on-site field instructors—who are professionally trained social workers—serve as mentorship opportunities and a forum for questions that may come up along the way.
Angeles found inspirational words for the students in Fordham’s Seal, citing the phrase Sapientia Doctrina, reminding students to always be learning, and to use that wisdom in practice.
“Learn from everyone,” he said. “Listen to them. They have institutional knowledge. And apply those learnings to your situation.”
A Pipeline to Meaningful Employment
Fordham GSS and NYC Public Schools formed the Collaborative Fellowship to fulfill the unmet demand schools face. Schools throughout the five boroughs are in dire need of qualified social workers trained to assume the role on day one and make an impact.
Dr. Roger Ball
“This program reimagines how we can integrate you into the community and the schools,” said Roger Ball, Ph.D., GSS ‘02, GRE, ‘10, ‘15, supervisor of school social workers at NYC Public Schools. “We give you the skills.”
These skills are critical to developing one’s professional identity, said Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Linda White-Ryan, Ph.D.
“This program really builds your expertise as a school social worker,” she said. “You and the schools are fortunate.”
Once students gain those skills, Ball said, they will be prepared to thrive in post-graduate employment.
“It’s not just about serving the children, but your own professional journey,” he said. You have access to resources from start to finish. It’s our responsibility to link you to those looking for school social workers.”
Along with the daily impact graduates will make on young students, school social workers are treated to full summer vacation, a pension, and a starting salary upwards of $75,000.
Learning From Those Who’ve Been There
GSS specialist year student Jacob Mercado, GSS ‘25, also spoke at the event, providing a first-hand experiential account of the program. Mercado, who interned at a Bronx school last year through the Collaborative, assured the new cohort that it’s OK to be nervous stepping into a new situation. He felt it, as well.
Mercado said his journey last year wasn’t one he had to face alone. The administration and staff at the school where he interned were happy to serve as mentors while he found his way.
Jacob Mercado
“They are there to help you,” he said. “And you learn as you continue to work with them.”
Particularly unique about the Collaborative, Mercado said, was the emphasis on integrating coursework theory into the field placement, and vice versa. The curriculum taught by GSS faculty in the classroom was intentionally designed to impact his effectiveness in the school.
Professors emphasized role-playing in class, Mercado said. While this took him and his classmates out of their comfort zones, looking back, he’s grateful for the opportunity to experiment in a safe space with a trusted faculty member before pursuing these challenges in the school.
Moreover, the robust support system of faculty and administration—both from GSS and NYC Public Schools—affords students many opportunities to make connections that will serve them well while pursuing their degrees and in their careers in the future.
To learn more about the Fordham GSS/NYC Public Schools Collaborative, visit the program webpage.
