What Do Social Workers Really Do? Everything - Anna Maria College Featured Social Work Student Spotlight What Do Social Workers Really Do? Everything By William Pekarski April 13, 2026 No Comments As graduation approaches, senior year becomes a time of reflection, purpose, and looking ahead to the impact still to be made. For students in Anna Maria College’s Social Work program , that journey is deeply rooted in advocacy, empathy, and service to others. Soon-to-be graduate Kasey Burdin ’26 sat down with Ben Milgate ’29 to reflect on Kasey’s recent internship and discuss what it means to prepare for a career dedicated to change. Kasey shares how personal experiences shaped her passion for the field, the lessons she’s carried from the classroom to her internship, and her commitment to uplifting individuals, families, and communities. Read on as she reflects on finding her voice, building meaningful connections, and turning lived experience into a lifelong mission of advocacy. Why did you choose social work for your major? Choosing social work as my major came unexpectedly at first, as I initially had considered majoring in psychology. My passion for advocacy flourished at an early age; my sister has autism spectrum disorder, and there was a frequent need to advocate for her to obtain greater support. This then translated to my experience in the public school system. When I explained to my guidance counselor that I thought I wanted to pursue a degree in psychology, she asked me why. I told her I wanted to advocate for individuals and populations who have been oppressed, to which she informed me that it was not psychology I was looking for; it was social work. After conducting some of my own research about the profession, I quickly came to the realization that all of my own morals, values, and beliefs aligned effortlessly with social work values. What does working in social work mean to you? There is one thing that comes to mind when answering this question and its that social work is made up of two houses. This is a concept that was explained to me by Dr. Ostrander: there will be work within your job, but there will always be work within your profession. That is what working in social work means to me: that as professionals consistently dedicated to our values, we will continue to uplift, defend, and transform individuals, communities, and organizations through our service, whether that be within our job or within the passions and opportunities for advocacy and empowerment we pursue outside of work. What skills do you think are most important for social workers? When considering the rate of burnout that is occurring across many professions and disciplines at this time, one of the best skills that social workers can have right now is empathy. I do not just mean empathy for those they serve, but empathy for themselves as they navigate a world that has created challenges to navigating services, resources, and supports for those that we work to empower. An inability to empathize with yourself in this field for the work that is being done would be doing an injustice to the individuals and communities we serve. In order to provide the most effective and beneficial service, we have to care for ourselves, especially in times like the ones we are facing today. You are involved with the upcoming conference on campus hosted by the Class of 2026, Who Cares for the Caregiver? The hidden care burden in the family unit What does it mean to you to be a part of this and how has your experience here prepared you?” Being a part of this conference, to me, means bringing awareness and advocacy to a frequently unnoticed topic. Being a caregiver myself, there is a lack of research and a lack of advocacy for not only caregivers but glass children ( siblings of those with medical, behavioral or developmental needs whose own needs often go unseen ) as well. My time in the social work program here at Anna Maria College has prepared me for this moment by giving me the strength, knowledge, and skills to empower my own advocacy and passion for this topic in hopes of making an impact. You also completed an internship with the Bridge Program at Gardner Public High School, how has your internship made your understanding of social work stronger? During my internship at a public high school working with adolescents, I have had important realizations about social work. While it’s easy to understand the connection between social work skills, values, ethics, and field practice when discussing hypothetical scenarios in class, this internship has given me the chance to see and apply these concepts in real situations. Having to quickly adapt and use the knowledge, values, and skills I’ve learned over the past few years in direct interactions with students has greatly improved my understanding of social work practice. How has working in social work impacted you personally? As a kid, I was always searching for my community. This transcended into adulthood, where I experienced abuse and trauma, yet I was still in search of community, left to continue empowering myself by myself. Then, in the summer of 2024, I applied to the social work program here at Anna Maria College. I have finally found the community that I have spent years searching for. Networking, connecting, and building relationships with my fellow social work classmates, professors, and staff has allowed me opportunities to not only continue to grow in this field but also to be uplifted by those who are passionate about the same profession as I am. Social work has given me the opportunity to exceed my own expectations of accomplishments while also creating so many amazing connections along the way. What impact do you want to make in the social work field? As a child, being a sibling of an individual with autism spectrum disorder, I always felt as though no one ever truly understood my experiences or my story. This experience is what started my search for a community, one that I had difficulty finding. I want to be that change for children and individuals who feel the same way I did. I will dedicate my passion and work in the social work field to where I will make the greatest impact; it will undoubtedly involve siblings and families that have shared an experience much like my own. Establishing a community for those to be heard, access resources, and speak without judgment is where I hope to make my impact within this field. Why do you think it is important for people to recognize social workers? It is incredibly important for people to recognize social workers. There are many misconceptions about what social workers truly do. The answer is everything; social workers do everything. Social workers are working in community organizing, with the aging population, in child welfare, with developmental disabilities, in healthcare, in justice and corrections, with substance use, with mental health, in policy, in politics, in research, and as educators, but these are just a few of the areas where social workers can be identified. Social workers work with individuals, families, groups, communities, agencies, and organizations that are from any background, demographic, or discipline. That is what makes social workers so unique; we are given an education that enables us to work in any environment and always bring valuable knowledge and skills to the table. That is worth recognition. Who Cares for the Caregiver? The hidden care burden in the family unit is taking place on Thursday, April 16th from 1:00-4:30pm in Zecco Auditorium. Previous Post Celebrating Anna Maria’s 80th Anniversary Next Post The AMCAST: Faculty Authors Share Tweet Share Pin 50 Sunset Lane Paxton, MA 01612 (800) 344-4586 info@annamaria.edu News Media Inquiry Visit Campus Anna Maria College is a private Catholic college in Paxton, Massachusetts. Located on a 260-acre campus, it offers four-year degrees that prepare students to become responsible leaders and serve their communities. 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