FWS Research Assistant Highlights: Maryam Jan

Hello, my name is Maryam Jan and I am an Undergraduate Research Assistant for the Department of Social Work. I am currently assisting Dr. Emily Ihara and Dr. Catherine Tompkins with the course curriculum for The Introduction to the Profession of Social Work. I have learned so much from my mentors, GRS (Graduate Research Supervisor), and my peers that I am working along with. I am a junior double majoring in Business Finance and Accounting, therefore, working with the Social Work Department made me learn so much about the profession, their commitments, and the depth of the whole course. I am always open to explore new opportunities and learn seeing the world from a different perspective. Since I am working on the introductory course for Social Work, I got a grasp of what all students will be expecting to learn on the coming courses. While carrying out my research I was immensely intrigued in the topics of Immigration and Social work. Being an immigrant myself, I wanted to go deeper and learn more and more on the topic. I am a strong believer of learning, I feel like students shouldn’t restrict their learning experience to just their own major. This is the main reason I was attracted to this position, I wanted a scope beyond my field, and this has really opened my mind. I have read through many papers, articles, journals, and dissertations on LGBT, immigration, disability, poverty, macro-economic policies, substance abuse, domestic violence etc., all in context with Social Welfare and this has aided in my understanding of hardships faced by minorities in the U.S., and the great service and commitment of social workers in helping them. These views will help me as a open-minded business women in the future, and I believe that I will learn patience, loyalty, understanding, and caring for my community.