The USF School of Social Work has launched a new podcast that explores the powerful stories of social workers, students, and social work scholars who have made an outstanding impact on communities far and wide. The podcast was launched on March 31 with two episodes immediately available and a new episode to be released every other Friday.
Episodes are hosted by Chris Groeber, MSW, an associate in research in School of Social Work with more than 30 years of experience in child welfare. He enjoys working with the innovative students in the School of Social Work and says the podcast will help show the many paths within the social work field that can help change the world.
“My hope is that, through these conversations, our listeners see themselves in the people we talk to and recognize our common humanity,” Groeber said. “I want them to be inspired and, after listening to the podcasts, believe ‘I could get that degree, I could get that BSW, MSW, or PhD.’”
The first episode features an interview with Vivian Mills, PhD, who shares her journey of going back to school to earn her MSW, and later her PhD, all while balancing school with her home life, which includes parenting nine children (one birth child, four adopted children, and four kids in foster care). Her story shows that busy parents are capable of reaching big goals.
The second episode introduces Conial Caldwell, Jr., MSW, a visiting instructor in the School of Social Work. In this episode, Caldwell discusses his professional journey from Washington, D.C. back to the academy and shares his passion for researching the lived experiences of Black fathers and the ways in which they talk to their children about race and racism.
The podcast will include faculty, staff, and students from within the college, as well community members. It will cover a range of topics including self-discovery in the face of adversity, disability advocacy, exploring career paths with a degree in social work, the breadth of services social workers provide to society, and more.
Episodes will be available on the podcast website, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.