Graduating students in the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program were welcomed into the profession on May 5 during two pinning ceremonies. The 47 BSW graduates, joined by family and friends, gathered in the Marshall Student Center for the in-person cohort ceremony and in the MHC Atrium for the online cohort celebration.
Both events opened with remarks from Chris Simmons, PhD, LCSW, professor of instruction and director of the School of Social Work, and featured heartfelt speeches from faculty members and students.
Christopher Groeber recognizes students who received Child Welfare Certification.
A group of students in the online cohort gather for a photo.
A student in the online cohort accepts her pin.
During the in-person ceremony, student Tinesha Taulbee encouraged her classmates to be intentional about choosing communities that help them grow, comparing the graduates to seeds handed out to attendees upon their arrival.
"For a seed to reach its full potential, it must be planted in the right environment," she said. "What's even more beautiful is that trees intertwine to withstand storms and gain nourishment from each other as well. They support each other."
Master of Social Work students held their own event in the social work suite on May 1 to celebrate the completion of their program.
Jennifer Roth, MSW, LCSW, recognized members of the Phi Alpha Honor Society and Christopher Groeber, MSW, honored students who received Child Welfare Certification. At both ceremonies, John Rutledge, MSW, assistant instructor and chair of the BSW program, delivered closing remarks.
“I hope you found a space here where vulnerability felt possible — a place where you could share challenges, not just successes; a place where fear, uncertainty and struggle were met with respect rather than judgment,” he said. “Trust doesn’t happen automatically. It needs to be built. We know that because we learned that together. I hope you experienced that here.”
See photos from the BSW pinning ceremony here.