Dean Gautam N. Yadama
As 2018 draws to a close, many of us are thinking of those facing challenges in their lives. I am very grateful for all members of the Boston College School of Social Work (BCSSW) community who are dedicated to improving the well-being of individuals, families, and communities here in Boston and around the globe.
At BCSSW, we are drawing on the foundations of the social work profession to prepare students for social work practice to advance the common good. Inequities in access to social services, education, health, housing, safe neighborhoods, and other social goods because of race, class, or ethnicity status erode the common bonds and social relations critical for building prosperous and productive communities for all. Such dynamics are at play every day and in the life courses of our communities of color in Boston and our country, and in the lives of the approximately 68 million displaced people around the globe.
BCSSW students are working in communities to understand and address the needs of Latinx families in Boston. They are also strengthening staff capacity in agencies like the Jesuit Refugee Service to address the needs of migrants and refugees under unstable, uncertain, and stressful conditions. Our faculty is intentional in training MSW students to practice with communities facing compound needs and doctoral students to understand and intervene in those needs. They are providing leadership to build the future capacity of our profession to attract and retain students who are keen on social work practice in and research with such communities.
I wish you all the best this holiday season and in the new year.