By Paul R. Pace, News staff
For Mary-Elizabeth Tuggle, a social worker with the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., being a member of NASW has provided opportunities to participate in leadership roles.
Social worker Mary-Elizabeth Tuggle gets ready to film her video segment for an NASW project to showcase the benefits of NASW membership and to celebrate Social Work Month. The video project, which includes members from various career stages, is one of several ways NASW is recognizing the profession and the association’s 60th anniversary.
“It makes me become more involved with the field of social work,” Tuggle said during her interview for NASW’s special video project that is debuting this month for National Professional Social Work Month and to signify NASW’s 60th anniversary this year.
“It’s important to support the professional organization,” Tuggle explained. “I have more opportunities than I would have had I not been a member.”
Chad Dion Lassiter, president and co-founder of Black Men at Penn at the University of Pennsylvania School of Social Policy and Practice and a nationally recognized expert on racial issues, also appears in the video project.
“NASW is an amazing brand,” Lassiter said during his interview. “I made a decision to join because of its network and its opportunities.”
Tuggle and Lassiter were among several NASW members who took part in the project, which showcases some of NASW’s long-term, midcareer and student members. The project will be used to educate social workers and the general public about NASW and the benefits of joining the association.
Others interviewees include John “Jack” Hansan, a charter member of NASW who participated in the March on Washington in 1963; and Bernice Harper, a longtime member who serves on the NASW Foundation Board. The videos and a list of Social Work Month activities and resources can be found at SocialWorkMonth.org. This year’s theme is “Social Work Paves the Way for Change.”
NASW members and social workers will also have the opportunity to post videos about their views of why they chose social work, said Greg Wright, manager of NASW Public Relations.
“We will be encouraging members and social workers to post brief Vine-style videos, explaining why they are social workers and what they want to see happen in the next 60 years,” Wright said. “We plan to promote some of these short videos through our social media outlets.”
From the March 2015 NASW News. NASW members can read the full story after logging in.
