University of ConnecticutStudent Profiles
Pamela A. Heller
Advanced Year Policy Practice Student
Dual Degree at UConn Law School
Bachelor’s Degree:
Stanford University
Major: Comparative Studies in Race & Ethnicity
Minor: Native American Studies
I chose the UConn School of Social Work partly because it offered the dual degree program with the Law School, where I first started. I also liked the flexible schedule of classes, the diverse faculty, and the opportunity to take a broad range of interesting classes. Although not specific to UConn, I also chose the program because I liked the fact that the social work degree requires a field education component.
As a first year student, I learned a great deal about the profession, the theories, and how to apply those theories in a field setting. I never knew how many different settings and functions social work education could prepare me for, including international practice. I began to understand, particularly through the classroom and field seminars, the ways that social work values must inform our work no matter what area we are practicing.
In the classroom, professors brought in their experience working in the social work field, discussed the Code of Ethics, and helped us understand theories and practice given the various practice anecdotes provided by students in the classroom. My field advisor and the field seminar in general taught me how to ensure that I made the field education a real learning experience.
At my first year placement, I gained a thorough understanding of the non-profit world in Connecticut, how agencies operate, receive funding, and interact with other agencies, including the state. I also learned how the legislative process is a significant force for non-profits, as they struggle to ensure that funding levels remain stable and that legislation will be enacted to protect social work constituencies.
My involvement with the school has primarily been through attending the various talks and lectures hosted by the school. For example, I had the opportunity to hear a lecture by Dr. Lengwe Mwansa, a social worker from Botswana. Also, I attended a question and answer session with Ned Lamont while he was on the campaign trail in 2006. This year I am serving as the Treasurer of the Student Organization.
My best advice to students would be to remember that the regional social work professional community is small and so it is important to build your own reputation as a conscientious, responsible, and ethical student and worker. Build relationships with your professors, including and especially adjuncts who are working in the region in agencies where you may want to work. Approach your MSW education not just as a way to advance in your career, to get to the next step, but also as a vital intellectual exercise where your brain is the muscle you are developing.