Speaker: Jada Johnson, Instructor II and Field Coordinator, Social Work Program, Mississippi State University
How have you or your department partnered with the MSU Division of Student Affairs to enhance the student learning experience?
Jada Johnson: The MSU social work program has long-standing partnerships with departments within the Division of Student Affairs, as well as new collaborative experiences that have come about because of last year's expo. Specifically, we've affiliated with departments to develop field practicum opportunities for our students. Just this semester, we have three students who are completing field practicum opportunities, 450 hours of opportunity each in various departments within the division, including the Office for Student Well-Being, the Center for America's Veterans, and Student Leadership and Community Engagement.
How did your students benefit from this collaboration?
Jada Johnson: With the Bachelor of Social Work, the field practicum is a required component of our curriculum. And so we are trying to expand opportunities for our students, thus the expansion to on-campus partners through the Division of Student Affairs where our students can complete the field practicum processes. And what we've seen is that students are able to obtain the same skills that they would in an off-campus setting, say a hospital or a child welfare agency or a nonprofit center. These skills include the ability to engage, the ability to intervene, to apply research knowledge, to analyze policy. All the things that we're wanting for our students, they're able to capture in an on-campus experience that's really more accessible for students who may have limitations in regard to financial support or just for geographic concerns.
Why should MSU faculty or research members want to collaborate with Student Affairs to provide students with these opportunities?
Jada Johnson: Two ideas come to mind when I think about the why behind collaborating with the Division of Student Affairs, and the first being that in my experiences historically, which has spanned almost a decade, and currently, is that they have put forth an intentional and genuine effort to invest in our students and their education, and then second would be, why not use existing resources on campus.
What are some benefits or opportunities that can arise from a partnership between Academic Affairs faculty and Student Affairs staff?
Jada Johnson: There are definite benefits to partnering with Student Affairs staff. One example I can think of is we have uh partnered with Student Affairs staff to help train our agency-based supervisors who supervise our students who are completing social work, field practical experiences. And so we've um reached out to Student Affairs Staff to help conduct these trainings on an annual basis, and they have willingly said yes and done a fantastic job in aiding in this training experience.
