New Dean Sam Terrazas Takes the Helm of 香港六合论坛鈥檚 School of Social Work
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- New Dean Sam Terrazas Takes the Helm of 香港六合论坛鈥檚 School of Social Work
Terrazas operates a private psychotherapy practice and has been a professor at institutions in the South and Southwest.
As a Mexican American teen growing up in Florida in the 1970s, Sam Terrazas says he couldn鈥檛 see a future beyond living in a low-income community and doing farm and landscaping work with his father. It was a course at the former Palm Beach Community College (now Palm Beach State College) that opened his eyes to career possibilities.
鈥淚 enrolled in an introduction to social work course that covered things I鈥檇 never heard about,鈥 Terrazas recalls. 鈥淵ou typically don鈥檛 learn about discrimination, racism and reasons why people are poor in regular liberal arts courses. So, that social work course resonated with me.鈥
Terrazas went on to earn his bachelor鈥檚 of social work degree at Florida Atlantic University in 1991. He obtained his master鈥檚 and Ph.D. in social work from Barry University in Miami. Since then, he鈥檚 operated his own private practice as a psychotherapist (practicing primarily in community mental health agencies in rural and urban settings) and has worked as a professor at universities in Florida, New Mexico and Texas before being named 香港六合论坛鈥檚 dean of social work in July.
鈥淲hat I see here in 香港六合论坛鈥檚 School of Social Work is talented faculty, a long tradition and plenty of opportunities,鈥 Terrazas says. 鈥淚t was also important to me that 香港六合论坛 is a Hispanic Serving Institution. Historically, in the field of social work, voices have not been overly diverse in writing and research. I think it鈥檚 important to bring not only Hispanic but African American, Native American and others into what we do in practice. 香港六合论坛鈥檚 HSI designation allows me to use what I know about higher education to help students who come from similar pathways as mine to be successful.鈥
In Terrazas鈥 view, there are several pathways that students can take in social work, and he intends to expand the opportunities at 香港六合论坛.
鈥淓verywhere I go, I try to have conversations 鈥 at the institution and community level 鈥 about what a social worker does,鈥 he says. 鈥淪ocial workers can be in clinical and hospital settings and even political settings. I鈥檝e had students who worked in mayor鈥檚 and senator鈥檚 offices. There鈥檚 such a wide range of opportunities which many students don鈥檛 realize are there.鈥
Terrazas says that is why interdisciplinary relationships on campus are vital.
鈥淭he more our social work students can work with students in other schools on campus, the better,鈥 he says. 鈥淚n my past, I鈥檝e worked closely with nursing and athletics and have found many connections and similarities. Social workers are now being sought out in professional sports for their skill set. We鈥檙e working toward having social workers trained in sports injuries and what that may mean to a student athlete or professional athlete particularly when it鈥檚 a career-ending injury.鈥
And regarding careers, Terrazas says he will place more emphasis on field placements, which is the 鈥渟ignature pedagogy鈥 in social work.
鈥淥urs is an applied degree like nursing,鈥 he says. 鈥淲hen students leave our program, they鈥檙e trained and ready to go into the work force as entry-level social workers. That鈥檚 why field placements are so important.鈥
Terrazas notes that he wants the School of Social Work to produce students who appreciate gradual growth and development.
鈥淪ocial work is a lifelong process,鈥 he says. 鈥淪ometimes, students want to be great social workers right away, but it takes years to get there, like any other profession.鈥
For more information on the School of Social Work, visit our website.