Inside the MSW@USC Blog: Building a Stronger Community

“If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse gift will find a fitting place.” —Margaret Mead

Social workers are indeed on the front lines of social change and making a difference in the world we live in each and every day. And graduates of the Master of Social Work program at the University of Southern California School of Social Work don’t have to do it alone. My name is Jenn Pedde, and I’m here to support Community Relations for the MSW@USC. The community of students and faculty that we have here are among the most talented and vibrant in the country. I look forward to connecting you to this community and interacting with each and every one of you involved with this program.

I’m pretty excited for the chance to work with students from the application process through matriculation, and after graduation as Trojan alumni. It is my goal to ensure that as the MSW@USC grows, we foster a community of social workers who look back on their time in this program fondly and are proud of what their education has given them.

There are a few ways to do this, and I will definitely need your help.

• Get to know each other. Three cohorts have started –in October ,January and March.  The MSW@USC is challenging, and we should all band together to support each other. Our experiences will unite us.

• Become a blogger or a contributing writer and connect to the MSW@USC community through thought-provoking posts that will be shared online through our social media and social work channels. If you are a current student or faculty member reading this, your opinion and/or experiences are very welcome here.

• Create your own event. We live in communities throughout the United States, yet remain connected through our online platform and social media channels like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. Create an event that your classmates can participate in. Connect with students that are in your state and put together a plan to meet up.  Attend a conference together.  The possibilities are endless.

Consider me a resource for making all of these things (and more) happen. Feel free to send your ideas my way, say hello and ask questions.  I will do my best to point you in the right direction, as my virtual door is always open -  jennifer.pedde@usc.edu.

Click here to learn more about the MSW@USC.