The New Social Worker Vol. 20, No. 1, Winter 2013 | Page 24

On Campus STUDENT SOCIAL WORK ORGANIZATIONS Please send us a short news article about your group’s activities. Also, send us photos of your club in action—we may even feature you on our front cover! It’s easy to share your club’s activities with our readers. Send your news/photos to: Hudson—continued from page 3 Jesús Reyes, AM, ACSW, LCSW, is Director of the Social Service Department of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, and former assistant dean for enrollment at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration. Now available in Kindle format at Amazon.com AND in print at Amazon.com or shop.whitehatcommunications.com to earn a law degree and open a clinic on the side. “I always wanted to go into law,” Hudson says. “I grew up watching Law and Order. But I’m not sure I could defend someone I thought was guilty or prosecute someone I’m not sure is guilty. Still, I came to realize how connected social work and the law are in advocating for people.” He did an internship this past summer as a junior researcher at the American Bar Association Center on Children and the Law. If all that were not enough, Hudson’s “final goal” is a Ph.D. When not studying or working, he loves to work out, finding it a “great stress reliever.” He also likes eating out, hanging out with friends, and, “debating a little” with them about issues. And of course, there’s training “adorable Charlie.” On campus, Hudson held numerous positions in Student Government, the Academic Honor Council, the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility, and Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, among others. But if you mention leadership qualities, he demurs. “I don’t consider myself a leader. I believe in a team effort. The true leader is one who creates other leaders. I like to empower people to do their best.” As a McNair Scholar, Hudson did a year-long research internship, with the guidance of Nelson-Gardell and McNair staff. Through an online survey, he examined undergraduate current and former foster youth’s opinions about how significant four categories of support— academic institutional, child welfare/ foster care system, financial, and social/ emotional—are in relation to students’ ability to stay in college and achieve educational success. “A majority of the students said financial support was the most important,” Hudson says. “Many took courses geared toward success, such as graduate school prep and etiquette. In the foster care world, you don’t know what the future holds, so they wanted to ensure their future.” Through his talent, drive, and interpersonal skills, Hudson’s own future seems assured. “If you are applying to MSW programs, Reyes’ guide...will quickly become a favorite resource.” Tara Kuther, Ph.D., About.com Guide to Graduate Schools Barbara Trainin Blank is a freelance writer based in Harrisburg, PA. Linda Grobman, ACSW, LSW, Editor/Publisher THE NEW SOCIAL WORKER P.O. Box 5390, Harrisburg, PA 17110-0390 or to [email protected] Happy New Year From the Phi Alpha Honor Society National Office Phi Alpha is pleased to present three Phi Alpha Patty Gibbs Wahlberg scholarships. First place winner Brooke Schipporeit has received $2,500 and an all-expense paid trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to present her application at the BPD conference in March 2013. Second place winner Jessica Ceh received $2,000, and Molly Ballantyne received $1,500. We would like to thank the many chapter advisors who participated as judges. The electronic scholarship application is located on the PhiAlpha. org Web site, and the deadline is May 30, 2013. Phi Alpha Poster Board Presentation winners are University of ArkansasFayetteville, Coppin State University, and Texas A&M University-Central Texas. They presented at the Phi Alpha International Meeting of the International Council in conjunction with CSWE-APM in Washington, DC, in November. Winners were judged by Phi Alpha advisors Marian Ascencio, Dr. Noam Ostrander, and Linda Grobman, publisher and editor of The New Social Worker. The winners received a monetary award and Phi Alpha merchandise. Thanks to our listserv manager Michael Berghoef at Ferris State University, the Phi Alpha listserv is in the process of getting up and running. Check out the BPD listserv and the Phi Alpha Web site to subscribe and network with thousands of Phi Alpha members across the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Kind Regards, Tammy Hamilton, Executive Secretary [email protected] THE SOCIAL WORK GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICANT’S HANDBOOK Second Edition by Jesús Reyes Required reading for anyone who wants to get a master’s degree in social work. In The Social Work Graduate School Applicant’s Handbook, you will learn about the admissions process from an insider’s perspective.You will discover what will help (and hurt) your chances of being accepted to the school of your choi