Social Work Archives - Health and Human Services News

Helping a student with the same goals

The first recipient of the Anita Bridges Cruzan social work scholarship is Savannah Gray. Gray is a social work major graduating in spring 2021.

“The extra funding has been such a help to me, especially during COVID-19,” Gray said. “It’s a stress reliever to not have to worry about how I’m going to pay for school while I’m taking classes during this strange year. I’m honored to be the first recipient.”

When Bridges decided on criteria for the scholarship, she wanted the money to help a student who plans to serve the same communities she has.

“I was a State social worker for 33 years, and it’s important to me that people keep pursuing the kind of work I was doing,” she said. “It’s not easy, but it’s necessary, and it helps you put what’s important in perspective.”

Gray wants to work as a social worker in a children’s hospital, specifically with adolescents struggling with mental illness. Before she gets there, she plans to attend graduate school.

“I think Anita’s career is inspiring,” Gray said. “And knowing I have a scholarship in her name makes me proud and want to work harder as I pursue my career.”

About the scholarship

To be eligible for the scholarship, the recipient must be an undergraduate student majoring in social work, be a graduating senior and must have maintained a 3.0 minimum GPA.

Additionally, priority will be placed on applicants who have a minimum of 40 volunteer hours in the last 12 months with the elderly, HIV/AIDS patients or children with special health care needs.

If students are accepted into the Master of Social Work program, the scholarship can be renewed. Students must reapply.

Under a new agreement between Missouri’s second-largest community mental health center and the state’s second-largest university, Burrell Behavioral Health and Missouri State University will partner to provide educational opportunities for Burrell employees seeking an online Master of Social Work degree from Missouri State’s School of Social Work.

“This agreement reinforces Burrell’s commitment to its employees, and to training and retaining the best and brightest social workers. They are the backbone of our workforce and are vital to the whole-person health of our communities,” said Burrell president and CEO Dr. C.J. Davis. “We could not be more excited to help our employees access a respected institution like Missouri State University, which lives and breathes its public affairs mission throughout Missouri and beyond.”

About the program

Under Burrell’s tuition assistance program, four employees applied and qualified to receive Burrell assistance. They were accepted to Missouri State by meeting school of social work admission criteria. These four individuals, currently working as Community Support Specialists for Burrell in southwest or central Missouri or northwest Arkansas, will receive $10,000 from Burrell toward their advanced degree. This covers roughly half of the typical cost of tuition, fees and expenses for the Master of Social Work program.

Employees were admitted to one of two Master of Social Work tracks, advanced or regular. Advanced for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree in social work, and regular for students with relevant degrees who need additional coursework to complete the master’s program.

In exchange for the financial assistance, the employees agree to continue working for Burrell for at least three years following the completion of the program. Burrell social workers who graduate from the Missouri State School of Social Work with their master’s in social work will have increased opportunities for advancement and leadership positions within Burrell.

“We get to be part of the solution.”

For Missouri State, benefits include additional qualified students who will continue to work in regions mutually served by Burrell and MSU following their graduation.

“It is our responsibility as a university to support the community and the needs of said community,” said Dr. Mark Smith, dean of McQueary College of Health and Human Services. “Forming a partnership with Burrell affords both organizations the opportunity to do just that as we both strive to educate and place mental health professionals where they are needed the most: Supporting the mental needs of us all.”

“The benefit to Missouri State is that we get to be part of a solution,” Smith also said. “We get to be a community partner that together can place highly qualified social workers into the community so they make a difference.”