Health and Human Services News

Learning how to be advocates

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Two clinical instructors for the School of Social Work, Salina Bollinger and Kelly Dudley, accompanied 38 students to attend Social Work Advocacy Day in Jefferson City on March 1.   

Advocacy Day has not been celebrated since before the pandemic, which made this event extra special.  

Earning the MSSIP grant 

It wasn’t an easy feat getting everyone to the event.  

Bollinger, Dudley and Wendy Jackson, fellow clinical instructor for the School of Social Work, worked hard to apply for the MCHHS Student Success Innovation Projects (MSSIP) grant to receive well-earned funding. 

Funding was used to reimburse traveling expenses and provide a free meal for students. 

A truly immersive experience 

Bollinger and Dudley hoped students would learn much more in a hands-on environment. 

The day began bright and early. The pair, along with a few students, attended the education committee meeting of the House of Representatives at 8 a.m. 

Students then had the opportunity to go on tours and speak to elected legislators. 

The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) hosted lunch. Several elected officials were brought in who also studied social work.  

“It was helpful for students to connect with people who studied the exact same thing,” Dudley said. 

Among the officials was Crystal Quade, #BearGrad from Missouri State’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program and representative for Greene County in the Missouri House of Representatives. 

The day wrapped up as students and faculty listened to the Senate and the House of Representatives sessions. 

“Apparently, students didn’t realize how much their voices matter,” Bollinger said. “Going to Advocacy Day showed students that giving their feedback to legislators does matter.” 

Jolie Keeney, a junior in the BSW program, is a testament to this powerful event. 

“Not only did I learn how to set up a meeting with a representative, but I also had the joy of exploring the Capitol with my fellow social work peers,” Keeney said.  

“Anyone can watch committee hearings on television, but experiencing it in real-time is so much better! I know that I can make a difference. This experience renewed my desire to become a social worker in the realm of policy reform.” 

An impressive turnout 

Of the 38 students, there were 32 undergraduate students and six graduate students. 

“We had no idea how many students would show up because the event hadn’t happened in several years,” Dudley said. “It was thrilling to see how many students decided to come.” 

Bollinger and Dudley will be back next year to accompany students to Advocacy Day. 

“We might recruit a few extra faculty members to help and hopefully we’ll be able to get the MSSIP grant again too,” Bollinger said. “Regardless, the opportunity will be there for students.” 

Explore the School of Social Work

Ready for big opportunities

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When Mary Finzel of West Plains earned her undergraduate degree in psychology, she never considered social work.

In her mind, social work majors were case workers.

But when she decided to pursue a master’s degree, Finzel realized that a master’s in social work could open so many doors.

“I could do so many things. I could be a clinical manager, a program director. I can work in any kind of advocacy for people, social justice advocacy. I could go into industrial facilities, factories and help with human resources,” she said.

Finding support in an online program

As an untraditional student returning to school, Finzel was attracted to the fact Missouri State offers a Master of Social Work that can be earned 100% online.

She had trepidations because she’d never completed a degree online, but felt she had the discipline to do it.

“Then I realized I really liked it because it was very convenient for work and personal life. I didn’t have a set schedule that I had to go by, other than when my assignments were due,” she said.

“I don’t like being restrained to one position, I want to be able to do multiple positions and wear multiple hats, and so that’s what really pulled me to the degree in social work.”

The mother of two chose Missouri State because of its accreditation, history and stellar reputation.

The professors were supportive and provided a lot of feedback.

“Professors were always available for communication through email, Zoom, phone calls, just whatever I needed. I had some personal family issues going on in the beginning … and I communicated that to my professors and they were more than willing to give me some grace. Since it’s all online, that feedback from the professors is really important because it lets you know what you’re doing well in, what you need to improve on,” she said.

Another strength of the program was the diverse lineup of classes — there’s a broad spectrum of information.

Driven to help others

The 44-year-old graduated in May 2022 with her Master of Social Work.

A Mountain View native, for the past few years she has worked as an Integrated Co-Occurring Disorder specialist. She works in a substance abuse treatment center for adolescents.

Upon graduation, her title changed to diagnostician. She received a promotion and pay raise. The degree had already paid off.

Finzel has always wanted to work in some capacity helping others.

“I had a lot of trauma in my childhood and mental health runs in my family,” she said. “I have two sons with special needs. … I decided I wanted to be available to help people in the way that I needed help whenever I was younger. Because I’m from a small town, there just wasn’t those services available in my area, and so I wanted to be able to have that positive impact on others the way I didn’t have those resources when I was younger.”

Explore social work at Missouri State

Missouri State University stands out

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Missouri State has been ranked one of the nation’s best schools for online degrees and certificates in the healthcare field for 2023.  

Six percent of regionally accredited colleges and universities earned a ranking position.  

The recognized programs are: 

Missouri State has excelled at producing an outstanding online program for each of these areas, landing high spots on EduMed’s already selective list.  

Top features 

EduMed researched and analyzed more than 7,700 accredited schools. The data science team then applied a proprietary algorithm to rank all qualifying schools for each healthcare discipline.  

Primary data points include:  

  • Academic counseling services 
  • Career placement services 
  • Student-to-faculty ratio 
  • Tuition 
  • Percent of students receiving school-based financial aid 
  • Amount of school-based aid per student 

To be eligible, a school must hold active regional accreditation and have at least one partially online program in the ranking subject. Just 8% of U.S. postsecondary institutions earned a ranking position. 

MCHHS Dean Dr. Mark Smith said that he’s not surprised by the high program placements. 

“We always strive to create the best learning environment for students, whether they’re in person or not,” Smith said. “It’s wonderful to see that our faculty and programs are receiving the recognition they deserve.” 

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New social work scholarship gives support to students working with specialized groups

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Anita Bridges Cruzan had a career worth celebrating.

Cruzan graduated from Missouri State with a bachelor’s in social work in 1978. She dedicated her life to social work among the elderly, HIV/AIDS patients and children with disabilities or special needs.

Now that she’s in retirement, Cruzan’s brother, Paul Bridges Jr., wanted to honor the compassion she showed during her career. So, he established the Anita Bridges Cruzan social work scholarship at MSU.

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.”

MSU Annual Scholarship Application

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.