My hopes

 Thoroughly discuss a current social issue that is relevant to social work practice and fostered or confirmed your interest in the social work profession. You also may mention additional reasons for deciding to pursue graduate social work study at this time. Discuss your career interests and/or objectives and how you plan to take advantage of the resources at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service to support you in your goals. 

Helping others through social work is one of my main goals and passions in life. at Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service at Molloy College, I would like to become a counselor and make a difference in the world. By turning my individual situation of having cerebral palsy into solutions that can create a path of advocacy for people who do not have a voice in society, I believe I can enable my future clients to be confident in their own identity. Because I have a physical disability, my experience provides me with a unique sense of empathy for those who are disabled and whose opinions may not be heard. However, I intend to not only work with disabled individuals, but I also plan to advocate for any individual seeking to discover the power of their own voice as a tool to enable them to communicate their messages and experiences in a peaceful way so that they make people aware of their problems. As a counselor or social worker, I want to guide people to become powerful individuals despite their circumstances. 

One global issue that is important to me is the longstanding Syrian refugee crisis. My goal is to provide a platform for Syrian refugees to speak out about their personal experiences and opinions. Immigration laws, along with societal prejudice, make the lives of these refugees very difficult. As a Social Worker, I will have the ability to help people by fighting to change policies and the perspectives of society. Throughout the years, I have become inspired to seek a solution for the root cause of this issue, which is Islamophobia. One of the results of this “phobia” is the proposal of a travel ban by the United States against seven major Muslim nations. Although the ban was found unconstitutional by a federal judge and was denied by the Supreme Court several times, certain people in power have internalized their hatred so much that they continue to be persistent in trying to stop Muslims from entering the U.S. What our society fails to understand is the distinction between the vast majority of Muslims who practice the peaceful religion of Islam and a small minority of politically motivated radical extremists who kill their own kind. So many Americans are consumed by Islamophobia that it has become a deterrent from society hearing the perspectives of Syrian refugees and thus, prevents people from coming together as a community to solve problems. We cannot take action when we are lacking in true understanding. 

The only way to solve this humanitarian crisis is if Western nations and the rest of the world come together, regardless of their differences. I recognize that I cannot stop all conflict, but at least as a counselor, I can use my voice to not only provide emotional support for refugees but also provide knowledge to people so that they can recognize this global conflict and understand its underlying causes. My extensive research on Syrian refugees makes me want to advocate for them and eventually become an ambassador for the United Nations. Ideally, I would like to see the eradication of anti-Muslim sentiment and association of Muslims with violent acts, expansionism, and intolerance. I am eager to provide cultural education of the Muslim religion and its actual teachings for society in hopes of eventually providing peace and stability for Syrian refugees who are not being accepted globally after being driven out from their homes.

I have learned that society tends to cast out individuals who exist outside of the small bubble known as the “normal,”,whether it is due to their religion or a disability. From a young age, I learned that in order to reach my goals, I must employ different methods compared to others and put in more effort and dedication because it may take me longer to complete tasks due to my cerebral palsy. Having a physical disability means it is a daily struggle to perform basic life activities such as cooking, cleaning, and doing laundry. However, this does not mean that I cannot achieve my goals in life. Because certain tasks take me longer to complete, it allows me to pay more attention to details and gives me a higher sense of satisfaction when I do achieve them. 

Sometimes not being able to help people physically can be very challenging. But what I realized I am very good at is being empathetic and offering emotional support. This is what I experienced when my father was diagnosed with cancer. I could not do anything for him physically, but I sat home with him every day keeping him company and encouraging him with positive words. This experience made me realize that I want my future career to involve this individual care for people.

As a counselor, I can create an environment where people are not afraid to talk about religion or social problems. I plan to open up discussions with my clients by letting them start a conversation by asking open-ended questions such as “Why do you think you are here today?” and “What makes you unique?” These conversations can help me break the ice and build a strong rapport with clients. A therapist’s work cannot begin until a comfortable relationship with a client is established; this connection to clients is the foundation of therapy. I want to give clients room to express what is going on without subjugating them to double-binded questions in which however they answer, they are somehow wrong. Rather than put a negative connotaton to their answer, I want to hear them out and allow them to express themselves more freely. As a therapist, I will teach my patients how to take advantage of their own abilities. As a result, my clients will learn to accept their own differences and embrace their unique identities and talents because no one should ever be ashamed of who they are. No matter what life throws at you, people can always achieve their dreams and goals in life. In order to progress as a society, we must cast away this false idea of what “normal” is. 

My internship at Abilities allowed me to focus on this issue and make a difference. During this time, I worked in business communications and helped students with their resumes and cover letters. I was able to advocate for the students and highlight the qualities that made them stand out as individuals. This internship helped me realize that I want to become a therapist to help people with their problems, along with becoming an activist who speaks up for people who feel like they do not have a voice. I am aware that there is a stigma against attending therapy, so I want to create an environment where people feel safe and comfortable to fully express themselves. I hope to make people comfortable talking about a variety of topics so we can alleviate their frustrations together.

           I believe the social work program at Molloy College can provide me with the skills necessary to foster my development as a force which allows people to understand themselves so they can reach their full potential and influence others to do the same. Through the social work program at Molloy College I want to enhance my skills as an empathetic advocate for people, and help individuals by creating with approaches unique to their situations. I know how good it feels to have someone believe that you have the ability to make a difference, and bring out your full potential, so as a result, I want to enlighten people so that they embrace their differences and highlight the qualities that make them better people. I can achieve this by using my social skills and ability to fully attach myself to something I’m passionate about to fully invest in the success of my patients. Counseling is about connecting with people on a deep level, and my patience, dedication, and genuine passion make me an ideal counselor.