URBAN EXPERIENCE

Many of them grew up just miles away from each other but their life experiences are worlds apart.

This is the story of what happens when books and case studies come to life for UW-Whitewater social work students in the Urban Experience.

See the life-changing lessons that take place when college students from small-town Wisconsin spend a day with teens at a unique inner-city Milwaukee school.

DOWNLOAD this story

Keep up the good work!

"Wow! I am a 1995 graduate of the UW-W Social Work program...." Comment by Pam - alumni More >>

Congratulations SWSO

"I was an officer of SWSO from 1996-1998...." Comment by Amy J. Good (Schave), UW-W BSW 1998 More >>

this program should be a

"this program should be a requirement for all social work majors to complete within their undergrad...." Comment by Anonymous More >>

Many of them grew up just miles away from each other but their life experiences are worlds apart.

This is the story of what happens when books and case studies come to life for UW-Whitewater social work students in the Urban Experience.

See the life-changing lessons that take place when college students from small-town Wisconsin spend a day with teens at a unique inner-city Milwaukee school.

DOWNLOAD this story

Comments

August 25, 2008 - 8:36pm — Pam - alumni (not verified)

Keep up the good work!

Wow! I am a 1995 graduate of the UW-W Social Work program. I have never been to the UW-W website until today and happened to see the story on the Urban Experience. I too was an active member of the SWSO. What an awesome experience the group provided to those involved! What a great way to promote the helping profession! I am so proud to see that the program continues to do great things! FYI- Social Work has been a very rewarding career and has been a very good way to provide for my family while providing for others! Keep up the good work! It pays off!

August 17, 2008 - 9:04am — Amy J. Good (Schave), UW-W BSW 1998 (not verified)

Congratulations SWSO

I was an officer of SWSO from 1996-1998. I am proud to see the organization continues to develop and provide opportunities for social work students to get some first-hand experiences with what has often not been a part of their personal reality. UW-Whitewater has a very strong social work program, and SWSO enriches the classroom learning experience with opportunities for leadership development and hands-on experience.

Although I am no longer a practicing social worker, I am a nonprofit administrator working for one of Dane County's largest-and most diverse-nonprofits, the Urban League of Greater Madison. My time at UW-Whitewater was the beginning of my career path that has guided me to where I am today. See our story on Storybridge now too: http://storybridge.tv/time_is_now

Proud UW-W grad,
Amy

June 18, 2008 - 3:42pm — Anonymous (not verified)

this program should be a

this program should be a requirement for all social work majors to complete within their undergrad. program. It's really an eye opener to experience what these students go through in their everyday life.

April 25, 2008 - 10:45am — Felicia Alima

Brilliant story!

I loved this story. It's a real eye-opener and also inspirational for all parties involved in the program.

- Peace, love and all that jazz!!!
Felicia Alima a.k.a. "The Bossy Aussie" :)

April 22, 2008 - 9:57am — Rebecca G (not verified)

I'm the one in the puffy white coat!

For me, when i got into social work i new when I graduated i wanted to work with Urban youth, but everyone said that it would be hard. I tried to stay strong but sometimes peoples perseptions wore on me, which was a huge mistake. For me this weekend was so much more than volenteering. It made me remember why i wanted to work with urban youth in the first place and totally squashed all of the haters views on these kids. Knowing that there are people out that that dont belieive in them makes me want to work with them even more! They are young people just like me and some have them have been through some seriously crazy stuff, some people would like to think that they are a lost cause or that working with them would be to hard, and i think thats rediculous! This weekend stayed in my memory for days!

April 19, 2008 - 3:30pm — Jim W.

Reflections on Urban Experience

As I watched the UW-Whiterwater social work students helping Shalom High School students revise and edit their autobiographies that day, I was reminded that one of the best ways we learn about another person is to work together on a common project; in that work the commonalities as well as the differences become clearer. In a country (and state) in which people of different races and backgrounds very often lead separate and non-intersecting lives, this encounter was a valuable experience. As an educator, I was reminded that we need to set up this kind of mutually beneficial interaction more often than we do. As an educator of these specific social work students, I felt proud of who they are and what they have learned.

Jim Winship