General Information about the Social Work Program


Mailing Address and Location of Social Work offices

 

  Scott Sanders, Ph.D.
  Director of Social Work Program
  Phone: 616.254.1650, ext. 1320

 

 

 

 

  Nola Carew, M.S.W., L.M.S.W.
  Assistant Professor of Social Work
  Coordinator of Field Placement
  Phone: 616.254.1650, ext. 1948

 

 

Cornerstone University Social Work Department
1001 East Beltline Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525-5897
Phone: 616-254-1650, ext. 1910
Fax: 616-222-1537
www.cornerstone.edu/academics/social_work

Our Location on Campus

  • From the main entrance on East Beltline Avenue, go staight.  Follow signs to Miller Hall.
  • After entering the traffic circle, turn right into the parking lot.
  • Follow driveway around and turn left into the parking area for Miller Hall.
  • Go in the front doors of Miller Hall and turn left.
  • Follow hallway around to the right.
  • The Social Work Department offices are through the third door on the right.

Click here for directions to campus.

CORNERSTONE UNIVERSITY'S SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM

The social work major was established in 1990 in the Social Sciences Division with its first graduates in 1992. Since then, the program has grown to approximately 50 majors annually and two full-time professors.

The Social Work Program achieved initial accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education in February of 2004.

Graduates of our program are successfully finding employment in a variety of social work positions and agencies in the local community, their home communities and abroad. Our students can be found working in residential treatment, child welfare, nursing homes, domestic violence shelters, substance abuse treatment, criminal justice, homeless shelters, churches, low-income assistance programs and mental health centers. Many of our students are also enrolled in graduate studies or have completed Master's degrees.  The Social Work Program at Cornerstone University is committed to preparing students for beginning level social work practice within the context of a Christian Worldview.


Mission Statement

The mission of the Social Work Program at Cornerstone University is to prepare students for competent entry-level generalist social work practice within the framework of a Christian worldview.


Program Goals

The Social Work Program at Cornerstone University empowers students to:

1. Apply understanding of curriculum content necessary for competent entry-level generalist social work practice in a variety of settings with individuals, families, groups, communities, and organizations. These content areas include:

  • theory relevant to human behavior in the social environment
  • social policy
  • social justice
  • diversity
  • populations-at-risk
  • research
  • professional values and ethics
  • ethical decision-making
  • social work practice skills

2. Utilize critical thinking skills in preparation for entry-level employment and life-long learning.

3. Integrate their Christian worldview confidently with social work practice in a global context.


Social Work Program Objectives

Graduates will demonstrate the ability to:

 1. Apply critical thinking skills within the context of professional social work practice. (EPAS 3.1)

 2. Understand and practice within the values and ethics of the social work profession. (EPAS 3.2)

 3. Practice without discrimination and with respect, knowledge, and skills related to clients' age, class, color, culture, disability, ethnicity, family structure, gender, marital status, national origin, race, religion, and sexual orientation. (EPAS 3.3)

 4. Understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination and the strategies of change that advance social and economic justice. (EPAS 3.4)
 
 5. Understand and interpret the history of the social work profession and its current structures and issues. (EPAS 3.5)

 6. Apply the knowledge and skills of generalist social work to practice with systems of all sizes. (EPAS 3.6)

 7. Apply knowledge of bio-psycho-social-spiritual variables that affect individual development and behavior, and use theoretical frameworks that are supported by empirical evidence to understand the interactions between individuals and social systems. (EPAS 3.7)

 8. Analyze, influence, and formulate social policies on behalf of client systems, workers, and agencies. (EPAS 3.8)

9. Evaluate research studies, apply findings to practice, and evaluate own interventions. (EPAS 3.9)

10. Use communication skills differentially with a variety of client populations,
colleagues, and members of the community. (EPAS 3.10)

11. Use supervision skills differentially with a variety of client populations, colleagues, and members of the community. (EPAS 3.10)

12. Function within the structure of organizations and service delivery systems, and seek necessary organizational change. (EPAS 3.12)

13. Understand the influences of our Judeo-Christian heritage in the history of the profession and social welfare policy and apply Christian values and biblical principles to contemporary social work practice. (EPAS 3.2)


Social Work and Christian Worldview

Many of the underlying values and beliefs that form the foundation for social work practice and policy can be traced to biblical mandates in the Old and New Testaments. Though our culture and the social work profession have changed radically through time, these principles are timeless and provide the major distinctive in Cornerstone University's Social Work Program. Our students are challenged to integrate Scriptural truths with social work knowledge, theory and skills for practice in contemporary society. Students learn to think critically about the implications of a Christian worldview and the impact on service delivery to clients.
 
 
Statement of Nondiscrimination
 
In keeping with the mission of Cornerstone University, which is to "enable individuals to apply unchanging biblical principles in a rapidly changing world", the Social Work Program prepares students for the professional practice of social work with diverse populations. In providing services, graduates maintain the dignity and worth of all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, creed, gender, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, political orientation, or sexual orientation.