Why Study Social Work?
Social work is an ideal career if you want to improve the lives of others. Social workers listen to peoples' needs and help them cope with challenging life circumstances. Social work provides practitioners with diversity and autonomy in their work settings and opportunities for creativity and intellectual stimulation. Social workers also have the opportunity to relieve human suffering while making a lasting difference for individuals, communities and society as a whole.
Why Study Social Work at Eastern?
Eastern's Social Work program is an accredited BSW program identified as one of the "Best BSW Programs in Connecticut" and one of the 101 "Most Affordable BSW Programs" in the nation. Under the program's "cohort" format, students progress through the major as a group, developing supportive relationships with their peers and faculty. Students also develop knowledge and skills through hands-on interventions designed to impact social policies and the lives of individuals and groups. Our faculty are practicing social work professionals who integrate their experiences into the classroom.
Graduate School Success
of students immediately enter graduate school after completing their BSW
of students gain advanced standing in graduate school
* U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Hands-on Learning
Internships
Social Work students intern for local social service agencies and non-profit organizations such as the Windham Community Good Network.
Clubs
Social Work majors also serve the community, focus on issues of social justice and gain valuable leadership skills through membership in the Social Work student club.
Social Work Club
Honor Society
The Phi Alpha Honor Society provides Social Work majors with recognition and the opportunity to work together on humanitarian issues.
Phi Alpha
Career Options
A social work degree from Eastern opens the door for employment in roles ranging from counselors to case managers, advocates and organizers in diverse settings such as:
- Schools
- Child Welfare
- Family Services
- Mental Health
- Substance Abuse
- Gerontology
- Community Agencies
- Domestic Violence
- Non-Governmental Organizations
- Military and Veterans
Successful Alumni
Graduates are employed in schools, child welfare and family service agencies, mental health programs, substance abuse treatment programs, hospitals, community agencies, and domestic violence programs. More than three-quarters of graduates enter MSW programs immediately after graduation at Columbia University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Boston, Boston College, NYU, Fordham University, University of Michigan and other prestigious programs.
Alumni Testimonials
Social Work
Sarah Tricarico ’18
Sarah was a student leader in Eastern’s Center for Community Engagement. “The Center for Community Engagement allows you to apply the knowledge you gain in classes to real-world situations,” she said. “It has directed me to become a social worker and has helped me get real-life experiences in the field. I have participated in a broad range of programs at the center, and I feel it has expanded my interests.”
United Neighborhood Houses
Kevin Douglas ’08
Kevin is the co-director of policy and advocacy at United Neighborhood Houses (UNH), a New York City nonprofit organization that serves more than 500,000 people. “I was inspired by Eastern’s social work faculty; they taught me the ethos and code of the social work profession, and showed me that it is possible to make a career out of the desire to do ‘good.’”
Social Work
Adilsa Encarnacao ’18
Adilsa was a student leader at Eastern’s Center for Community Engagement. "Not only is the work rewarding and impactful, but I was also able to be part of a family where we all shared the same passion for serving the community. As a future social worker, the CCE allowed me to get hands-on experience with many different populations and age groups.”
Social Work
Muneed Butt '25
Muneed is a regular volunteer for Eastern’s Center for Community Engagement. “It is fulfilling to volunteer and see the smiles on the faces of those impacted by simply putting in a few hours a week. I’ve always wanted to help people in small ways and by doing so, little by little, it will hopefully create a dent in this world one day.”
Social Work
Connor Pollick '22
Connor interned with the Willimantic Police Department as a police social worker, where he assisted officers on nonviolent cases pertaining to mental health, homelessness and other issues. “I was not expecting every officer to be so open to a social worker coming into their police department, but they have been so welcoming and truly see the purpose a social worker has in the police setting.”
Social Work
Jillian Lode ’19
Jillian was a student leader with Eastern’s Center for Community Engagement. “I feel that it is important to get to know the community your school is surrounded by. Eastern volunteer students gain understanding of how life is like beyond campus and learn how to interact with people that may be different from them,” she said. “It sets a student apart from another if they have background in community service.”
Research Assistant
Eden Rivera ’16
Social Work major Eden Rivera received her master's degree in social work at UCONN and works there as a graduate research assistant in Puerto Rican Studies. “If it wasn’t for Eastern’s social work program, I wouldn’t have decided to become an advocate for marginalized people or an ‘agent of change’ with the goal of alleviating systems of oppression imposed upon communities in need.”
Clinician
Steven Bagley ’12
Social Work major Steven Bagley is a clinician at Wamogo Regional High School. “Eastern’s social work program unequivocally changed the way I view the world and operate as a clinician. Lively classroom discussions enriched my learning while field experiences reinforced the material. It is because of the rigor of Eastern’s social work program that I hold myself to the highest standards of practice.”
In-Home Therapist
Chrisann Johnson ’15
Social Work major Chrisann Johnson is an in-home therapist at South Bay Community Services in Springfield, MA. “Eastern taught me to consider the holistic perspective of a client’s life, not just one domain. Now I constantly validate and show empathy to the families I work with, which is important for building rapport.”
University of St. Joseph
Emily Constantino ’21
Social Work major Emily Constantino ’21 is a graduate student in the advanced social work program at the University of St. Joseph. “Social work is an incredibly diverse field with a lot of career paths. I’ll be happy wherever I end up as long as I can continue to serve as an advocate for individuals who struggle with mental health and substance abuse challenges.”
