By TYLER ELLYSON
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Sam Burns was looking for a meaningful career, a job that would allow her to build connections with people and positively impact their lives.
Social work is “all of that and more,” the University of Nebraska at Kearney senior says.
“It’s been the right fit for me, and I’m excited to see where it takes me.”
An Omaha native, Burns is one of five UNK students currently participating in a program that promotes the social work profession while providing support services for Nebraska high schoolers.
Led by associate professor Christina Sogar, the student ambassador program started this academic year as part of a larger project supported by a $50,000 grant from the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
Sogar decided to use the American Rescue Plan Act funding to provide additional resources in Nebraska counties that were hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic. These counties – Colfax, Dakota, Dawson and Hall – are also home to a higher percentage of Hispanic residents.
“There was a very clear link between the counties that have the highest Hispanic populations and the impact of COVID in those counties,” Sogar noted. “They are also marginalized in the sense that they do not have easy access to mental and behavioral health resources in those communities.”
She developed both short- and long-term solutions to address this issue.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The ambassador program is targeting high schools in Grand Island, Lexington, Schuyler and South Sioux City, allowing social work majors from UNK to connect with students there and talk to them about potential careers in the field. The program has been piloted at Kearney Catholic and Kearney Public Schools, as well.
One goal is to expand students’ knowledge of the social work profession and hopefully inspire more young people to pursue this career path.
“I find a lot of satisfaction in teaching people about what social work is because there are a lot of myths about this profession. It’s not just Child Protective Services and taking people’s kids away. There are so many different areas and pathways that you can take with it,” said Burns, who’s interested in working as a hospice social worker after graduating in December.
Social workers are employed in a variety of settings, from hospitals, mental health clinics and senior living facilities to schools, private practices and government agencies. They help people of all ages cope with problems in their everyday lives.
“A lot of students go into social work because they want to help,” Sogar said. “It’s very much a strengths-based profession. We are working with people where they’re at, empowering them, accepting them, and helping them make the changes they want to see in their lives.”
“Social work is never boring,” she added. “It is a diverse, exciting and really, really impactful field.”
Along with the recruitment aspect, the student ambassador program makes an immediate impact by sharing self-care strategies with the high schoolers. The UNK students developed an interactive lesson, based on the “Jeopardy!” game show, to teach breathing exercises, yoga, self-affirmation and other coping skills.
“They’re at a time in their lives when they have so much going on – school, extracurricular activities, work, family, friends. It can be stressful,” Burns said. “We want them to realize that it’s OK to not be at 100% all the time and recognize the different techniques and strategies that can help them alleviate that stress or better cope with it.”
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, nearly 50% of U.S. adolescents ages 13-18 have had a mental disorder at some point in their lives, with anxiety and depression increasing dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“If they don’t have these healthy strategies to cope, well, there are a lot of unhealthy strategies out there,” Sogar said. “By improving access to mental and behavioral health services and breaking down that stigma, we can help prevent a lot of problems down the road.”
Each UNK student in the ambassador program receives $250 a semester for their time commitment, but the money isn’t their motivation.
“I’m blown away by their passion, creativity and commitment and how invested they really are in serving these counties and addressing unmet needs,” Sogar said. “It’s just really, really cool to see.”
In addition to Burns, the other social work student ambassadors are Zane Frank and Kaylee Reimers of Kearney, Erin Franzluebbers of Dodge and Jonah EagleFeather of Hastings. The program will continue through December 2025.
INTERNSHIP ASSISTANCE
The grant funding also supports UNK students seeking social work internships in Colfax, Dakota, Dawson and Hall counties.
Social work majors are required to complete a 400-hour internship to receive their bachelor’s degree, but it can be difficult to find paid opportunities for these hands-on experiences. The Empowering Social Work Stipend Program supports two students each semester, paying them $12 an hour during their internships.
“Internships are a wonderful experience, but they’re taxing. It’s a full-time commitment,” Sogar said. “This stipend takes away some of that financial stress and allows students to become completely engaged with their internship.”
The first two recipients completed their internships this semester at Lexington Regional Health Center and Lexington Public Schools.
“This program is really beneficial because I didn’t have to worry about my finances or work another job. I just focused on my internship and gaining that experience,” said Esmeralda Perez Juarez, who interned at the hospital in her hometown.
A social work major with a minor in behavioral and mental health, Perez Juarez assisted with discharge planning, ensuring patients had proper support and care after leaving the hospital. She also worked with people needing long-term care placement or rehabilitation services.
“It’s very valuable because you have this opportunity to work one-on-one with patients and really connect with them,” she said of the internship.
Perez Juarez graduates from UNK this week, then she plans to pursue a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling.
“I want to be someone people can come to for help when they need it most,” she said. “As a Latina, empowering mental health is huge for me because I’m also a voice for other Hispanic people who struggle with their mental health. I want to be able to support them and advocate for them and guide them.”
Like the student ambassador program, the Empowering Social Work Stipend Program also continues through December 2025. It will provide financial assistance for a total of eight UNK students.
“I hope this program encourages more students to seek internships in these underserved areas and then stay and practice there after they receive their degrees,” Sogar said.
