Addressing Inequity in Education Through Social Work

As structural inequalities in education become increasingly apparent, the need for skilled school social workers has never been greater. The Schools/Professional Educator (PEL) track in Loyola’s provides students with the skills they need to become effective leaders capable of creating equitable, inclusive school environments where all students can thrive. Learn more in this Q&A with Kate Phillippo, professor in the Schools of Social Work and Education (joint appointment):

Tell me a bit about the School Social Work track in Loyola’s MSW program and what differentiates it from similar programs.

We’re really focused on preparing students to become technically proficient school social workers who can do the work from a standpoint that is trauma informed, social justice oriented,as well as anti-oppressive and anti-racist.

All our faculty and the people who work with us to educate and support our students are experienced school social workers. They are people who deeply understand the vocation of school social work and really love it and want to carry it forward to students.

One of the things I love most about Loyola is that we also provide our students withindividualized support from very talented, dedicated advisors who work with students from the beginning to ensure they're meeting all program requirements while also getting them the experiences they want and deserve as students in our community.

What role do internships play in the program, and how are students supported throughout the internship process?

All MSW students, including school social work students, complete an internship for three days a week in their second year, so our instruction is very oriented towards supporting them to make the most of that time. We have a vast network of internship opportunities both within Chicago public schools as well as in collar communities and farther outlying suburbs.

We also have a very rigorous interview and selection process to help students identify their learning goals and then look at what internships might best help them meet those goals. Students then interview for and are selected for internships. It's a process that allows students to really get the learning experience that they're looking for.

How does the program prepare students to address systemic issues and promote equity in their work?

People are here because they want to be a person for others. It’s one thing to go in and refer people to different services and then go home and forget about it. But that's not what we do as professionals, and it's not what we're preparing our students to do. We're asking them to think about the strengths of the students and families and schools that they serve.

We need to be able to look at schools from a social justice perspective. What resources do they have? What are their strengths? What are they striving to offer to people? How might they be struggling because they don't have the resources they need? We’re preparing them to look at the strengths of the students and educators that they are serving, while also identifying structural issues that are causing problems in a community.

What advice would you give to someone who might be considering this program?

Do it! With the well-deserved attention in our country to the mental health distress that young people are facing, the demand for school social workers has never been greater. At the same time, an MSW is such a versatile degree. There are so many things you can do as a social worker. There's so much potential to shift around the field if you're feeling ready to do something different.

Many people who are experienced school social workers go on to do other things like work asdistrict administrators or directors of special education. We also see school social workers go into policy positions at organizations that partner with school districts. Then there are those people like my colleagues and I who went into academia to train the next generation of school social workers.

To learn more about Loyola’s Master of Social Work program,  or contact our graduate admissions team with questions.