SESW Social Work Alumni Spotlight: Anissa Latifi ’18
Meet Anissa Latifi, a graduate of PC’s Class of 2018 in the fields of social work and English. She recently received her master’s degree in social work from Boston University and is now a LCSW.
What prompted you to major in English and social work and pursue a graduate degree in social work?
When I started college, I had no idea what I wanted to study I just wanted to help people. I had a passion for literature and knew that I wanted to pursue a degree in English but I had no idea what I wanted to pursue career-wise. One of the girls living on my floor freshman year had taken a social work class and raved about it, which prompted me to take Social Work 101 to fill a gap in my schedule. On my first day in that class, I knew social work was the profession I belonged in thanks to Dr. Kranz! Social work is the considered the helping profession which aligned with my goals and I was able to two things that I loved during my time at PC.
Why did you decide to get your master’s degree at Boston University in social work?
When I was approaching my senior year of college, I knew that I wanted to pursue my MSW because I wanted to be the best social worker I could be. I loved the profession and I knew if I took a year off of school, it would be harder to get back into the swing of things. I chose Boston University’s School of Social Work because I wanted to experience the field of social work outside of the Rhode Island bubble. I also wanted to be exposed to a program that had a macro concentration to increase my knowledge in the field of social work. My supervisor at my internship senior year was a BU SSW Alum and talked so highly of her experience in the program, which pushed me to live in Boston, for which I am eternally grateful.
Is there anything you wish you had known as an undergraduate going into the field of social work?
There are so many things I wish I had known as an undergraduate. The most important thing I wish I had known is not to take yourself too seriously. Social work can be a very serious and sometimes taxing profession but every social worker is learning something new every day and knows that humor is the best way to build rapport with clients. Mostly I wish I could go back and tell myself that I could do anything I set my mind to. Becoming a professional social worker is scary when you are responsible for helping real people with real problems, but everyone is stronger than they think.
How did your practicum at PC help you decide the area/expertise of social work that you wanted to work in?
During my time at PC, I participated in two different practicums, one interning on a pre-school IEP team and the other in the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) office in Rhode Island Family Court. They both taught me a great deal about the different roles that social workers have and gave me essential knowledge I needed for my undergraduate and graduate classes. My internship in Family Court, where my primary role was advocating for children involved with DCYF, increased my passion for working with children in foster care and a better understanding of the impact of trauma. My internship experiences gave me real life experience working with clients and providers, which forced me to think about the kind of social worker I wanted to be.
Did your internship prepare you for a career in the field of social work?
My internships prepared me for working in the field of social work. I was lucky that I had three incredible supervisors and supportive professors that helped me develop the essential skills I needed to succeed. My internship at CASA gave me real client exposure and the autonomy to balance my own caseload. Meeting with my own clients allowed me to see the impact that social workers have on their clients. These experiences made me really excited for my future in the field because they gave me the confidence I needed to practice social work.
Did you feel like your education at PC set you up for the future as well as graduate school?
I definitely would not have been able to be the person or the professional I am today without my education at PC. My English professors taught me about the culture, trauma, and history through different literature while my social work professors taught me the essential skills I needed to work with clients. The rigorous writing and research requirements in both programs were crucial to my success as a graduate student.
Tell us about your current job, what is your position and what does a typical day look consist of?
Currently, I work as a Clinician for Family Service of Rhode Island in their foster care program. My role as a clinician is to practice trauma therapy with clients and coordinate each individual’s clinical care. Day to day I do a lot of paperwork, definitely not the highlight of the social work profession but a truth of the job. In the evenings, I meet with clients and check-in with their foster families. I spend a lot of time playing with the foster kids and getting a peek into their worlds.
What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
The most challenging part of my job is seeing the way in which human beings treat each other and observing the deep hurt that is ingrained in our society. Nothing really shocks me anymore, it all just is.
What is the most rewarding part of the job?
The most rewarding part of my job are the clients or “the kiddos” as they truly are the best people I know. People are often surprised when I say this, but the kids I work with are the most resilient human beings considering what they have experienced. They inspire me to work harder, be kinder, and be a better person overall. Being a social worker is not always easy, but having clients laugh with/at me are some of the best parts of my day.
What suggestions would you like to share with students who are currently looking for jobs?
I was fortunate that I got my job due to a PC connection. My biggest advice for students is to network with everyone that you can while getting as much interview experience possible. During this process, I learned that almost everyone knows a social worker. Informational interviews are an awesome way to network. Social workers and counselors have a wealth of knowledge about the field and may be able to offer insight into places students can apply to or connect you with other social workers. Say no to jobs that do not feel like the right fit for you, even though it may seem terrifying to turn down the first opportunity you get, if the company or team does not feel right do not accept! It sounds scary but you will know when the right opportunity comes along for you.
