Christine Banks has taken the solid base of knowledge provided by Illinois State University and applied it to the specialty of long-term care. She is currently the Social Service Director of Heritage Manor, a skilled nursing facility that houses approximately 160 residents. Within Christine's job lies an array of tasks which fall under multiple categories. She does everything from care plan development, monitoring and developing interventions for behavioral issues, to working one-on-one with residents and their families, to working with outside departments and agencies, to staff training/education, to placement adjustment for residents and families.
Christine would like to teach others about long-term care and social work using the knowledge that she gained from her experiences with Heritage Manor. Christine has have been a BSW Field Instructor to four ISU students. She considers using her social work expertise to becoming a licensed Nursing Home Administrator in the future. She encourages everyone in the field to consider the variety of options that medical social work has to offer. Christine advises current students to use this time to expose themselves to the various fields of social work in any and every way possible because it will provide them with the experience and knowledge to become even stronger social workers.
After completing her undergraduate work at ISU, Cassandra has worked in child protection and abuse recovery. As a child mental health specialist and respite program supervisor with Hephzibah Children's Association in Oak Park, Illinois, one of Cassandra's accomplishments has establishing a respite program. Additionally, she has earned an MBA. Her goals include the creation and implementation of a curriculum to teach self-esteem and self awareness to children who are survivors of abuse and neglect. Cassandra advises current students planning to work in child welfare, “Be ready to be endure the unimaginable horror stories that children have gone through.” Some of her favorite memories of ISU include her work as an Resident Assistant, “creating an atmosphere of support and encouragement to students,” and her field practicum at The Children's Foundation. Cassandra and Phillip expect their first child on March 26, 2006.
Haley Beth Cutler Since graduating in the spring of 2005 with her Bachelor's of Science degree in Social Work, Haley Cutler has become a Court Advocate for victims of domestic violence at Harbor House in Kankakee, Illinois. This entails helping victims of domestic violence seek Orders of Protection in Kankakee, Iroquois, and Grundy County. Working six hundred hours in the field prior to graduation from Illinois State University prepared Haley to earn her job over a number of highly qualified and experienced applicants. A strong foundation of knowledge of the systems and strengths perspective provided by her ISU preparation also guided her in the direction of domestic violence.
Haley's future plans include marriage, having children, and earning her Master's of Social Work degree at Washington University in St. Louis. She encourages current students to get to know their cohort because they will miss them once they graduate. Haley's fondest memories of her time spent at Illinois State University include painting a mural with her class during a community project for seven hours straight and attending the March for Women's lives in Washington D.C. with the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance. The School of Social Work and the experiences gained from Haley's time during her undergraduate education prepared her to change the lives of every client she meets each day.
After graduating from Illinois State University with her Bachelor's of Science in Social Work in 1998, Christie Gilson has since been in pursuit of further education. She earned her Master of Social Work degree, and is currently a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Special Education at the University of Illinois where she has the responsibility of teaching, researching, and writing dissertation on disability rights.
During her time at ISU, Christie earned the Star Award for collaboration and implementation of an event that served to educate faculty and staff on the Americans with Disabilities Act. Christie is a Licensed Social Worker and plans on contributing to the world of academia or direct social service agencies that focus on disability rights.
The School of Social Work helped Christie to gain the self-confidence necessary to feel comfortable in her role as a social worker and taught her to strive to provide her very best service to each and every client. She advises other students to humbly give clients their best and, “Never forget the grave responsibility you carry as a social worker.” Christie holds the dear friends she made in her years spent at ISU among her fondest memories as she pursues further education and experiences in the future.
Rachael Renee Kerrick Child welfare service has been the central focus of Rachael Kerrick's career since graduating from Illinois State University with her Master's Degree in Social Work in 2003. Rachael currently works for the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) as a Field Support Lead/Liaison to Field Operations for the State Automated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS) Project, where she wears a number of hats. Rachael cleverly describes herself as a “Jacqueline of all trades” in her current position because of the variety of work she has within her job.
In the past two years, Rachael has provided child welfare expertise to the SACWIS Project, assisted with the support and training of Purchase of Service SACWIS implementation and training, and worked with Regional Quality Councils to establish subcommittees. Rachael has also worked closely with the Division of Training to develop and teach a curriculum for Advanced Practice Specialists. While she primarily works in Springfield, her job requires her to travel to all six DCFS locations statewide.
Illinois State University has helped strengthen solid, ethical social work practice in Rachael, which has allowed for her to grow and achieve many of her professional as well as personal goals. She is currently in the process of beginning supervision to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Although Rachael has already touched so many lives within her work for DCFS, her love for reaching out to others does not stop there. Rachael has been invited to Illinois State University to speak to BSW students on many occasions and was elected this past year to serve on her local school board.
Rachael strives for continual growth and advancement within DCFS and one day hopes to become a deputy director. She also has interest in running for political office in the future to place a social work perspective at the forefront of political decision-making. She advises students and others within the field of social work, “Be true to yourself and know yourself well. Know your limitations as well as how far you can stretch.” It is clear that the sky is the limit for Rachael Kerrick.
After graduating from ISU with a Bachelor's of Science degree in Social Work, Shannon Larkin chose to use the skills and knowledge gained from ISU to work in the area of adolescent substance abuse/chemical dependency. She is currently a Unit Specialist for Rosecrance Health Network/Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Treatment Facility in Rockford, Illinois, soon to be a Unit Counselor. Shannon works with in-patient adolescent boys who are living in the facility undergoing drug/alcohol treatment for 30-90 days. Working directly with the boys for her entire shift each day, Shannon facilitates their schedules including therapeutic recreation activities, group building, and an educational lecture series about chemical dependency.
Illinois State University and the School of Social Work made it easy for Shannon to “get in, get out, and do some serious learning and changing in between.” Entering into her current position, she felt much more prepared than her co-workers because the undergraduate degree's generalized program prepared her for working with groups, families, and individuals. She often recalls lessons from the Social Work Skills Lab class, in which she excelled and later served as a teacher's assistant. She now remembers the nerve-racking interviews, tapes, and hours of transcription fondly.
In June 2005, Shannon passed the Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) exam. She will be interviewing for a new position within Rosecrance soon, which will take her into the school district, working with substance abuse prevention counseling. She also plans to interview for a Primary Addictions Counselor position and eventually earn her MSW as well. As someone that stayed true to herself and why she earned her degree in social work, Shannon advises other students, “Once you earn your degree, go out and use it!”
Marie McCurdy After graduating in 2004 from Illinois State University with her Master's of Social Work degree, Marie McCurdy has worked in the areas of grief, domestic violence, and transplant support group facilitation. She is currently a Family Case Manager for the McLean County Health Department in Bloomington. In addition to her case management, Marie also has her own private practice as well, McCurdy and Associates Counseling Services.
Marie has earned a number of certificates including her LSW, Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence training certificate, ISU Certificate in Child Welfare, Heartland Community College Certificate in Basic Early Childhood and a certificate in Advanced Early Childhood. She is currently working on her LCSW and licensure from the Illinois Certified Domestic Violence Professionals (ICDVP.) Marie has also volunteered in a variety of areas within social work in the past few years from hospice to serving on the board of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Family Violence Coordinating Council. Illinois State University and the School of Social Work provided many networking opportunities for Marie. However, it is her ambition and determination pave the way for her as she plans on working full time in her private practice once her LCSW supervision is complete. She advises students and others in the field: “Have a goal and keep working towards it.”
Sheryl Lang DeMott Since graduating from Illinois State University with her MSW in 2003, Sheryl Lang DeMott has been working with families of victims in Tennessee's Department of Correction on the micro, mezzo, and macro level. She is currently the Victim Services Director there, where she leads grief groups and counsels family members victims of homicide, organizes community advocacy groups for victims of violent crime, and advocates for policy changes related to victimization. Among many other victim services, Sheryl is responsible for the research, development, monitoring, and policy writing of victim-oriented programs. Such programs include Parole Hearing Initiative, Victim Impact classes, and the Tennessee Correction Academy's curriculum and training in Victim Awareness and Response to prison staff members.
Sheryl has been nominated for an “E” Award by the first Tennessee Economic Council on Women's Economic, Excellence, and Equity Award, recognizing her as a woman that has distinguished herself in her field of life commitment which contributes to improving the lives of women and girls in the state of Tennessee. In addition, she earned the “Who's Who in Social Work” award this year for her hard work and dedication to the field of social work, and has also earned her CMSW. ISU and the School of Social Work helped prepare Sheryl for working with clients on an individual basis as well as organization in program development and research.
In the future, Sheryl plans on increasing her individual and group counseling, including supervision to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She is working to research, train, and develop a state-level mediation dialogue program for victims and violent offenders, which is scheduled to begin in 2006. She emphasizes the importance of building experiences that will allow her to keep her options open for any opportunities that the future might hold.
Hillary Jane Myers After earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Work with a minor in Spanish from Illinois State University in 2005, Hillary Myers has already begun practicing social work in the field of mental health. She currently works for the Center for Human Services Rooming House as a Residential Specialist in the Bloomington-Normal area. She assists adults with a variety of mental illnesses in achieving treatment goals by working with them on social skills, medication compliance, community awareness, and housekeeping.
From her undergraduate years at ISU, Hillary holds her time spent with the Gamma Phi Circus and the relationships formed with social work professors and peers in her fondest memories. Her experiences as a student in Illinois State University's School of Social Work instilled in her the knowledge as well as the confidence necessary to enter smoothly into a social welfare position. In addition to learning the basic theories and concepts of generalist social work practice, Hillary's academic experiences at Illinois State gave her the practical skills necessary to succeed in her profession.
Hillary plans on returning to school in two years to pursue her MSW and eventually return to the child welfare field. She advises current social work students: “Stick with it! Be proud of yourselves for wanting to study such a noble profession. The social work curriculum is not an easy one, but… all the hard work will pay off once you help your first client.”
The School of Social Work at Illinois State University is proud to recognize alumni such as Hillary Myer who live out Hillary's favorite quote by Martin Luther King Jr., “Everyone has the power for greatness. Not for fame, but greatness, for greatness is determined by service.”
After graduating in 1985 from Illinois State University, Jeanette Roberts continued the work in addictions that she began during her undergraduate internship at Lighthouse (now Chestnut Health Systems.) This began a long-term commitment to working in the area of addiction recovery. Jeanette went on to earn her MSW at the University of Illinois and became part of Lighthouse's full-time staff as a Primary Counselor, later working in the Employee Development Association. For many years she served as a Clinical Services Supervisor for Lighthouse before starting her own private practice in Bloomington.
While Jeanette worked in her own private practice, her commitment to social work does not end there. In order to give back to ISU and the social work profession, she has taught as an ISU adjunct faculty member in the School of Social Work program. Jeanette considered having her own practice and teaching at ISU to be her most satisfying professional achievements. In January 2007, Jeanette accepted a full time position with the School of Social Work department as the Director of Admissions and Recruitment. Now she has the opportunity to help others choose Social Work.
During her undergraduate years, Illinois State University inspired Jeanette and instilled in her excitement about the field. She looks back fondly on her invaluable internship at Lighthouse, as well as the collaborative teacher-student learning environment provided by the School of Social Work faculty, such as Mary Campbell. Jeanette plans to remain in private practice, continue teaching, and “keep learning about the craft of social work.” Those that know her well would not be surprised to hear her everyday advice to students and others in the field: “Get your own therapy!”
Jeremy Michael Schenk After graduating in 2000 from Illinois State University with his Bachelor's of Science degree in Social Work, Jeremy Schenk has since taken the skills that he learned from his undergraduate experiences in social work and followed a unique path. In just one year, Jeremy earned his Master's of Science in Education Administration and Foundation (College Student Personnel Administration.) He has been promoted quickly to the Assistant Coordinator of Programming in Illinois State University's Dean of Students Office, where he takes great pride in working with college students.
The skills he learned from his social work background have served as a valuable took in setting the foundation for the way that Jeremy works with his students. Jeremy's current position has given him the opportunity to empower student by teaching them leadership and other life skills as they pave their journeys into adulthood.
“Jeremy inspires me to lead with integrity. In every interaction, his strong character shows through both personally and professionally. He is a man that truly cares about every single person he comes in contact with,” explains Zach Messersmith, Vice President of University Program Board (one of the primary student organizations that Jeremy advises.) Although Jeremy does not work in a traditional social work setting, he feels that the skills learned in his undergraduate social work curriculum are so much more than just social service skills, they are people skills.
Jeremy advises students, “Remember you are like farmers – you plant the seed in people – but sometimes it takes awhile before it grows. Be patient and remain positive – you may never know the impact you have made on someone's life – but that does not mean you did not make one.” His goal is to continue working with college students and student unions. He counts his internship at the Baby Fold and department social gatherings among his fond memories of his undergraduate career at ISU. He would love to hear from fellow alumni and asks they contact him at jmschen@ilstu.edu
David Thompson After David Thompson earned his Bachelor's of Science Degree in Philosophy and Psychology in 1997, he immediately entered the helping profession by running an after school program, working for a daycare, and as an Advocate. In 2000, David and his wife, Lori, moved to Normal and he attended the M.S.W. program fulltime “to increase my knowledge base, tools, and skills in working with at risk children and families.” David went on to complete his graduate internships in the Family Service Initiative program and in Clinical Services at the Babyfold. David was among the first graduating M.S.W. class at ISU in 2002.
During his Master's research project, David connected with Chestnut Health Systems and has been working there for three years. David is currently an Early Intervention Specialist in the Student Assistance Program. As an Early Interventionist he administers assessments, makes recommendations and referrals, and provides brief solution focused and manualized interventions with students in a junior high and high school. According to David, when his is not working with individual students, he spends a lot of time hanging out in the hallways and lunchrooms listening to the students, being visible, and building relationships.
David completed his LCSW supervision with Chestnut and plans on earning his LCSW. He advises social work students to maintain a positive altruistic motivation. David explains that social workers can constantly check their motivation and daily actions in order to benefit others and develop both professionally and personally.
Diane Zosky Diane Zosky considers herself to be very fortunate that she was able to earn her Bachelor's of Science Degree in Social Work with ISU in the very first year the program was accredited. Because the entire department was working so hard to become accredited, Diane felt inspired by the passionate social workers teaching her classes such as Dr. Mildred Pratt. They proved to have the true social work mission at heart and provided her with an invaluable education.
In her undergraduate education, Diane felt inspired to work with the most vulnerable. After earning her Master's of Social Work degree in 1983 from the University of Illinois, she pursued the areas of family counseling, rehabilitation and trauma, domestic violence, and adoption with young mothers in the social work profession. Diane took on a teaching role so that she could have the opportunity to help prepare social workers for the profession. She was instrumental in the accreditation of Bradley University, as well as Illinois State University, where she is currently the BSW Program Director and continues to teach.
Over the years, Diane has had many achievements and earned a number of prestigious awards such as becoming an LCSW, earning her PhD in Clinical Social Work from Loyola University, and even being named Peoria Social Worker of the Year in 2003. However, she still considers the changes she makes in students and their positive feedback at the end of each semester to be among her most important achievements. Diane is always looking toward the future to continually change the world for the better. Someday, Diane may return back to the clinical world and begin seeing clients again, but as for now her future goals include: reaccrediting ISU's Social Work program, achieving tenure, and seeing her daughters grow up into responsible adults. Today Diane uses the passion that was ignited in her by the Social Work program at ISU and tells others in the field, “Don't ever forget the mission of why we do what we do.”
