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Just two years after its launch, ����Ӱҵ University’s Bachelor of Social Work program is seeing its first cohort of students graduate this semester. Nearly 20 students will walk across stages at the Ashtabula, Salem and Tuscarawas campuses this month, the latest milestone in this rapidly growing program.

Approximately 100 students are already declared in the program which offers hybrid classes online and in Zoom classrooms on the three ����Ӱҵ Regional Campuses through the College of Applied and Technical Studies. Classes fill up quickly when they are added to the schedule and upper-level electives are popular with BSW majors and non-majors alike.

"...this program came along just at the right time, accessible to anyone in my community, including me, and was the perfect fit for someone who wanted to make a difference..." - BSW graduate Amanda Good

“It’s interesting because we have students primarily on three campuses, mostly connected via Zoom rooms, but they have responded well to doing all kinds of active learning and activities across the campuses with each other,” said program director and lecturer Matt Butler, MSSA, LISW-S, LICDC-CS.

While the logistics of the program make it unique, the student makeup is dynamic as well. Nineteen counties in Northeast Ohio are represented, while 57% of students are aged 20-29; 20% aged 30-39; and 13% are 40 years or older.

They receive a dedicated focus on social work designed for underserved communities in areas of the state often neglected by programs in larger, urban areas. 

“Our students are able to learn about the background of social work and the values underpinning the profession and see that they can take this knowledge from the classroom and make it real to actually go out there and do good things in the world and make a positive impact,” Butler said.

More than 60% of rural Americans live in areas the National Institute of Health deems to be underserved by mental health professionals and only about 20% of social workers nationwide are employed in rural areas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These stats, coupled with the high demand for licensed social workers — especially in areas like those surrounding ����Ӱҵ’s Regional Campuses — produce significant disparities and gaps in care for people needing social services.

����ӰҵBSW program was started in the Fall of 2023 to help fill in those gaps.

“When I completed my associate degree in human services, I really wanted to pursue my bachelor’s degree and looked into doing it elsewhere, but the challenges of doing it outside of Ashtabula made that dream seem far-fetched,” said graduate Amanda Good. “But then this program came along just at the right time, accessible to anyone in my community, including me, and was the perfect fit for someone who wanted to make a difference in their community and in people’s lives.”

Sydney Clemens, another of this year’s graduates, echoes those sentiments.

“Growing up, I would’ve never imagined I’d be in the position I’m in, let alone the career path,” she said. “I always knew I wanted a career that would give me the gracious opportunity to assist and help those who struggle to help themselves. For me, this is the land of opportunity.”

Good, who will be the featured graduating speaker at the Ashtabula Campus commencement ceremony on May 8, jumped into classes full-time while balancing the already difficult tasks of working full-time and managing a household of three children as a single mother.

For her and many of the other students in the program, the comradery and bond formed from being the first group to tackle the BSW curriculum together helped them navigate the ups and downs of the programs and the rigors of academia.

“There were times for sure when I considered withdrawing from a course,” Good said. “But I have met some amazing students and faculty during my time at ����Ӱҵ and If it weren’t for their support, I honestly do not believe I would be (at this point).”

Early Success

����Ӱҵearly returns of the program have been great, according to the program administrators. They are partnering with over 90 agencies in Northeast Ohio to provide learning opportunities for field experience. Students intern in more than a dozen counties in the region and nearly 100% of those who interned within the last academic year have received job offers in the field.

Additionally, several students have already taken and passed the licensure exam prior to graduation.

“These students have successfully completed their social work course of study and two semesters of internships within their communities to help bridge that gap in the challenges faced by rural communities,” said Heidi Migliore, MSW, LISW-S, LICDC, lecturer and social work field education coordinator.  “They’ve built networks and connections in and outside their communities to empower the individuals, groups and rural communities they serve.  They have been successful in being hired prior to graduation and will continue their role(s) in advocacy and policy initiatives; resource mobilization and networking; case management; therapy; community needs assessments; social support services; strength-based approaches; and asset-based community development.”

What’s Next for the Program

����Ӱҵprogram recently had its second of what will be three accreditation visits from the Council on Social Work Education. Full accreditation is expected in Fall of 2026. In the meantime, with the curriculum now fully flushed out and developed, Butler hopes to fine tune it and ultimately expand the offerings across the system to reach more students and more communities.

“We have the framework in place so now it’s about continuing to scale it and make it bigger and bigger,” he said. “What can we do around ethics and infusing it into every class? Adding electives centered around veterans’ topics or family work; expanding our outreach into more communities; and continuing to integrate more of a rural focus into every class. That’s where our focus will be.”

With a defined curriculum and a full roster of faculty, the hope is to also begin offering classes through Zoom rooms at other Regional Campuses to expand the footprint of the program.

To learn more about the Bachelor of Social Work program, visit www.kent.edu/cats/bsw.