Master of Social Work
College of Arts and Sciences
Jamie Vo, ’21 MSW, has been interested in understanding and helping people for as long as she can remember. As an undergraduate at Seattle University, she earned a double major in Psychology and Criminal Justice, graduating in 2019. She later returned to complete a Master of Social Work
Throughout her graduate career, Jamie felt she still had a lot to learn. “As an undergraduate, I had a nebulous idea of what social justice meant. I could understand it conceptually, but I did not know what it looked like. Over time, and through my graduate program, I was able to define it for myself and see what it looks like in my field.”
Her interest in how people respond to their environment drew her to social work. “I wanted to explore how the systems that we live in affect someone’s mental health and well-being. Psychology helps you understand how people behave. But I wanted to dig deeper: How does the environment affect that person? I wanted to understand how these systems intentionally or unintentionally affect how a person navigates the world.”
The Master of Social Work gave her the foundation and framework to explore these questions, with a choice to pursue therapy, research or policy. “I decided to go the more therapeutic route,” says Jamie, “because in therapy these conversations about people within systems can happen one-on-one, which I love.”
The Social Work program is cohort-based, so students progress through the courses with the same group of colleagues. “My cohort got really close and was able to consult with each other and I found that to be really helpful. Even today, we are still connected as professionals and friends.”
The close connections also extend to the faculty. Says Jamie, “The professors were very collaborative and open and engaging.”
Students in the master’s program can expect to complete an annual practicum, providing them valuable skills and discernment experiences. “My final placement was with Asian Counseling and Referral Service and I got to work with a lot of school-aged kids,” says Jamie. Ultimately, she decided that school-based social work was the right calling for her and she is now working within the through the Center for Human Services in Shoreline.
