Lacking direction and displaying what outsiders described as “wasted potential” I made my way through my senior year of high school with little motivation to graduate. During this time my father was deployed with the United States Air Force to Afghanistan and it distracted my focus from my academic studies to closely following the US military involvement oversees. Midway through my senior year I had reached the conclusion that I had zero aspirations to receive higher education at that point in time. Undecided and undetermined, I didn’t want my parents to waste their money paying my way through school if I didn’t have a clear end state in mind. My attendance and grades dropped significantly while I struggled to find a sense of purpose.
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After I reported the sexual assault to my chain of command I experienced both social and professional ostracism. Many other military members have faced similar circumstances after reporting sexual assault. When an individual reports that they have been sexually assaulted they shouldn’t be met with criticism or doubt, rather they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. The struggles I endured then and continue to endure now influence me to want to assist individuals who are dealing with sexual trauma. I have had the privilege of receiving treatment and assistance from some truly remarkable and selfless individuals. Many of these people are social workers, unafraid to face difficult situations and find ways to assist those affected by various challenges in life. Unthinkable events occur every day and our society needs people who aren’t afraid to stand up to injustice, listen the stories of the sorrowful, and provide the assistance that is so desperately needed. Assisting those affected by sexual trauma through providing therapy, finding new ways to improve treatment programs, and even writing improved policies are all essential practices that I can see myself passionately undertaking. Social work calls to me and the Society, Ethics, and Human Behavior (SEB) Program seems to provide an excellent platform for pursuing this career. To have the opportunity to prepare myself to become a social worker through the curriculum offered in this unique program would be life
After I reported the sexual assault to my chain of command I experienced both social and professional ostracism. Many other military members have faced similar circumstances after reporting sexual assault. When an individual reports that they have been sexually assaulted they shouldn’t be met with criticism or doubt, rather they deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. The struggles I endured then and continue to endure now influence me to want to assist individuals who are dealing with sexual trauma. I have had the privilege of receiving treatment and assistance from some truly remarkable and selfless individuals. Many of these people are social workers, unafraid to face difficult situations and find ways to assist those affected by various challenges in life. Unthinkable events occur every day and our society needs people who aren’t afraid to stand up to injustice, listen the stories of the sorrowful, and provide the assistance that is so desperately needed. Assisting those affected by sexual trauma through providing therapy, finding new ways to improve treatment programs, and even writing improved policies are all essential practices that I can see myself passionately undertaking. Social work calls to me and the Society, Ethics, and Human Behavior (SEB) Program seems to provide an excellent platform for pursuing this career. To have the opportunity to prepare myself to become a social worker through the curriculum offered in this unique program would be life