Hello Everyone!

As you begin your journey to learn more about the world of social work, the University of Denver, and our Graduate School as a whole, I hope you will enjoy our personal reflections and stories.   While you’re perusing the blog please don’t hesitate to take a second to ask a question or two to any of the guides.  Also, if you have any questions pertaining to admission or the program as a whole, please feel free to email me at gssw-admission@du.edu or give our office a call at (303)-871-2841.

Happy reading!

Nick Ota-Wang

Office of Admission

 

Hello- Hopefully you’ve reached this page in your journey to learn more about social work, the University of Denver, and the Graduate School of Social Work.  Click through the topics above, visit the guides on the left and enjoy your journey.

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Please see image for schedule. RSVPs can be made by visiting: http:library.du.edu

Ever wondered what its like to see the Dean of a Graduate School dancing on a dance floor to the latest music? Well our students don’t have to wonder as they get to experience it first hand!

This year marks the 3rd year that GSSW has hosted Dancing with the Dean. This student program is designed to help students have a break from their studies, and have a fun evening of socialization, dancing, food, and drinks.

This year we had some great food such as:

Great food provided by GSSW for all guests.

While GSSW Dancing with the Dean 3.0 is planned for students, the entire GSSW community is welcome to attend. Some staff and faculty attended including staff from the Office of Admission, and Office of Outreach. Many faculty also came to support the students and have a fun night out! A few alumni of GSSW surprised us with a visit along with all the partners, and family of our faculty, staff, and students.

One fun activity was the photo booth where students, staff, and faculty could have fun. Below are some sample pictures of how creative our students, staff, and faculty can be with their photo booth photos.

Pictured to the above is: Katie Connor, 2nd year MSW student – Late Life Challenges Track . Nick Ota-Wang,  Admission Assistant for GSSW and MA student in Morgridge College of Education

Pictured to above is:  Nick Ota-Wang, MA student in Morgridge College of Education and Admission Assistant for GSSW and Kim Yuskis, Field Education Coordinator, PROGRESS Program Coordinator and Clinical Assistant Professor here at GSSW.

As you can probably tell there were accessories for students to make their pictures fun! Thanks to Ann Petrila, Director of Field Education, and Clinical Associate Professor for watching over, and dressing up students with props! Even our own Nick Ota-Wang joined in on the fun with this amusing photo:

Dancing with the Dean is a program that is becoming a tradition here in GSSW. The staff, faculty, and students thank everyone for coming out and having a fun night!

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Acknowledgements:

A BIG thank you goes out to the planning committee which included: Michael Acanfora – 1st year MSW student, Carrie Krol – 1st year MSW student, Richard Bishop -Program Coordinator, Linda Clark – Assistant Dean for Administration, Lynda Ricketson – Director of Development and Alumni Giving, Dr. Eugene Walls – PhD Program Director & Associate Professor, Dr. Romona Beltran – Assistant Professor, Karen Bensen – Assistant Dean for Community Academic Programs & Clinical Assistant Professor, Ann Petrila – Director of Field Education & Clinical Associate Professor.

Are you a penny pinching coupon clipper? How about just flat out broke from the cost of a college education (or just the cost of life in general)? Did you know that you can often get a meal, a ticket to the movies, a doctor’s medical advice, or even a beer for free?

I spend a lot of my procrastination time browsing deal sights such as Groupon, Living Social, or Deal Monkey and fantasizing about having the money and free time to purchase the deals to take a gourmet cooking class or go on a dog sled adventure complete with wine and fondue (yes, most of these fantasies include food).  However, when I snap out of these fantasies I usually find myself on one website: Mile High on the Cheap.

Mile High on the Cheap has allowed me to turn some of these fantasies into reality.  While the cooking classes might not be gourmet and the wine and cheese not accompanied by a dog sled adventure, the most important aspect is that they are free (or cheap!).

Mile High on the Cheap’s editors work hard to keep the readers of the blog updated with the latest deals and freebies.  The features of the blog range from finding the cheapest place to get gas in your area to a map of local garage sales in the summer and craft fairs in the fall.

Mile High on the Cheap has helped me to have the social life I never thought I could afford while in graduate school.  Through their daily emails (an optional feature of the site), I have found out about and attended a green chili cook off (free green chili from 15 local restaurants!), a free day at Denver’s Botanical Gardens, free weekly showings of the latest episodes of Walking Dead at my local Cinebarre, a free breakfast at Chick-fil-A, among many many others.

So, if you are broke and cheap like me, check out Mile High on the Cheap and start saving!

-Poor Graduate Student

During my concentration year at GSSW, I have been interning at a hospice/palliative care agency. As part of my training as a palliative care social work intern, I have learned about end-of-life issues, advance directives (e.g., a living will), and the components that go into good hospice care.  When I accepted a position at my field placement, I had no idea that my work there would so strongly affect my personal life in a few short months.

Last September, my grandfather was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer. Though he made initial improvements with the help of chemotherapy, the tumors initially present only in his chest cavity spread throughout his body. He spent most nights during late January and early February painfully coughing up blood.

About two weeks ago, I received a call from my grandmother. She told me that grandpa had decided that though he put up a good fight, he could no longer fight his illness. It was time to look for appropriate hospice care. My intuition told me I needed to go home to assist my family with this difficult decision.  I drove back to St. Louis on Friday, February 8.

My grandmother, aunt, fiancé, and I met with the hospice team affiliated with a local hospital the next morning. I was grateful for my knowledge of hospice as the admission nurse reviewed the process of end-of-life care. Before interning at my organization, I would have been frightened by the idea of hospice. I might have believed many of the myths surrounding end-of-life care. Instead, I knew that hospice was a comfort-based option for individuals who no longer wanted to pursue curative treatment.

I had enough knowledge about hospice to ask key questions about the kind of care my grandpa would receive. Based on my field experiences, I felt that this hospice team could offer my grandpa a high level of comfort. My aunt and grandma agreed. Grandpa moved into the hospice house later that day.

When we arrived at the hospice house, grandpa seemed immediately calmer. He was finally able to get the pain medicine and care he needed. Grandpa slept for over four hours for the first time in months. He was able to see all of the people he loved over the next few days. Grandpa tied up his loose ends, pain-free. It was a gift to watch him enjoy his last few days on Earth. He died on Wednesday, February 13, in the middle of the night. His passing was peaceful.

I am grateful for the knowledge and support imparted to me by my agency. Not only were staff members very understanding that I needed to take time off to be with family, but they provided me with much-needed grief support when I returned. My first week back has been difficult, but thanks to this new connection between my professional and personal self, I am confident that I will be able to appropriately grieve my loss in a supportive environment.

 

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”

-the great Dr. Suess

So even though graduate school is busy, Denver is a great city for going outside and taking a break.  There are several wonderful parks in the Denver area.  Also, with 300 days of sun a year, parks are the perfect getaway for a little self-care.  For a map of Denver parks, go here. Enjoy!

 

City Park (1700 N. York St.)

• Facilities: 

  Benches, Drinking Fountain, Picnic Tables, Playground, Flower Beds, Walking/Jogging Path, Interactive Fountain, Lake, Baseball / Softball Field, Handball Court, Soccer Field, Football Field, Tennis Court, Horseshoe Pits, Museum, Zoo, Pavilion, Historic

Cheesman Park (1599 E. 8th Ave.)

• Facilities: 

  Benches, Drinking Fountain, Pavilion, Picnic Tables, Playground, Flower Beds, Fountain, Walking/Jogging Path, Bike/Pedestrian Path, Shelter, Scenic Views

Washington Park (701 S. Franklin St.)

• Facilities: 

  Recreation Center, Flower Beds, Picnic Shelter, Benches, Drinking Fountain, Grills, Picnic Tables, Playground, Lake, Fishing, Paddle Boat Rentals, Restroom, Tennis Court, Basketball Court, Bike/pedestrian Path, Horseshoe Pits, Lawn Bowling, Jogging Path

For more information on Denver parks, go here. 

 

There is a sigh of relief goes over me after I turn in my last midterm paper. Last week I barely slept, and there was so much work to get done.  Not only was it midterms, but the Field Fair was also last week and I had to work.  It makes you realize how important time management is when you are a graduate student. I know that for the next 4 weeks I am still going to busy, but it won’t be as stressful as it was week 5 and 6. No matter how stressed out you get during midterms, it is always important to remember that there is calm after the storm.

CG