CHESW Students Share Their Gratitude

UW-Green Bay student Ciana Fragnito in the classroom during her student teaching.
UW-Green Bay student Ciana Fragnito in the classroom during her student teaching.

Ciana Fragnito, from St. Paul, MN, aspires to be an elementary teacher. She will reach her goal with graduation from UW-Green Bay in December 2021 after 3 years at UWGB (thanks to college credit in high school).

“I am most thankful for the professors and how they clearly care so much about who we are as people, helping us succeed in our classes, and developing the most effective teachers they possibly can. Through my experience, I felt that the professors were there to actually see me succeed and always were willing to help with any question, big or small.”

“I am thankful for the numerous opportunities we are given to be in the field starting during our candidacy semester and continuing through student teaching. This allows teachers in the program to gain a wide variety of experiences as they progress through the program with each semester being in a different grade or subject or school setting. I feel this is something unique to UWGB and one of the most helpful tools in preparing me for the field!”

UW-Green Bay student Amanda Baddmoccosin-Barnes at her MSW field experience.
UW-Green Bay student Amanda Baddmoccosin-Barnes at her MSW field experience.

Amanda Baddmoccosin-Barnes, from Wittenberg, WI, aspires to be a clinical therapist. To reach this goal, she entered the Master of Social Work (MSW) program and hopes to graduate in 2023.

“I am thankful for the opportunity to complete my field experience with Menominee Tribal Family Services, because the staff has a wealth of knowledge and compassion, along with being instrumental in the adoption and improvements to the Menominee children’s code 278. The Menominee tribal leaders and community saw the need to create a trauma-informed, children’s code in order to keep families intact and honor the Menominee way of life. I find working with the community a great honor and thank the Menominee tribe for allowing me to be a part of this most important work.”

Making a Difference: MSW Program Launches in Wausau

The UW-Green Bay Social Work department is now offering its Master of Social Work (MSW) program in central Wisconsin, with offices, classes, and advising on the UW-Stevens Point at the Wausau campus.  The program begins this fall with 25 students pursuing their MSW degrees.  This initiative is in response to the needs of the central Wisconsin region and is supported through a unique partnership with UW-Stevens Point.

According to the US Bureau of Labors Statistics, overall employment for social workers is projected to grow 13% by 2029, much faster than the average of other occupations.  By expanding to central Wisconsin, the UW-Green Bay MSW Program ensures high-quality social work education is accessible to more individuals seeking an advanced social work degree.

The MSW Program offers the same curriculum and areas of emphasis in the Wausau location as that of Green Bay, including the school social work certificate and child welfare stipend. The MSW Program utilizes a cohort model which highlights building and maintaining student-to-student and faculty-to-student relationships.  The Program offers a part-time and full-time option for both the generalist and specialized curriculum. Courses consist of a combination of in-person, hybrid, and online.

Margaret LaVen, a student in the MSW Wausau cohort, lives less than five miles from the Wausau campus and appreciates this new opportunity. She shared that the program’s accessibility and the personal support received from faculty have allowed her to pursue this degree and career option in her home community.

Learn more here.