Keeping fieldwork at the forefront: The Office of Field Education makes it real with two new players
In a survey of current and prospective Virginia Commonwealth University students, 80 percent of respondents said gaining practical experience while earning their degrees is important to them. This is the basis for President Rao’s vision for VCU — to become a more relevant university where every student is afforded the opportunity to participate in experiential learning, recognizing that these experiences will lay the groundwork for the future leaders we educate to solve the problems they see in the world. And nowhere is this seen more clearly than in the School of Social Work. For both on-campus and distance-education social work students, much of their experiential learning takes place during their field education placement, where they come to understand all that a career in social work entails. Therefore, the school’s Office of Field Education plays a critical role in students’ development by providing support and opportunities for real-world experience. With that, the Office of Field Education is pleased to announce two talented additions to its team — Muthoni Imungi, MSW, Ph.D., and Stevara Clark Johnson — with the goal of continuing to move the program forward while also providing more direct support for field education students, especially those in the distance-education program.
The School of Social Work is excited to welcome Imungi, who will be the new director of field education. She has worked in field education since 2004 and served as director in this capacity at both Green Valley State University and the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Imungi is excited to learn more about VCU and the School of Social Work in order to lead the Office of Field Education in a positive, progressive direction.
“I’m just really looking forward to coming in with my ears open and having conversations with those who’ve already been there — the dean, the faculty — so that I understand what I need to prioritize as goals right now,” she says.
Imungi has provided oversight for many different distance- and online-learning programs, making her the perfect fit for our school and its distance-education opportunities. She advocates for distance learning, noting “when distance and online learning first came into play, there were a lot of concerns amongst social workers, as our practice is built on face-to-face interaction. However, as the years have gone by, I think we’ve come to realize that online programs are just as good if not better than the in-class programs because of how much it helps us reach those nontraditional students who’re maybe older, who have more going on or live in remote areas. Distance and online learning is really a wonderful way that we’ve made social work training more available and accessible.”
Johnson, who will serve as distance education field liaison, has been a valued member of the School of Social Work family since 2013, coming to the Office of Field Education from her previous advising role in the Office of Student Success. No stranger to guiding students through their learning experience, Johnson looks forward to assisting our distance social work students as they navigate field placement and practice within their communities. As these students do not come to the VCU campus daily, it is crucial that they have a familiar and trusted contact within the school to feel connected to the program and their fellow classmates. Johnson’s role will be instrumental in providing assistance to the field students and instructors regarding any issues they may have by responding to questions, implementing change when necessary and mediating any conflicts that may arise.
Johnson looks forward to the aspect of this position that already has been most rewarding in her time at the school: building personal relationships with students. Johnson says, “One of my favorite duties will be being available to students as a safe space to process their experiences and challenges within the field. As a liaison, I can teach and advise students on tactics and strategies to be successful, and ultimately it will be up to each student as to how they decide on how they will accept and execute with my support. A motto I stand by today and stood by as adviser is, ‘I advise; you decide.’”
The School of Social Work’s faculty and staff have long known the benefit — and necessity — of students gaining practical, real-world experiences and have built this important aspect into the school’s on-campus and distance-learning curriculums. These new appointments in the Office of Field Education highlight the school’s continued dedication to enhancing students’ learning experiences through meaningful interactions in the field, while also underscoring President Rao’s commitment to ensuring every student, whether on campus or online, has that on-the-job, practical study that they want — and rightly deserve.
Categories Alumni, Community, Faculty and staff