A great overview from Jane Cowley '94 on what she's been up to since graduation and how combined graduate degrees can work to your advantage. Thanks so much for the email, Jane!
I am a '94 alum and enjoy reviewing the department's blog. I'd love to pass on some info to department students/alums re: combined JD/MSW programs. After graduating from UPS I used my politics & government/economics background to work with homeless and runaway youths. Politics is a great background for understanding the marginalized and the resource issues they face. After working for 4 years, I knew I wanted to bring more skills to what I was doing, and was considering programs in law, social work, and urban planning. When I found out that a handful of graduate programs offer dual degrees in law and social work, I knew that's what I wanted. I could be a bleeding heart who could kick a** with a combination like that.
I received my dual degree from UConn, and was very impressed with the program. A particularly mind expanding opportunity came through the Institute for the Advancement of Political Social Work. A social work clinic that inspires social workers to become involved in politics. The institute offers a campaign school that breaks down the tools necessary for running, and reflects on why social workers are particulaly well suited to public life. UConn's dual degree info can be found at http://www.law.uconn.edu/academics/jd_msw.html. Info on the Institute for the Advancement of Political Social Work can be found at http://politicalinstitute.uconn.edu/
When in Connecticut I was active in lobbying on the state level and was involved with equal justice issues. I completed my last year of Law School at the University of Montana, and have made Missoula, MT my home since then. After graduation I worked for Montana Legal Services in their domestic violence/child protection area for four years. At this point in my life I'm working as an attorney in private practice, and find the skills I gained in the dual degree program are just as applicable.
If you know of students who might be intersted in a dual degree program, please feel free to pass my contact information along to them.
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