What brought you to UNI?

After discharging from the Marines I started school at Hawkeye while working as a VA work study assisting vets with finding employment. I really liked helping people and the girl I was dating at the time was in the UNI MSW program and it sounded like a really great way to get educated and work towards a career helping others. I finished up at Hawkeye, got my Bachelors at UNI and now here I am wrapping up my MSW.

What did you enjoy most about attending UNI?

Dr. Vasquez's trauma class. The man is the Jedi master of Social Work.

How did you become interested in your program? 

I wanted to help people and get a good enough education to make a decent living doing it.

How have you been involved outside of the classroom?

In undergraduate classes I spent a lot of Time in the veterans lounge with the student VA. It can be difficult adjusting to life after the military, the student VA gave me a place I could go, work on home work, unwind, and talk to other student veterans about literally anything. Also Mrs. Loveless was always there to provide support and encouragement, she is amazing.

Post-graduation plans?

I recently accepted a position as Bremer County VA director and have been working and training under the current director to take over in the Summer. I will be working in Waverly, Iowa.

How did UNI prepare you for your future career?

These social work classes gave me a plethora of skills, but some of the work we did also helped me work through my own issues and find myself after the military and with my own life in general.

What advice would you give to students currently looking into grad school?

If you want to do the MSW program and have the resources, do it! Its a lot of work, but it wasn't much harder than getting my bachelors.

Anything else you’d like to add?

While I can only speak for the social work programs at UNI, if you're having issues talk to your professors. While in school I went through some pretty rough times with the suicide of my father and my grandpa dying of cancer. They helped me out and worked with me to get through school when I was struggling. I wouldn't have made it to where I am with out the support I got from both the professors and Mrs. Loveless with the student veteran association. If you're a veteran the vet lounge is a great resource for support and to just meet other vets.