Welcome to my Capstone Portfolio!
As a
developing Human Services professional I believe change can happen at any given
moment. The most influential piece, often missing, is the courage and the
inspiration to make change happen.
Throughout my youth and young adult life I struggled with self-confidence, family related stress, and the pressure of wanting to escape into a better place. By this, I mean making the world into a place where everyone was nice to each other and were friends. There wouldn’t be any fighting or arguing and everybody would get along. This was only a dream to me until I found volunteering and human services. Spending my time helping others showed me exactly what the world COULD be: people helping other people and not complaining about what they had or didn’t have.
It wasn’t until I went on a mission trip to Foundation for His Ministries (an orphanage located in Vicente Guerrero, Mexico) that I really understood the concept of human services. Spending long days working on the grounds of this orphanage and learning about the struggles the children and staff experienced every day were humbling. I became aware of the different lifestyles these people were used to in comparison to mine. Culture shock doesn’t even begin to compare to what I experienced on this trip. It was through my volunteer work on this mission trip I became confident that I wanted to spend the rest of my life helping others.
Statement of Professional Philosophy of Helping
"No one has the right to feel hopeless, there's too much work to do." - Dorothy Day
This quote has guided my learning throughout the Human Services Program and I have pondered it from the very beginning. This quote was listed on the 2011 Fall application into the Human Services Program at Western Washington University as an essay topic to provide evidence of my understanding of human services. I chose not to write about this topic because I didn't have any idea what to write about or what this quote meant. After nearly completing the program, I can honestly say that I have a much better grasp on what this quote means not only to me but to people around the world.
I think the importance of this question to the Human Services field is influenced from her work throughout history. Dorothy Day was a highly influential change advocate in the early 1900’s. She believed in women’s rights, free love, and was an activist for these causes most of her life. She was an inspiration to everyone she met and was known as a saint to her community.
My interpretation of this quote relates to global systemic and social issues. I believe she is referring to the many struggles the world continues to face and the billions of people who have the ability to create change. Nobody has the right to feel hopeless when they have the ability to change the things that are discouraging them. There is work around the world that needs to be done, if there is something out there you want to change, don’t feel hopeless, but rather become an activist and make the change you wish to see happen. It is my understanding that no matter your skill set, where you live, or what you do with your life, you have the ability to change what you don’t like. Instead of sitting back and expecting others to take control of the problem, it should become a habit for people around the world to stand up for what they feel is right.
Statement of Professional Purpose
As a developing professional I will continue to learn and develop new skills to benefit communities and systems around me. As I continue into the Human Services field I intend to help communities by:
Woodring College of Education Vision Statement
Woodring College of Education fosters community relationships and a culture of learning that advance knowledge, embrace diversity and promote social justice.
Human Services Program Philosophy
Human services professionals effect change at all levels of society to enhance the well-being of self, individual, group, community, and global systems. Social justice, self-determination, and service to others through strengths-based models of ethical professional practice define our program philosophy. The dynamic, resilient, and interdependent nature of systems provides a conceptual framework for the curriculum. Intellectual inquiry immerses learners in multiple perspectives, theories, and disciplines, anchoring us in the diverse lived experiences of self and others. With a deep commitment to making a difference, students discover ways to facilitate processes for systems analysis, problem solving, advocacy, and social change.
Throughout my youth and young adult life I struggled with self-confidence, family related stress, and the pressure of wanting to escape into a better place. By this, I mean making the world into a place where everyone was nice to each other and were friends. There wouldn’t be any fighting or arguing and everybody would get along. This was only a dream to me until I found volunteering and human services. Spending my time helping others showed me exactly what the world COULD be: people helping other people and not complaining about what they had or didn’t have.
It wasn’t until I went on a mission trip to Foundation for His Ministries (an orphanage located in Vicente Guerrero, Mexico) that I really understood the concept of human services. Spending long days working on the grounds of this orphanage and learning about the struggles the children and staff experienced every day were humbling. I became aware of the different lifestyles these people were used to in comparison to mine. Culture shock doesn’t even begin to compare to what I experienced on this trip. It was through my volunteer work on this mission trip I became confident that I wanted to spend the rest of my life helping others.
Statement of Professional Philosophy of Helping
"No one has the right to feel hopeless, there's too much work to do." - Dorothy Day
This quote has guided my learning throughout the Human Services Program and I have pondered it from the very beginning. This quote was listed on the 2011 Fall application into the Human Services Program at Western Washington University as an essay topic to provide evidence of my understanding of human services. I chose not to write about this topic because I didn't have any idea what to write about or what this quote meant. After nearly completing the program, I can honestly say that I have a much better grasp on what this quote means not only to me but to people around the world.
I think the importance of this question to the Human Services field is influenced from her work throughout history. Dorothy Day was a highly influential change advocate in the early 1900’s. She believed in women’s rights, free love, and was an activist for these causes most of her life. She was an inspiration to everyone she met and was known as a saint to her community.
My interpretation of this quote relates to global systemic and social issues. I believe she is referring to the many struggles the world continues to face and the billions of people who have the ability to create change. Nobody has the right to feel hopeless when they have the ability to change the things that are discouraging them. There is work around the world that needs to be done, if there is something out there you want to change, don’t feel hopeless, but rather become an activist and make the change you wish to see happen. It is my understanding that no matter your skill set, where you live, or what you do with your life, you have the ability to change what you don’t like. Instead of sitting back and expecting others to take control of the problem, it should become a habit for people around the world to stand up for what they feel is right.
Statement of Professional Purpose
As a developing professional I will continue to learn and develop new skills to benefit communities and systems around me. As I continue into the Human Services field I intend to help communities by:
- Advocating and empowering individuals to utilize their unique gifts and talents to create proactive change in their community
- Inspiring sustainable change within communities around the globe
- Advocating for the preservation of cultural and individual differences
- Encouraging youth and young adults to persevere through their struggles and work hard to reach their goals
- Inspiring
myself and others to continue working hard toward proactive and sustainable change
Woodring College of Education Vision Statement
Woodring College of Education fosters community relationships and a culture of learning that advance knowledge, embrace diversity and promote social justice.
Human Services Program Philosophy
Human services professionals effect change at all levels of society to enhance the well-being of self, individual, group, community, and global systems. Social justice, self-determination, and service to others through strengths-based models of ethical professional practice define our program philosophy. The dynamic, resilient, and interdependent nature of systems provides a conceptual framework for the curriculum. Intellectual inquiry immerses learners in multiple perspectives, theories, and disciplines, anchoring us in the diverse lived experiences of self and others. With a deep commitment to making a difference, students discover ways to facilitate processes for systems analysis, problem solving, advocacy, and social change.