The Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors (BPD) is an association of BSW Program Administrators, Faculty, Field Directors, and others dedicated to the promotion of excellence in baccalaureate social work education.  Since 2001, BPD has competitively selected one BSW student from across the nation to serve as a Summer Policy Fellow in Washington, D.C. under the leadership of Joan Levy Zlotnik, PhD, ACSW, Executive Director of the Institute for the Advancement of Social Work Research.  During the fellowship, students have the opportunity to learn about research and policy and their implications upon the social work profession. 

As one task of the 2007 BPD Summer Fellow, Chasity Wells-Armstrong, BSW contacted the six former fellows.  Many have wondered where the fellows are now and how their careers have progressed since their fellowships.   Since each student brought unique talents and interests to the position, they were each interviewed to hear how the fellowship experience influenced their career choices.  .This article provides updates on the six fellows and the impact of the fellowship experience upon each.    

2001 BPD Policy Fellow:  Daphne Petersen

            After leaving the fellowship in 2001, Daphne returned to her home in Nebraska and went to work as the Executive Director of the Nebraska NASW chapter at the association management company with which NASW contracted.  Also, she worked as a lobbyist for that firm.  Currently, Daphne resides in Johnston, Iowa, outside of Des Moines.  She is married and raising her two children, ages 4 and 2.  Although she has not yet obtained her MSW, Daphne reports that she is presently researching MSW programs so that she can go back to college.  Her future goal is to eventually obtain a PhD.  She would like to do research and teach courses regarding social policy, community organizing, and other macro areas.  Daphne credits the fellowship with helping her to see how social workers can impact the policy-making process.

2002 BPD Policy Fellow:  Delene Porter

After leaving the fellowship in 2002, Delene completed her MSW degree at the University of Georgia.  Currently, Delene resides in Athens, Georgia and works as a Public Service Associate within the Fanning Institute at the University of Georgia.  The institute looks at community and economic development.  Delene engages community participation in addressing healthcare, poverty, and public housing issues.  She plans to pursue a PhD in Education at the University of Georgia this fall.  Delene credits the fellowship with teaching her how legislation is made and giving her the skills she needs to influence policy.   

2003 BPD Policy Fellow:  Erin Brackney

            After leaving the fellowship in 2003, Erin stayed on with IASWR as a Special Projects Coordinator.  During her fellowship, she was heavily recruited by top social work programs in the country.  Erin chose the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she completed her MSW with a specialty in Policy and Evaluation.  Currently, Erin works as a Policy and Research Analyst for the One-Star Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by the Governor of Texas.  One-Star Foundation does capacity building for non-profits by looking at the health of the non-profit sector as a whole and working in a variety of ways to build their capacity to serve.  Erin credits the fellowship with teaching her to run meetings with a professional edge and for improving her public speaking skills. 

2004 BPD Policy Fellow:  Julie Ferris

            After leaving the fellowship in 2004, Julie worked as a child welfare worker in Arizona’s child welfare system.  She then returned to Nebraska and worked as a case manager for the Nebraska AIDS project and then as a Day Reporting Trainer for    Goodwill Industries’ program called “Employability and Life Skills.”  Also, Julie is the graduate assistant for the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.  Julie is an active member of NASW, serving as the Vice-President of the Board and as the Membership Committee Chair.  She is relocating to Washington State to pursue her masters in Public Administration.  She hopes to join the Peace Corps and pursue a PhD in Public Policy in the future. Julie credits the fellowship with giving her the opportunities to improve her writing skills and gain exposure to the research community.

2005 BPD Policy Fellow:  Bethany Wilfert

            After leaving the fellowship in 2005, Bethany decided to relocate to Washington, D.C. from her home state of Minnesota.  While she has yet pursued her MSW degree, Bethany has been working as a Lead Case Manager for Christ House for the past two years.  At Christ House, Bethany manages the social work department, in addition to providing inpatient, holistic, and medical services to homeless men and women throughout the community.   Bethany finds her work rewarding and would like to work in the macro setting once she completes her MSW degree.  Bethany credits the fellowship with helping her to improve her organizational skills and recognizing the importance of social workers in the macro arena.

2006 BPD Policy Fellow:  Kara Ullestad

            After leaving the fellowship in 2006, Kara returned to her home state of Iowa for a month before being hired in September 2006 as a Case Advocate for the Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, which is a policy organization.  As a Case Advocate, Kara finds her work to be rewarding as she advocates on behalf of clients to ensure that they are receiving their entitlements.  Also, she works with individuals and families to ensure that they have access to legal services and to assist them with the process of acquiring subsidized housing.  Kara credits the fellowship for helping her to attain a level of professional writing and for confirming her desire to work in policy. 

 2007 BPD Fellow:  Chasity Wells-Armstrong

            After completing the BPD Policy Fellowship in August 2007, Chasity returned to her home state of Illinois to pursue her MSW degree at Governors State University, specializing in Children and Families.  She remains active in the Social Work Student Organization, serving as its president for the second consecutive year.  Also, she is serving her final year on the school board at Bishop McNamara High School in Kankakee. 

Chasity credits the fellowship with opening her eyes to the many opportunities social workers have available to them in terms of macro level work and for helping her see how social workers have the ability to impact legislation.   She is married and has two children:  Devon, aged 19 years, who is serving in the U.S. Marine Corp. and Leigha-Janae, age 11 years who remains at home. Her long-term goal is to pursue a Ph.D. in Social Work or Public Health.