Greetings graduate school application committee!

My name is Capri Jackson and I am currently seeking the entrance into the MSW program at Wayne State University. The reason that I have chosen the social work profession was birthed by my concern for social problems within the urban community and the desire that I possess in wanting to provide a service, activity or method that is concretely concerned with the investigation, treatment and material aid to clients in which I will encounter. Being admitted into the Wayne State university School of Social Work Program at the Masters Level would grant me the opportunity to gain a great deal of knowledge on how to provide ethical guidance and an array of assistance to the social support networks as it relates to developing interpersonal relationships. On an interpersonal level, it is my desire to provide effective services to those in the vulnerable and oppressed populations, mainly focused on individuals and families in the urban community. My objective upon receiving my MSW degree is to utilize the skills that I have obtained in conjunction with that of my BSW degree which I will be receiving in May of 2014. These objectives include seeking positions that would allow me to gain hands-on experience in counseling. This experience would then allow me to move forward in opening up my very own private practice to assist individuals and families with therapeutic counseling services. While providing such services, it is also my objective to establish a mentoring program for the youth in the metro Detroit area and eventual branch out into other cities/states. My BSW education has prepared me a great deal for my intended field in social work. During my first semester of the BSW program, I had the opportunity of being placed at the Covenant House of Michigan for my Service Learning Project. While providing my services at the Covenant House, I was introduced to group work practice. Groups were conducted every Monday to discuss and life issues and teach independence skills in order to help individuals become self sufficient. There were also a number of community resources that I had an opportunity to manage such as the Clothing Closet and collaborating and Christmas Wish list for the residents. As I continue through

my senior year of the BSW program, I am currently placed at an agency, Gilead Wellness Network, which has introduced me to the world of counseling services. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to actually assist in the counseling sessions with a client that I see every week under the supervision of my field instructor. I have learned many pointers in how to conduct counseling sessions, as well as observed what not to do during counseling sessions as a social worker. The exposure to how much paperwork is involved in social work as definitely given me much expectation of what I have to look forward to as I pursue my career in this field. Being able to conceptualize the practice of social work as it relates to the client systems is very important. It is my understanding that the client is often influenced by those in their environment. These contributing factors and/or people can have either a positive or negative contribution to the outcomes of the clients behavior/interactions. As a social worker , it is important that one becomes very familiar with both the client and their environment, hence the PIE Systems Theory (Person in Environment). This would provide the social worker with clarity on what is going on with the client both individually and within their environment as a whole. My life experiences have had an extremely positive bearing on my potential for the social work profession. These experiences have caused me to adjust the way in which I behave and interact with individuals. As a young mother, at the age of 18, I have been able to grasp a better understanding of the many stressors that are experienced by single mothers in the urban community. There are many challenges that these women are faced with daily which often includes the financial hardship, shelter concerns and lack of emotional support that are taken on when one has decided to have children. I can honestly say that I have faced many of those challenges along with a number of others. Being a single mom allowed the opportunity for the abundance of patience, organization, and a willing heart and mind. With the intent to provide a better environment for my daughter, I decided that I would relocate to Charlotte, NC in 2011. Relocating with my daughter stimulated room for growth. Due to the fact that I did not know anyone in the city prior to, this experience allowed me to

see firsthand what is was like to be in a new environment. It helped me to build character and courage. From this experience, I have a better understanding of how one many feel if they are the minority or simply how would could be afraid to ask for help. My attitude toward people with different values, life styles, cultures, and/or religions from that of my own have been challenged on a number of occasions. I have learned that there are many people that come from all walks of life. I think that it is important that I continue to seek the knowledge and understanding of the different cultures/religions so that I may assist individuals. I must also continue to search myself for any issues that I may have with assisting certain populations. My capacity to be self-critical and to benefit from the feedback of others has improved a great deal. At times I would be very sensitive, but now I have strengthened myself to receive constructive criticism in such a way that would not only assist me in my practice, but would also assist my client. Coping with the demands of graduate studies can be very challenging due to the many life stressors one may encounter on a daily basis. I believe that it is important to be aware of those things/individuals that place such a high demand on our lives and be equipped with the necessary coping mechanisms so that one can progress in their studies. Over the years I have been very fortunate to be able to identify the stressors in my life and different coping techniques that work well for me. Expressive writing, which I like to refer to as poetry, has been one of my long term coping mechanisms. It allows me to release any emotional or physical distress that I may be feeling by putting them into words. Bikram yoga also helps me cope. This style of yoga requires the commitment of 90 minutes in a heated room of 105 degrees. The focus is on 26 different yoga postures that causes a chemical release and allows me to become more balanced. The sauna is my newly found coping technique which gives me an opportunity to become more at peace. It brings stillness and serenity which removes me from the hustle and bustle of the world. These coping mechanisms assist in the overwhelming stress of maintaining a family, school, and a job. I believe

that they are not only beneficial in my everyday life, but they will also be helpful in allowing me to move forward in my successful progression throughout the program. As we know, financing graduate school can be quite costly, which is why it is so important to have a plan. My plan is to utilize the many resources that Wayne State has to offer such as scholarships and financial aid/student loans. I plan to complete a FAFSA in the beginning of the year so that I may qualify for any type of aid or assistance that is available to me. Though I have been faced with the obstacle of not knowing if I would be able to complete the next term, I was able to seek additional resources to help in my continuation of the program. This experience has allowed me to better prepare for my graduate level courses by being proactive in seeking out all of the available resources early.