The best way to find out what it's like to study Social Work at Champlain is to hear from our current students and alumni. Follow a few of them below as they take you on their journeys and share the successes they found along the way. Beyond the classrooms, students have countless avenues to explore their interests, connect with others, and dive headfirst into their field.
Kaya Mulligan on Being a Social Impact Scholar, Feeling Prepared for Professional Life, and the Unique Collaboration in Core
Kaya Mulligan, '21
Division
Education & Human Studies
Major
Social Work
Minor
Social Justice
Hometown
South Londonderry, VT
Pronouns
She/Her
Favorite Class
Generalist Practice I
Are you part of any organizations on campus?
I am a Social Impact Scholar, which has been an incredible experience. We recently went on a Vermont Business trip to learn about local and sustainable businesses. I also had the opportunity to be a part of the Let Us Discuss event on campus and model inclusive communication on a variety of topics. Social Impact Scholars helps my voice be heard on campus and build meaningful connections with professionals in the Champlain and Burlington communities.
How has Champlain prepared you for life after graduation?
The Career Collaborative and Insight program have taught me so many valuable skills, like managing credit cards and how to negotiate my salary. Inside the classroom, the emphasis since day one has been on becoming a professional, and the professors see and you treat you as such.
How has the Core curriculum impacted your education?
The Core has made me aware of all the ways that disciplines work together. It is so unique to collaborate with Game Programming majors or Accounting majors on topics like globalization or gender. Having voices from all majors makes discussions unpredictable and unique.
Kate Beauregard on the Close-Knit Social Work Community, Starting a Placement Her First Year, and Her Work at Her Senior Internship
Kate Beauregard, '20
Division
Education & Human Studies
Major
Social Work
Minors
Psychology and Social Justice
Hometown
Bedford, NH
Pronouns
She/Her
Studied Abroad
Dublin, Ireland
Service Trip
Uganda Service Trip
Internship
Parent Child Center Intern at Lund in Burlington, VT
Favorite Class
Oppression and Empowerment
What is the best part about being in the Social Work major?
My experience within my major has had a huge positive impact on my overall experience at Champlain. Social Work is a small major, so I have grown very close to my cohort. I've connected with alumni from this program who have assisted with my field learning, worked closely with my professors, and established great relationships with members of my division.
How has the Upside-Down Curriculum impacted your education?
The Upside-Down Curriculum allowed me to enter a placement at the Converse Home in my very first year at Champlain. From this field placement, I was hired as a substitute, which helped build my résumé and knowledge base in working with older adults. This placement so early on in my college journey helped reinforce that I picked the right profession.
Can you tell us about your senior internship?
I am currently in my senior placement at Lund, where I work with three different programs. I work with Independence Place, which is transitional housing for families at risk of homelessness, and Lund's residential treatment program, both of which I help run. I also work with a program called Kids-A-Part, where I take part in an initiative called Storybook at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility. Through this program, I record mothers reading stories for their children and assist with family visits.
My classwork did an excellent job of preparing me for my work in the field. Starting from my first year, I was given opportunities to work directly in the community. My third year, I took Generalist Practice, where I learned to apply skills in ethics and working with clients. As a senior, I have a weekly class to discuss what is occurring in the field.
Liza Ryan on the Benefit of Small Classes, Interning with the Burlington Police Department, and Being a First-Year Resident Assistant
Liza Ryan, '20
Division
Education & Human Studies
Majors
Social Work & Criminal Justice
Hometown
Buffalo, NY
Pronouns
She/Her
Travel Course
Jordan
Internship
Burlington Police Department in Burlington, VT
Favorite Class
Differently Abled
What is the best part of the Social Work program?
Social Work is one of the smallest programs at Champlain, and I love it. The small classes are extremely beneficial because we can go through real-world experiences and ask any questions we have. We are also encouraged to go into the field early and often. My third year, I took a job in the Emergency Department at the University of Vermont Medical Center doing crisis work, and I already felt prepared at that point.
You have a really unique internship. Can you tell us about that?
I'm interning at the Burlington Police Department for my whole senior year. I have mostly focused on creative narratives for our bi-weekly "substat" meetings where we discuss any incidents we've had with individuals involved with substance use or serious mental health challenges. The goal of these meetings is to identify those in our community who need help, and then do outreach to gauge their interest in treatment, but also to let them know we're here, we care about them, and we want them to succeed.
My internship has given me lots of opportunities to see how law enforcement and social work go hand in hand.
What is the best thing about living on campus?
I may be biased because I'm an RA, but the sense of community in the first year residence halls is the best. I'm still friends with people I lived with my first year, and again as an RA of that same hall when I was a junior. I hang out with my residents, and they come cheer me on at hockey games.
Riaz Clark on Social Work, Core, and the Upside-Down Curriculum
Riaz Clark, '21
Division
Education & Human Studies
Major
Social Work
Hometown
Ann Arbor, MI
Pronouns
they/them
Internship
Family Programming Activities at the YMCA in Burlington, VT
What has been your experience in the Social Work major?
I love it. I love that it's a very small, tight-knit group of people. We have our group chats, and we're always looking out for each other. If one of us isn't in class, we're on it, making sure they're OK. It's because we're Social Workers; we're built to do that.
Has the Upside-Down Curriculum enhanced your education?
Oh, 100%. What stuck out to me when I took my first tour at Champlain was that it doesn't believe in standardized testing. As someone with two learning disabilities, I don't learn very well through text and reading. And, it was incredible that during the second semester of my first year, I was able to start volunteering at the YMCA, and now I have a job there. At a traditional school, with a traditional curriculum, I wouldn't be doing that until my junior year.
Do you have a favorite Core class?
I was in a class called Bodies: Radical Awakening with Faith Yacubian. I just love Faith. She makes sure that everyone gets what they need. The class was based off that, about radically understanding your body. She told us in class, "If your body is telling you that you need to get up and that you need to do something, you need to listen to it." It was really interesting to learn how to listen to what your body needs.