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Getting more African-Americans and Hispanics
enrolled in advanced degree programs has long been a challenge
for schools of social work, including CWRU's Mandel School of
Applied Social Sciences. But the task got easier recently when
Congress authorized $1.3 million for merit scholarships for members
of those minority groups to pursue master's degrees in social
work at the Mandel School.
The Lou Stokes Scholarship in Community
Development & Management pays tuition and travel expenses for
up to five African-American and Hispanic students to enroll in
the Mandel School's Master of Science in Social Administration
(M.S.S.A.) degree program. The Honorable Lou Stokes represented
parts of Cleveland and its eastern suburbs in Congress for 30
years and now holds the title of Senior Visiting Scholar in the
Practice of Social Policy and Community Revitalization at the
Mandel School.
"We are extremely fortunate and honored
to be able to take advantage of this unique program," said Grover
C. "Cleve" Gilmore, dean of the Mandel School. "Like other schools
of social work, we feel strongly that it is important to increase
the number of minorities pursuing advanced degrees and moving
into leadership positions in the social work field. The Stokes
scholarships represent a significant step in that direction."
The specific goals of the Stokes Fellowship
are to:
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Support the graduate and professional education of outstanding
students from universities with Hispanic students and students
from traditionally black colleges.
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Attract a great number of African-American and Hispanic students
to advanced social work education to help meet the need for
more diversity in the social work profession.
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Foster future leadership in community building, community
development and housing.
Students have the choice of enrolling
in the school's full-time or its intensive weekend program.
The first cohort of Stokes fellows has
three students, all from the Cleveland area and all enrolled in
the weekend program. They are Lisa Miller, a home visitor for
the Early Head Start program based in Painesville; Stephanie Stedmire-Walls,
a social worker for the Center for Families and Children's RapArt
program in Cleveland Heights and the Evenstart program with the
East Cleveland Board of Education; and Magda Gomez, project manager
for Safety and Neighborhood Outreach with the Ohio City/Near West
Development Corporation.
Joan Horinka, director of admissions and
communications at the Mandel School, says the school expects to
attract students to the Stokes program from outside Greater Cleveland
as the program becomes better known. Students in the intensive
weekend program, including the Stokes Scholars, come to the Mandel
School one weekend per month, alternating between three-day (Friday-Sunday)
and two-day (Saturday-Sunday) weekends. Those in the full-time
program would attend classes two full days a week and work at
their field placement three days per week.
Miller, who has a B.A. in social work from
Ursuline College, is using the Stokes Scholarship to advance her
career in the field. "Getting a master's degree will provide more
professional opportunities, allowing me to advance to be a supervisor,"
she says.
So far, she adds, her studies are going
well. "But when they say it's an intensive weekend, that's exactly
what they mean," she laughs.
Stedmire-Walls has spent her career so
far working in areas such as literacy and building self-esteem
among African-American youths. But she decided to change directions
after attending an open house at the Mandel School describing
the Stokes scholarships. "Once I found out what community development
was about I really wanted to be a part of it," she says. "I'm
very grateful for the opportunity these scholarships have provided
to allow me to pursue this aspect of social work. I've been enjoying
the courses a lot." Stedmire-Walls has a bachelor's degree in
social work from Capital University.
Gomez, who has a B.A. in communications
from John Carroll University, works with neighborhood organizations
and block clubs in Cleveland's Ohio City neighborhood on issues
of safety. She heard about the scholarships through a friend at
Cleveland State University's Center for Neighborhood Development.
"I realized that, being a woman of Hispanic
background I met their criteria and it sounded interesting so
I applied," she recalls. "It's an excellent opportunity for folks
like myself who work full time but want to advance their education."
Gomez hopes to take future classes in areas that will prepare
her some day to head a nonprofit organization, such as finance
and budgeting, and working with nonprofit boards.
The classes are a lot of work, she says,
but also fun. "I enjoy the intellectual stimulation and getting
to know my classmates. When things get difficult I try to think
about the future and how the work I'm doing now is going to pay
off."
Further information about the Stokes scholarships
is available by calling (216) 368-5883 or at msassadmit@po.cwru.edu.
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