÷ÈÓ°Ö±²¥

Serena Rose Gaskin earned her M.S.S. from ÷ÈÓ°Ö±²¥'s Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research in the spring of 2025. Learn more about her journey to social work and how the GSSWSR uniquely prepared her for her first professional role in the field.

What led you to the field of social work?

After majoring in Psychology during my undergraduate degree, I knew I wanted to pursue a graduate degree but was conflicted about what area to choose. I considered a Ph.D. in Psychology, a Psy.D., and degrees in Counseling, Marriage and Family Therapy, and Social Work. I enjoyed research but knew that I wanted to have more direct interaction with people than I believed research would provide me with. Social work was appealing because of the potential for options in the profession. I resonated with the fact that I could pursue one area of social work for a time in my career, and then switch to another area in the field, all without having to obtain another degree.

What sort of work do you do now that you’ve graduated with your M.S.S.? What do you find meaningful about it?

I currently work as an Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Clinician for The Joseph J. Peters Institute (JJPI), a Public Health Management Corporation (PHMC) affiliate program. My social work interests expanded while at the GSSWSR. One thing that has remained consistent, similarly to my love for psychology, is my passion for serving children, youth and families. Professionally, I have a desire to be a part of impactful initiatives to support healthy growth and development for families and youth of all ages. It is particularly important to me to be able to do this for Black and Brown people. I understand and accept the responsibility that comes along with representation in professional spaces for communities of color and hope to be a part of meaningful change. My unique role at JJPI supports this passion, as my direct service work engaging with families and children, primarily ages 0-5, allows me to serve individuals in West and North Philadelphia. I hope to one day apply my experiences in direct service work to policy initiatives and administration to create and influence systems change.

How did the GSSWSR support your personal and professional goals?

Prior to beginning my journey at the GSSWSR, I remember a therapist who had a background in social work telling me that a social work program would reveal a lot about me to myself and to be ready for the personal growth that would come from this process. The program acknowledged how the content we would learn in class and the people we engaged with in our practicums would stretch us in ways we may not have expected. I am appreciative of the growth and evolution I have been able to see in myself since beginning the program. Professionally, the GSSWSR did a great job at providing opportunities for professional development and networking. The GSSWSR also supported my social work journey in my love for clinical and macro work. Having pursued the clinical track during my time in the program, I looked for ways to incorporate policy and administration into my professional growth through my practicum placement and extracurricular engagements, to which the GSSWSR supported my efforts in doing so.

What was most meaningful to you about your student experience at the GSSWSR?

The most meaningful aspect of my student experience at the GSSWSR were the connections I was able to make while in the program. I didn’t expect to connect with people from all walks of life in the way I did, that we would be supportive of one another in the pursuit of our degrees and stand in solidarity together around the fact that this process was new to all of us, regardless of where we were in life in beginning this journey. The reality of the newness of this experience for all of us in the program helped me to remain humble and have a deep appreciation for my peers and colleagues.

Why did you choose ÷ÈÓ°Ö±²¥â€™s GSSWSR for your M.S.S.?

Truly, my reason for choosing the GSSWSR is because I believed that was where I was meant to be in that season of my life. Learning about the trauma-informed curriculum at the GSSWSR felt important and applicable to everyday life. I knew that a degree with this background would diversify my professional opportunities and allow me to acknowledge the worth and dignity of the people I would serve. After deciding that the GSSWSR was the school for me, the process to apply was the smoothest I had experienced in applying for graduate programs. I felt confident in my decision and am grateful for all that my time in the program has offered me.