At the age of 20, Salome Raheim applied for a Master's degree in Social Work at the National Catholic School of Social Service. In a few short years, she obtained her MSW and went on to work as a psychiatric social worker in the community mental health field. Later, she received a Ph.D. in Communication Studies from the University of Iowa and became the first African American woman to hold a deanship at the UConn School of Social Work. Dr. Raheim is an inspiring NCSSS graduate whose advocacy for the inclusion of integrative body-mind-spirit approaches in education and human services continues to push the boundaries of the social work profession. Below is a recent interview we conducted with Dr. Raheim about her life, career, and her advice for current NCSSS students.
Why did you choose to attend Catholic University and why the National Catholic School of Social Service?
Salome Raheim: I graduated with my Bachelor of Social Work from Bowie State College, which is now Bowie State University. Pursuing a master's in social work was very, very important to me. I started my undergraduate degree when I was 16 years old, which means that I graduated when I was very young. As a 20-year-old with an undergraduate degree in social work, it was clear to me that I needed more training and a little more time before joining the workforce. Catholic University was geographically accessible. I already lived in the Washington, D.C. area. Catholic University also had an advanced standing program. So with my bachelor's degree, I would be able to get my master's degree in one year. That was very attractive. Not only was it geographically accessible, but it was also financially accessible.
When I explored admission at Catholic, Elizabeth Timberlake was the director of admissions. She was so warm, and welcoming and encouraged me to apply. She showed me that it was possible to attend even if I had no money. I mean, none at all. I was a single parent at that time with an infant. I had just separated and was getting a divorce. I had no family nearby and was struggling financially. Ms. Timberlake told me about a National Institute for Mental Health Community Mental Health Traineeship. It required a commitment to study clinical practice and work in community mental health for two years after graduation. I applied, and the rest is history.
How did getting that Master's Degree got you to where you are now?
Salome Raheim: This degree was so critical for me because, as a first-generation high school graduate, not just first-gen college grad, but first-gen high school graduate, education was an important foundation to make that next leap for my generation and my family lineage. Building on my undergraduate foundation in social work and getting that master's degree gave me the tools I needed to progress professionally. I spent my first years in community mental health as a psychiatric social worker. While I didn't continue in the clinical field for the rest of my career, the professional competencies that I learned at Catholic to become a psychiatric social worker provided critical knowledge and skills for my subsequent work as a social work educator and administrator. Depth of understanding human behavior, interpersonal communication skills, group facilitation skills, and the bio-psychosocial perspectives are a few examples of ways my MSW laid the foundation for building an incredible career.
What accomplishments are you most proud of during your time as Dean at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work?
Salome Raheim: I'm so grateful that I had that leadership opportunity. Let me start with this: I was the first African American woman to hold a deanship at the UConn School of Social Work. While that is an accomplishment, that's also context. Among the things I'm proud of is that I was able to hire some outstanding and diverse faculty while I was Dean and helped support them through the tenure process. The school already had a very strong faculty and staff diversity recruitment initiative and a history of diversifying the student body. One of my contributions was to develop a student recruitment initiative with Bowie State University (BSU), my undergraduate alma mater. I visited BSU, gave speeches, talked with students, and let them see that someone like them, who had graduated from Bowie herself, was now the Dean at UConn and was there to welcome them.
A number of students came to visit our campus and subsequently enrolled in the MSW program. That's an accomplishment I'm very proud of. The last two accomplishments I will mention are part of a broader school-wide initiative that I started, which was called the Just Community Initiative, “just” as in Justice. We looked at ways we could further advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in the school, and be a place where all members of the community could thrive. I am very proud that I established the Just Community working group that lasted for several years to look at various aspects of the school, including, curriculum, community partnerships, and research opportunities that could contribute to DEIB. Starting this effort is something I am very proud of because the Just Community Initiative made tangible and sustained progress in school programs, policies, and practices.
How would you currently describe the state of social work in this country?
Salome Raheim: Well, social work certainly is a profession that has many demands on it right now, but also many opportunities because of the tragedies and traumas of our time. There's a tremendous need for social workers now because of grief, loss, and mental health crises related to the pandemic, the traumas related to the uptick in violence in our nation—mass shootings, other gun violence, and violence and injustice spurred by racial, ethnic, religious, and LGBTQ+ bigotry and hatred. I'm not saying that these acts of bigotry, hatred, and injustice are new, but they are very pronounced. There's not a week that goes by without news of a new case of police brutality, an act of violence against some group in the country, or a policy proposal that promotes continued injustice. The demands on the profession are great. I can't say that we have any more resources to work with to respond to these demands, but there is an opportunity for the social work profession to be responsive to these challenges of our time.
The profession is stressed because the country is stressed. Of course, the challenge does not stop at the U.S. borders. Social work is needed at the border, literally, and internationally. The focus of my comments here is more on what's happening in this country. However, there are so many global crises in which social workers have a role to play. Let's not forget the suffering caused by war and environmental crises across the global—hunger, famine, displacement of millions of people, and more. We have our work cut out for us, but we have a very long history of dealing with difficult circumstances. That's what social work does. We really need all of our tools to face these challenges, not only our conventional academic tools. We need an integrative approach that includes body, mind, and spirit. This is where we are right now as a profession, challenged. But we can rise above the challenge.
Do you have any advice for students who are anxious about their futures?
Salome Raheim: Some anxiety is common about the future, especially when facing a major transition into a new role. “Am I going to get a job?” “Will I get one I want?” Will I be effective in my new job?” “Will I be able to deal with all the stress and help others?” These are a few of the questions students are pondering as they look toward the future. Here are a few things to consider.
The pandemic has caused shifts in the labor force and the ways people work, such as working remotely. There are many positions available. New graduates can enter the labor market and have some choices, especially with a willingness to be flexible about location and ways of working. As you consider positions of interest, the availability of good supervision is an important criterion in your selection.
Have self-care at the top of your list. Social workers are not immune to the traumas that I've talked about here and all of the stresses and strains from the pandemic, violence, and injustice. Taking care of your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health is not optional. It is essential. Develop a strong support system. This is a critical part of self-care. We must take care of ourselves to effectively support the individuals, families, organizations, and communities we serve.
Develop and maintain a diverse professional network of colleagues and mentors. They will be important people in your continuing personal and professional development to build on the foundation that graduate education has provided. Whether you are making practice decisions or career decisions, knowledgeable and experienced colleagues and mentors can help you navigate new territory.
Finally, social work is an amazing field. I went into social work because of my commitment to making a difference, because of my commitment to participate in positive social change. With my social work preparation, I've been able to work in a wide variety of positions— psychiatric social worker, leader of a nonprofit organization, social work faculty member, and dean of a school of social work. Your social work background will give you the knowledge, skill, and value foundation that you can continuously build upon to be the difference in the world that is important to you.