Teal Wise
Honours Bachelor of Social Work
Orillia, ON
I have moved a substantial amount in my life but have spent much of it in Orillia.
There were many benefits to attending Lakehead University Orillia Campus. It was convenient for me: as a mature student, changing career paths and a single mother of two, this was a very important aspect. I kept my house and my job, which allowed my family to remain stable. I felt that the faculty was fresh and the atmosphere of the school felt alive and robust. The attraction to the small class sizes allowed for more personal relationships to develop with both the professors and my cohort. This was something that I thought was important because networking is a necessary and useful skill to develop. I also thought that with a smaller cohort there would be more time for the professors to give us, which could be crucial for comprehending the subject material. Originally I was uncertain if Social Work was the right field for me; or, if I would like to become a teacher. I decided to go with the Social Work program because it was more versatile but to cover myself I also took three teachable subjects; the minimum you can take if you want to apply for the teachers program. This was another attraction I had to the school, the remarkable versatility and flexibility within programs.
Field placements in both the 3rd and 4th years of the program enriched me with both incredible experience and employment. Out of my first placement I received an offer of employment for the summer through the agency and my second placement offered me full-time employment after I graduated. I accepted the offers and am currently employed with Information Orillia working as the Database/Information and Referral Manager. This employment puts both the micro and the macro skills that I learned through my schooling with Lakehead University into action. I love my job working with individuals and families to support their needs in the community as well as working with the province to ensure that local information stays up-to-date and accurate, assuring excellent referrals are made to those in need. I love my current employment but I also love learning and am excited for the Masters Program to come to the Orillia Campus as I can see myself attending it the years to come.