Brianna Bozeman, MSW ’18

Brianna Bozeman is a second-year MSW student [now graduated] who grew up in Amherst, N.Y. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology at Buffalo State College. Bozeman was drawn to social work because she is “passionate about learning about people.” She wanted to expand upon her background in Psychology by commingling her pathology-oriented perspective with the person-oriented perspective offered by social work. She initially considered UB because a family member connected to the school made her aware of the opportunities available in the MSW program. “I went to an MSW info session and learned about the program…it really intrigued me,” said Bozeman about her introduction to the SSW.

Bozeman loves that social work is such a broad field, allowing her to work with a wide variety of people. Reflecting on her field placement experience at Olmsted Center for Sight, Bozeman admitted “…it was my wakeup call that I have my own biases.” Not one to shy away from opportunities for personal growth, Bozeman also revealed her challenges with the program’s academic rigor. “In undergrad I could sort of finagle my way through, but not with this program. It’s very professional,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot about myself as a writer.” After applying herself and succeeding on the pinnacle assignment of the foundation year, Bozeman has no regrets about her decision to enter the MSW program and appreciates the personal growth she has experienced.

After she graduates Bozeman hopes to continue working with people in a hospital setting. Recognizing that “everyone has their ‘stuff,’” Bozeman has learned that “people are more resilient than they think.” She has already learned so much about the world and the people around her and looks forward to the lessons held in her second year. To anyone debating becoming a social worker, Bozeman says “just do it, because it’s awesome.”