MSW Spotlight Archives

Networking for Success: Tips for UNE Online Students

Research has shown that establishing personal links through networking can give you a professional boost. Networking activities are a key tool for strengthening your position in your field and have proven to have tangibly positive career implications for participants. In this post, you will find tips for networking for success, how to build your networking skills, and how to put your networking plan into action. Expand your network – who do you know? Networking isn’t just about making superficial connections with as many people as possible; it’s about actively listening and engaging. Successful networkers prioritize building meaningful relationships by investing time and effort into understanding others’ needs and interests. By doing so, they uncover genuine opportunities to forge lasting connections…

Alumni Spotlight: Nicole Petrin, MSW Program

In honor of Social Work Month, we highlight another fantastic human who decided to pursue her MSW with UNE Online! Click to read about Nicole Petrin’s journey from undergrad, to UNE Online, to South Africa, and more! Thank you for sharing your experience Nicole and Happy Social Work Month!

Tags: Master of Social Work | MSW | MSW Spotlight | Online Learning

Spotlight: Darryl Vincent, MSW '14

In celebration of Social Work Month, we are so excited to revisit our interview with Darryl Vincent, MSW! We chatted with him about the power of integration in his social work practice – but here’s an update on what he’s up to, how he is using his MSW in his work, and how his MSW has helped him with career advancement. Click the link to read more! Happy Social Work Month!

Tags: Master of Social Work | MSW | MSW Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight: Melissa Oran, MSW

What would you want a potential student to know before starting this program? “One of the biggest elements you need to be successful in this program is communication. Don’t be afraid to talk to your peers, talk to your Student Support Specialist, and talk to your instructor. Don’t let yourself feel isolated or overwhelmed. Realize that some things are easier for some people than they are for others. Also, be proactive in managing your time. Make time for what’s important. If your schoolwork takes fifteen hours, schedule those fifteen hours. That’s not possible in one day a week, so you will need to spread out that time into a schedule that works for you. Finally, be honest with yourself. There…

Tags: Master of Social Work | MSW | MSW Spotlight

Student Spotlight: Tracy Hirst, MSW Program

Tracy Hirst Student Spotlight featured image

Tracy Hirst is the Director of Social Services at a nursing home in Maine. Here, she talks about how the UNE Online SOS field experience model has given the skills that help in her day-to-day job and has also allowed her to gain skills to advance her career. Can you tell us about yourself and what encouraged you to pursue your Master of Social Work? I’m the Director of Social Services at an 85-bed nursing facility here in Maine. My department does patient intakes and discharges, as well as all types of mental health assessments for each resident in the building. We are very strong advocates of the person-centered program for Maine, and we work hard to provide person-centered care.…

Spotlight: Darryl Vincent, MSW '14

We previously interviewed Darryl Vincent, MSW ’14, about the power of integration in his social work practice – here’s an update on what he’s up to, how he is using his MSW in his work, and how his MSW has helped him with career advancement. Could you give us an overview of what you’ve been up to since graduation? Initially, I decided to attend UNE Online to get my MSW, because I was supervising a team of clinical social workers who all had a higher degree of education than I did. I was Vice President of Programs at U.S.VETS, the largest non-profit homeless service provider in the nation, in charge of all the programming and all the locations that…

Faculty Spotlight: Christine Rogerson, LCSW – Social Work Program

Christine Rogerson, Practicum Coordinator

Christine Rogerson, LCSW, is the Practicum Coordinator for the Master of Social Work program at UNE Online. She graduated with a Bachelor of Psychology from the University of Maine and went on to earn her Master of Social Work right here at the University of New England. Prior to teaching at UNE, Christine spent several years working in multiple clinical social work capacities, including work within the crisis system, inpatient hospitalization with children and adults, foster care, school social work and social work within the medical setting. Can you tell me a little bit about your background and what drew you to teaching at UNE Online? I’m actually an MSW grad from the University of New England! I really enjoyed…

Tags: Master of Social Work | MSW | MSW Spotlight | Social Work

Faculty Spotlight: Mary White, LCSW – Social Work Program

Mary White, MSW Clinical Assistant Professor

Mary White, LCSW, is a Field Planner and Clinical Assistant Professor for the Master of Social Work program at UNE Online. She graduated with a BA in Behavioral Science from the University of Maine in Presque Isle and earned her Master of Social Work from the University of Maine at Orono. For 18 years Mary was employed at a community mental health center working in both clinical and administrative social work, in charge of a staff of 100+ people. She also worked for four years at a high school, providing support and social work services to approximately 500 students. She has been working full-time for UNE since June of 2011. Prior to her full-time position with the University, she was …

Tags: Master of Social Work | MSW | MSW Spotlight | Social Work

Student Spotlight: Frank Myers, MSW Program

Frank Myers is a student in the Master of Social Work program at the University of New England. We spoke with Frank recently about what attracted him to the field of social work, his experience in the UNE Online program, and what drove him to create and host an outreach event for homeless people in his area. What got you interested in becoming a social worker? I was homeless and on my own when I was 11, so the homeless population has always been in my heart. For the past three years now I’ve been working full time with the homeless, but really I’ve been working with the homeless for pretty much all my life. I try to help out…

Alumni Spotlight: Nicole Petrin, MSW Program

Nicole Petrin, social work mentor, with penguins

Nicole Petrin is a student in the Master of Social Work program at UNE Online. She has her undergraduate degree in social work, works in the field, and is also very active as a mentor for rising social workers. She just recently returned from an international social work conference in South Africa, and she shares her experiences with us here. Can you tell me a bit about yourself, and what encouraged you to pursue your Master’s in Social Work? I am originally from Rhode Island, where during my childhood and adolescence I was a very active member of Girl Scouts, even going on to earn the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, the Girl Scout Gold Award. My early exposure to…

Ambassador Spotlight: Melina Paiewonsky, MSW Program

Melina Paiewonsky is a student in the Master of Social Work program at UNE Online. Since last fall her family has endured two category five hurricanes and has been evacuated and relocated three times. Through it all, she was able to face these challenges and still stay on track with her education. Here, Melina discusses her experience with the MSW program, her thoughts about getting feedback from her instructors, and imparts some words of wisdom for students entering the program. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, and what encouraged you to pursue your Master’s in Social Work? I am from the United States Virgin Islands, St. Thomas. I’ve worked as a teacher for a few years on…

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Amy Storch, BSW, MSW, Ph.D., LCSW – Social Work Prog

Broadening perspectives. Fostering community. These missions have guided Dr. Amy Storch for nearly a decade as she’s taught foundational and practical courses, created landmark programs, and has advised hundreds of future social workers throughout their academic journeys and into their careers. She approaches her work from the rich vantage point of a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, global traveler, nationally Certified American Sign Language Interpreter and lifelong helper. The next step in a helpful path Assisting others has always been a way of life for Amy. She grew up as a child of two Deaf parents. As the only one in the family who could hear, “they depended on me for a lot of things,” she said. Even today, she continues…

Tags: Faculty Spotlight | Master of Social Work | MSW | MSW Spotlight

Ambassador Spotlight: Jacqueta Miles, MSW Program

Jacqueta Miles is a student in the Master of Social Work program at UNE Online. Despite a number of challenges, she never gave up on the pursuit of her Master’s degree and her commitment to the field of social work. Read her story, and see what advice she has for incoming students. What encouraged you to pursue your Master’s in Social Work? Growing up, I lived between my mom’s and my grandmother’s houses. My grandmother took me, my sisters, and my cousins in – we all grew up pretty much like sisters. She’s was always teaching us to help, and so growing up, I discovered that I have a heart for people. I love to help. I was in the…

Program Director Spotlight: Jennifer O’Neil, MSW, LCSW – Social Work Program

Jennifer O’Neil, MSW, LCSW, is the Program Director for the Master of Social Work program at UNE Online. We spoke to her about the program, how she came to the field of social work, and her thoughts on preparing students for life after graduation. Can you tell me a little bit about your background and what drew you to UNE Online? My background is in social work. I earned my undergraduate degree in my late 30’s as an adult learner, and then was accepted and went directly into a Master’s of Social Work program. After I graduated with my MSW, I practiced at an agency that worked with substance users and people who are HIV positive. While I was practicing…

Tags: Master of Social Work | MSW | MSW Spotlight | Program Manager Spotlight | Social Work

Alumni Spotlight: Dee Manatowa, MSW

You could say it’s in her DNA. An Oklahoma Sauk Native, Dee Manatowa inherited her passion for social work along with a devotion to environmental justice. Her father—the late Chief Elmer Manatowa Jr. of the Sac and Fox Nation in Stroud, Oklahoma—instilled in her a love for all people and the Earth. As a tribal member, Dee knows all too well the intergenerational trauma that comes with finding your place in a society that is not your own. “I was born into a world that was foreign to me,” she explains. To add to the emotional burden, she says, “I’m not full blood, so I was rejected by both my tribe and greater society.” Like her father, Dee turned to…