Tell us a little bit about your background...
I am from Des Moines, Iowa in the United States. I earned my undergraduate degree in 2010 double majoring in Sociology and Political Science.
What inspired you to continue in Higher Education?
The positive experiences I’ve had working in social work related fields have led me to decide to return to school to further my grounding and become more useful to the field.
Why did you choose to study at the University of Strathclyde?
I wanted to study social work in a different context than my own. My wife and I also wanted to look at living abroad with our 1 year old daughter. We liked the idea of living in Glasgow and I had really good experiences with the Social Work faculty at Strathclyde. Ultimately, it was a 'gut' decision to choose Strathclyde (and one I'm very glad we made).
Did you seek any support during the application process?
I didn't have any formal help with completing the application. I did rely on Strathclyde support for general questions.
What has been the highlight of your time at Strathclyde so far?
Getting to know Glasgow has been a highlight so far. I’ve liked the smaller class size and smaller size of the program. It’s been easy to participate in classroom discussion and I feel like the students in our program have bonded well.
What would be your advice for people considering taking the course at Strathclyde?
It’s a great investment. I appreciate that it's classroom focused so I can learn from the seasoned professionals in the field and understand social work from different perspectives.
What have been your main challenges at university, and how did you overcome them?
Some Scottish accents have been harder than i expected to understand! I’m embarrassed by the amount of times I’ve had to ask someone to repeat themselves.
What do you think of the support available during your course?
I haven't used any international support. The social work support has been adequate so far.
What are your ambitions for the future?
We plan on returning to the United States eventually to continue in social work with more professional qualifications.
Do you have any other thoughts or advice that you would like to share on your course?
I’ve been satisfied with everything so far!
