SJSU School of Social Work Newsletter FEBRUARY 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Social Media
2. Contact Information
3. February is Black History Month
4. The Social Work Experience Podcast
5. The School of Social Work
6. Field Fair, Spring 2024
7. Town Hall
8. Alumni Highlight: Christina Soresca, Veterinary Social Work
9. SWGSA
10. Newsletter & Social Media Submissions

Follow us on Social Media

We thrive to build a connection with our social work community by sharing resources, community events, and by sharing a spotlight on our school, students, alumni, and faculty!

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CONTACT INFORMATION

Office Telephone: 408-924-5800

Official Website: www.sjsu.edu/socialwork/

Newsletter Archive: www.sjsu.edu/socialwork/media/newsletter.php

General Email Address: socialwork@sjsu.edu

Office Address: One Washington Square (WSQ Rm. 215) San Jose, CA 95192-0124

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm

School of Social Work Evaluation, Suggestion, and Feedback Form (Anonymous): forms.gle/hBXzASpfNYHomWEt6

FEBRUARY IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH

SJSU Celebrates Black History Month - Events Calendar

Dear SJSU Community,

San Jose State University remains committed to fostering a culture that addresses and disrupts anti-blackness, racism, and systemic racism on and off campus throughout the year. Every year, SJSU honors Black History Month by offering events, speaker series, workshops and lectures that recognize Black and African-American heritage, cultures and contributions to society.

We are excited to bring to you this list of events that serve to explore and celebrate Black History Month. These events are brought to you by a wide variety of co-sponsors and co-planners including the Black Leadership and Opportunity Center; the African American Studies Department; the Mosaic Cross Cultural Center; the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Student Involvement; Student Affairs, Campus Life; Student Union; Associated Students; the Writing Center; the MLK Library; and many more. The theme for Black History Month this year is: African Americans and the Arts.

For more information on the events being hosted this month, please go to the Black Leadership and Opportunity's website to learn more.

The Social Work Experience Podcast

Season 2, Episode 5 OUT NOW!

We are excited to announce another episode of The Social Work Experience!

On season 2, episode 5 of "The Social Work Experience", hosts Jessica Rybnikar and Tanvi Saki have an authentic conversation with guests Diego Bautista and Paola Quintanilla, both MSW students at SJSU. In this episode, they talk about their thoughts on returning back to school and time management!

Listen to our newest episode on Apple Music or Spotify:

The School of Social Work

Dr. Sen continues to host office hours! She will offer office hours once a month on Wednesdays, for on-campus students. If you are an online MSW student, office hours will come soon!

SJSU has a new celebratory event, Celebrating Spartans: Honoring Faculty and Staff, which will be held in-person on Thursday, March 28, and will honor Faculty and Staff who reached milestone years of service in 2023, beginning at 10 years. This new event combines the previous Faculty Service Recognition & Awards Lunch and the Staff Service Celebration, bringing our campus community together to collectively celebrate these great achievements. In addition to recognizing service honorees, we will also present the Faculty and Staff awards.

The program will run from 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. with a reception immediately following. There is no cost to attend the event. The program will be held in the Student Union Ballroom, and the reception will be held across several of the meeting rooms on the second floor of the Student Union.

RSVP here to attend the event: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdFWwqUf8YHLSfHBvfaRXTmbXJgD8YxMH5Iuse6WtickKXVAg/viewform

Town Hall 2024

On January 8th, students alongside faculty and community partners came together to share ideas for the future of the School of Social Work as well as any strengths, areas of growth, and other comments and suggestions they had to promote the success of students in our BASW and MSW Programs.

Thank you for taking the time in participating in this town hall and providing us with amazing feedback in our curriculum and program refresh efforts!

Alumni Highlight

Cristina Soresca

This month, we highlight BASW, MSW and PPSC alumna, Cristina Soresca and the amazing work she contributes to Veterinary Social Work.

Cristina is currently a SAGE Redwood City’s veterinary social worker. With a demonstrated history of working in individual, family and community settings, she is elated to combine her passion for social justice, advocacy, and community service with her love for animals. Cristina spent the past 7 years facilitating mental health services for children, youth, and families. While working with multidisciplinary teams in educational settings, her main focus was creating safe spaces to collaborate and explore emotions, process trauma, and to advocate for anti-racist and anti-oppressive action, and decolonize mental health practices. Beyond working alongside youth, her role included collaboration and consultation within an interdisciplinary team to better facilitate student growth and advocate for client-centered areas of need. Throughout the years, Cristina had the privilege to provide animal assisted therapy to middle schoolers experiencing anxiety, grief, complex trauma, and depression. This experience sparked a passion for recognizing the human-animal bond, the intersectionality of animal advocacy and human welfare, and how her own positionality can impact these spaces and amplify the voices of the unique marginalized communities especially when faced with systems that potentially limit or overlook the human-animal bond.

A Veterinary Social Worker is a specialized social worker who works in veterinary settings to support the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of clients, their families, and the veterinary staff. Their role is to address the human-animal bond and the impact of animal-related issues on individuals and communities. Here are some key responsibilities and functions of a Veterinary Social Worker (VSW):

Client Support: VSWs provide emotional support, counseling, and crisis intervention to clients who are experiencing difficulty coping with the illness, injury, or loss of their pets. They help clients navigate the emotional challenges associated with pet ownership, such as grief, guilt, or anticipatory grief. VSWs also support with connecting clients to community resources.

End-of-Life Support: Supporting clients during end-of-life decisions for their pets is an important aspect of a Veterinary Social Worker's role. They help clients navigate the difficult decision-making process, provide support during euthanasia procedures, and assist with grief and bereavement counseling following the loss of a beloved pet.

Education and Advocacy: VSWs play a role in educating clients, veterinary staff, and the community about the human-animal bond, pet care, and the impact of animal-related issues, well-being and policies that often target marginalized communities faced with social issues (houseless, domestic violence, assisted living centers, substance use programs).They may provide information on responsible pet ownership, animal welfare, and community resources.

Staff Support and Training: Veterinary Social Workers also provide support and counseling services to veterinary staff, who often face emotional stress and compassion fatigue in their work. They may facilitate staff training on topics such as communication skills, ethics, self-care, and stress management.

Community Engagement: VSWs actively engage with the community to promote animal welfare, strengthen the human-animal bond, and advocate for policies that benefit both humans and animals. They may collaborate with animal shelters, rescue organizations, and other community resources to provide support and resources.

Crisis Intervention: In cases of natural disasters, accidents, or public health emergencies involving animals, Veterinary Social Workers may provide crisis intervention and support to affected individuals and communities. They help coordinate resources, facilitate communication, and address the psychosocial needs of those impacted.

Research and Program Development: Some Veterinary Social Workers are involved in research and program development to advance the field. They may conduct studies on the human-animal bond, animal-assisted interventions, or the impact of animals on mental health. They also contribute to the development of best practices and evidence-based interventions in veterinary social work.

Veterinary Social Workers bring a unique skill set that combines social work principles with a deep understanding of the human-animal bond. Their aim is to support the well-being of both humans and animals and promote holistic care in veterinary settings across multiple intersections.

SOCIAL WORK GRADUATE STUDENT ASSOCIATION

Interested in participating in our Convocation Committee? Check out these upcoming meetings!

SWGSA would like to invite you to the Social Work Appreciation mONTH Gala!

Kick start Spring Break with a fun night of dancing and dressing up! This event will be open to current students, alumni, faculty, staff and family / friends! We hope to see you there!

RSVP and Purchase tickets here: https://forms.gle/b3RPTNKxbiR2Pu9P8

Newsletter & Social Media Submissions

Would you like to be featured on our next newsletter or social media posting? Fill out this interest form: https://forms.gle/cGy5zmZiGkHAWmQQA