Social Work Month Spotlight on alumna Dametra Galvan
Q. What has your degree meant to you personally and professionally?
A. I just recently obtained my Bachelor of Science with a major in Social Work degree which was a big accomplishment for me since I am an older student. I transferred to the school to get this degree with a goal to become a social worker within the foster care system. I have a heart for children and youth (orphans) who have been abused and neglected, and do not have loving families of their own. I am also Native American, and I had the opportunity during my field practicum to work within the ICW (Indian Child Welfare) department of my own tribe, “The Chickasaw Nation”. This degree helped me set a solid foundation so I can now move on to obtain my MSW, then eventually become licensed.
Q. What quality do you admire most about your alma mater?
A. I really appreciated the flexibility of an online program that allowed me to relocate to another state and still remain a student here because the program was also available in my new state. I also remember the first phone call I made to Union Institute & University and after a great conversation with the admissions department, how excited I was to transfer and become a student here! Now that I have graduated, I can look back and say that I have had a great overall experience. The staff and professors are very friendly, and they have all been very supportive and encouraging.
Q. If you could give advice to a Union student, what would it be?
A. Keep working hard in your classes, even when life gets busy. Don’t give up on your goals and dreams! Remember your degree will be a “key” into certain job positions that you would not otherwise be able to get without it!
Q. What would you say has been your greatest accomplishment?
A. My biggest accomplishment is that I overcame a horrible disease! Health and healing is a great accomplishment for someone who is really sick! My husband and I decided that surgery would be the best option because medication didn’t always work. (I had already been working on my bachelor’s degree as a business major at another school.) While waiting for the surgery date, I prayed a lot, and I had promised the Lord that if the surgery went well, I would change my degree major to use it professionally to help others who were also having a hard time in life. (Pay it forward.) Shortly after that, the surgery was a success and I also realized that I wanted to be a
social worker! I began searching online for different schools, and that is when I found Union Institute & University during the process! How awesome is that?
Q. What is your passion away from work?
A. I am passionate about my faith! It is what motivates me to have compassion for others and to have a heart for social work! I volunteer weekly at my church, I am a teacher and mentor, and I love it! I believe it is important to encourage and help others, especially those that are struggling in life. I am also passionate about my family! I am a wife and mother of three beautiful children, and I really enjoy spending time with all of them! I love to cook and bake, so you can also find me in the kitchen making a big meal for my family or friends. I just love to nurture people, whether it is through words of encouragement or through food!
Learn more about the Union Institute & University Bachelor of Science major in Social Work program by clicking below.