The prevalence of mental health and addiction disorders in modern society greatly necessitates the need for qualified social work professionals. As such, the Ohio Dept. of Higher Education awarded Wilmington College a $119,414 grant for Great Minds Fellowships as a means for attracting and retaining outstanding students.
WC students within two years of graduating and entering the behavioral healthcare workforce are eligible to be selected as Great Minds Fellows. They can receive up to $10,000 to support their field placements, fieldwork and internships.
Dr. Audrey Wagstaff, area coordinator and professor of social sciences and communication arts, calls the grant a "fantastic recruiting and retention opportunity" to bring in new and transfer students interested in pursuing social work.
She explained that social work majors are required to complete 400 hours of field placement – typically over two semesters – at an off-campus site such as a social services agency or school. "This is an invaluable opportunity to immerse our students in the field, facilitating meaningful hands-on learning," she said. "Nevertheless, this is a significant time commitment so helping to offset costs and/or offer scholarship funding they can apply to their tuition expenses is extremely helpful."
Wagstaff added that our society is facing crises in mental health, trauma recovery, behavioral health and addiction caused by a multitude of factors, including the aftermath of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
"Qualified social workers play a vital role in helping people cope with a variety of problems they face in their everyday lives," she said. "Moreover, qualified social workers are in high demand with growth in the field expected to grow by 12% in the next 10 years. At WC, we can begin their training whilst offering this funding to help propel them into the field for a lifetime of service and success."