A Non-Traditional Path to Social Work - ‘19 MSW Graduate Carly Siuta

2019 MSW graduate Carly Siuta studied at NYU Shanghai during the 2017-18 academic year before spending the 2018-19 academic year at NYU Silver. With her degree in hand, she recently returned to campus as a full-time member of the Student Health Center in the role of Senior Specialist for Health Promotion and Student Well-Being. Reflecting on her various experiences, Siuta shared her path to becoming a social worker and on why she decided to return to NYU Shanghai.

Graduates of ‘19 MSW Shanghai and New York program

OGAE: What did you do before enrolling in the Shanghai - New York Master of Social Work program？ 

Carly Siuta: I got my undergraduate degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a combined study of urban planning, public policy, and public administration. I worked in the non-profit sector in the US for over ten years in the fields of education, community development, and community health. Just before starting my MSW, I took a break from my career and spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Fiji Islands. I was assigned to a very remote and undeveloped area, where I lived and worked together with community members on health and development projects.

OGAE: What attracted you to the program at NYU Shanghai? 

Carly Siuta: The experience in Fiji motivated me to get my MSW to better understand different experiences of human development, identity, and approaches to strengths-based work. My professional goal was to continue working outside of the US. I felt I needed more cross-cultural education to build my skill set for this career path. I chose the  MSW SH/NY program because it was the only MSW program from a US school that provided one full year of education and work experience outside of my home country.

OGAE: In the program, you completed 1200 hours of service at field placements in Shanghai and New York. How did those field placements impact you? 

Carly Siuta: My first-year field placement was at the Student Health Center at NYU Shanghai, which is where I now work as a staff member. In that role, I developed and facilitated health and wellness programs for students. I also collaborated with student diversity programs and led some staff development training. My second-year field placement was at the New York Women’s Foundation, which is a philanthropy that gives grants to community-based NGOs.  In that role, I focused on strategic planning from a gender, racial and economic justice framework. 

My two field placements gave me different experiences within the macro social work area. This not only helped me decide what type of job I wanted in my next step, but also helped me build a variety of skills to open different career paths in the future.

Carly with her office colleague

OGAE: Now you have returned to NYU Shanghai working to promote student health and wellness. Describe your responsibilities now.

Carly Siuta: My current job at NYU Shanghai is a new role that focuses on health promotion, education, and wellbeing initiatives for the campus community. I collaborate with different departments across the university and student leaders to determine where there are needs for support, and then develop programs, training and initiatives based on those needs.

OGAE: You have been a student and now are a full-time employee at NYU Shanghai. What has this evolution been like for you? 

Carly Siuta: During my year as a student intern at NYU Shanghai, I really tried to maximize my time to engage with university activities, build relationships, and learn as much as possible. One benefit of being a student and an intern is that you are allowed some freedom to explore beyond your "official" role and duties. When I returned as a staff member just one year later, I was warmly welcomed back by the Student Life team and it really felt like a return to old friends. Because many of the staff knew me well from my time as a student, right away I was asked to and collaborate on several projects. It feels good to jump into work right from the start at a new job, and I am excited to continue to grow into my role.

OGAE: How have you applied your MSW degree to your current job?

Carly Siuta: My MSW education pushed me to develop an open mind and broader perspective of identity that is critical to work in a global environment. I use the skills of empathy, cultural humility, advocacy and empowerment to work effectively with students and colleagues from many different cultural backgrounds. I have also grown much more aware of my own cultural bias, making me more open to utilizing different approaches to support and care.

OGAE: Graduates of MSW programs often choose to enter the profession by supporting the development of NGOs, communities, and hospitals. Your work now is somewhat different and non-traditional. How would you describe your career motivations? 

Carly Siuta: I think the fields of community development, policy, and education are all closely related to social work, and are all working toward the same overall goals. However, what is unique to me about the social work discipline is its emphasis on strengths and empowerment and anti-oppressive practice. I believe these principles can be applied to strengthen work at any level – individual, organizational, or community. So, while I don’t see myself ever being in a “traditional” social work job, I will continue to strongly identify as a social worker in every work setting.