March is Social Work Month, a time to celebrate social workers and their incredible work within our schools. Last year, Rochester Public Schools received a $1.9 million U.S. Department of Education Grant that allowed us to provide up to 30 Master’s level Social Work scholarships and internship placements at RPS. Recipients would receive necessary supervision and support while increasing our social work staffing by at least 10% in the next five years. This month, we will highlight four of our School Based Mental Health Scholars and see how they have been doing after their first semester!
Our second highlight is Samuel Thys from the Launching Emerging Adults Program (LEAP). Samuel was born and raised in Belgium and moved to Rochester, MN, about eight years ago to come and live with his fiancee, now wife. He has worked in special education his entire career and loves working with students of any age. He loves traveling, cooking, music, and the outdoors.
How is the Master’s in Social Work program going for you now that you are in the second semester?
The MSW program is going well for me… I am really enjoying it. I have found a good rhythm and balance between work, school, and my personal life.
What do you enjoy about the program?
I enjoy learning new things, increasing knowledge, being a lifelong learner, and meeting new people.
What was your thought process when applying for the Master’s in Social Work?
It has been my lifelong dream to become a licensed therapist.
What words of encouragement do you have for the next group of RPS staff starting their Masters in Social Work in the fall?
Go for it! It'll pass by much faster than you'd expect.