Clubs and Organizations
Interested in joining social work organizations?
There are several student organizations operating within the school that serve as forums for students to come together, organize, and become engaged in campus and community activities to cultivate their ideas and opinions and make recommendations to the faculty regarding their academic and professional concerns.
The purpose of the BSW Student Association is to afford opportunities for students to organize, participate in policies and decisions about the social work program, and participate in community organizing activities. Membership is open to students majoring and minoring in social work, or students who are interested in participating in activities sponsored by the BSW Student Association. The Association is student driven and operates within the student affairs policies and procedures of the university. A faculty advisor is assigned to provide administrative and technical guidance, and the organization is supported by faculty as a whole. The President serves as a member of the Social Work Department Advisory Council. A BSW student representative also attends departmental and program faculty meetings.
MSWSA was founded in the Fall of 2003. MSWSA unites MSW students and provides support for members as a group, as well as provides services to the community and the student body. The association operates within the student affairs policies and procedures of the university. A faculty advisor is assigned to provide administrative and technical guidance as well as facilitate communication between the MSW Program and the student association. The MSW Student Association President serves as a member of the School of Social Work Advisory Board.
The FSU Student Chapter of the National Association of Black Social Workers (NABSW) was established in the Spring of 2004. The purpose of NABSW is to provide a means whereby undergraduate and graduate social work students may exchange ideas, offer their services, and develop and enhance skills in the interest of the Black community, and communities at large. Students learn about the field of social work and the roles and responsibilities of social workers.
Phi Alpha is a national honor society for social work students. BSW and MSW students are eligible for membership after achieving national and local chapter requirements. Student members meet monthly to define community based activities and to generate ideas for enhancing learning opportunities for themselves and their peers. A representative from Phi Alpha attends faculty departmental and program meetings representing the interests of their peers and making recommendations for program and policy change.
Most of the professional social work organizations encourage student participation through student memberships, student paper competitions, and committee service. Some of the most visible professional social work organizations are:
- American Public Human Services Association
- Association for Community Practice & Social Administration
- Association of Oncology Social Work
- Child Welfare League of America, Inc.
- Clinical Social Work Federation
- Council on Social Work Education
- Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research
- Latino Social Work Association
- National Association of Social Workers
- National Association of Asian American Social Workers
- National Organization of Forensic Social Work
- North American Association of Christians in Social Work
- North Carolina School Social Workers Association
- North Carolina Social Work Certification and Licensure Board
- Rural Social Work Caucus
- Welfare Information Network