Jessica Fuller

The development of my interest in the social work profession is a product of the way I was raised and the lifestyle I have chosen. I have fallen in love with the act of doing good deeds for people without judgement or reward. Since I was little, I enjoyed watching my parents get joy from anonymously paying for someone’s meal or helping families in need by secretly providing their Christmas gifts. It was my parents who explained to me that they did not do these things for others to know what they did, or to get a “thank you”, but simply to do something to brighten another person’s day. The lessons my parents instilled in me spawned my interest in helping others, which is something I always knew I wanted to do, but I was not certain in how I would accomplish this task. After obtaining my Associate of the Arts degree in psychology and sociology at Craven Community College, I transferred to East Carolina University. It was then that my cousin told me about social work, and the many job opportunities a social worker had in providing services to different communities. I immediately started my research and applied to the program. I now wish to continue my education to achieve my Master of Social Work and become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). With my LCSW I will pursue a counseling position in the school system because I enjoy working with teenagers and guiding them through the milestones they may encounter. I currently have four years of experience in volunteering at my church as their youth leader, and am passionate about working with this age group. Currently, I am interning at Pamlico County Middle School as a School Social Worker (SSW) under the Child and Family Support Team (CFST). It is a great honor to work with both the students and staff, I am learning many things under their excellent care. One of the most important things I am learning is how to apply the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics as a guide to my practice as a Social Worker. The Codes core values which include service, social justice, dignity and worth of a person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence, are standards to which all Social Workers are held accountable to. It will be my privilege to provide clients with the best possible quality care while keeping these values in mind. As I look forward to receiving my acceptance letter into the East Carolina University Master of Social Work program, I must find ways to secure proper funding for my education. My husband has recently fulfilled his duties to the Marine Corps and was honorably discharged December 5, 2015 after five years of service. Now that he is working full time at a Veterinarian Hospital we still have to cut costs since I am unable to work full-time while interning and going to class. It is through the National Honors Society that I am hoping to achieve my goal of continuing my education, so that I can finally see my dream fulfilled.