Who is AJS III

Anthony Schmitt

Fordham University Graduate School of Social Work.

July, 2012 Application Essay

I have always had a strong interest in helping others. In my adult life, I was very involved in  volunteer activities through my church. St. Paul’s Roman Catholic Church in Webster NY had a very active social ministry program. I actively participated in Habitat for Humanity, clothing drives, food donation drives, and delivering the food to the needy during the holiday seasons. Additionally, I chaired the finance committee and it was part of St. Paul’s parish mission statement to tithe 10% of our collections to charity. I was involved in the process of approving the charities that were receiving our donations. 

On Long Island, I was a volunteer for the American Cancer Society. I gave rides to cancer patients who did not have transportation to their medical appointments. Also, I am a trained Spiritual Care Companion for Catholic Health Services of Long Island. This ministry is to be a caring, attentive, and listening presence to persons who are sick, elderly or developmentally disabled.  These volunteer activities have provided me a great appreciation of helping those in need. I find the volunteer work most rewarding and humbling.

I grew up on a Long Island family vegetable farm. As a young boy, we employed many migrant farm workers to assist with many of the farm chores and harvest of the produce. I saw the value of the hard work that these men did, and how they valued their families. They would send much of their wages back home to support their families. I was taught by my grandfather that all men are to be treated with the same human dignity  that we ourselves enjoy. I did all the same jobs and tasks that the migrant workers were asked to do. I earned the same hourly wage that these men did. That early life experience has stayed with me, I treat and respect every man as I would expect to be treated. As such, I try to reach out and help those less fortunate than I.

My previous occupations were in the accounting and business computer software consulting fields. Although these professions were very financially rewarding, there was little personal satisfaction. I always found a lack of personal satisfaction. That is why I seeked out volunteer activities to balance the financial rewards from my professional life, with the personal satisfaction from my volunteer activities.

My wife was a registered nurse at a local medical hospital. I was proud and somewhat envious of her ability to help others on a daily basis. Her satisfaction of helping others usually outweighed any of the negatives of the job. We often talked and discussed the personal reward of helping those in medical need. 

My eldest daughter, Kristen, recently completed her first year of graduate study at University of North Carolina - Charlotte in the social work field. Kristen often shares with me how rewarding her studies and experiences are. Last year she was in the Americorps program. She was a refugee coordinator of the Diocese of Charlotte. I enjoyed hearing how she helped the refugees.

    My other daughter, Lauren (22), is a registered nurse at a hospital in Rochester, NY. Lauren also finds great personal satisfaction in helping others. Lauren is a cancer survivor and I think that experience motivated her to chose the nursing field.

    As a family we often volunteered at church for various activities through the social ministry program. We taught our daughters that it is important to share our time and talents with others. We delivered the clothing to the inner city clothing center, took the donated food to the food pantries, and shared our time by participating in walks to raise funds for various charitable causes.

    I have thought about entering a social work graduate program for a number of years. Life’s responsibilities often prevented me from having the time and financial funds necessary. My current situation has now presented me with both the time, and financial means to attend a graduate program.  Additionally, I have recently used a social work counseling center to help me sort through some personal problems. The assistance that my social worker provided to me, enabled me to resolve some of those personal problems. I am now a much better person. That experience has motivated me to enter a graduate program for social work.

    I expect my graduate education to help enable me to enter the social work profession. I hope the education will enhance my personal skills and knowledge in the social work field. I think that my life experiences combined with a social work graduate degree will lead to a rewarding and successful career as counselor or social worker. I have not attended college in over twenty-five years, so I think it may take a little time to become acculumated  with the routine of college classes and studying again. However, I am an avid reader and dedicated individual so I will make sure that I put the time in to ensure that I succeed.

    I am a very caring and empathic person. I am one who is always willing to help others. I am a very good listener, and I think that attribute is a key to being a good communicator. Being a parent and an older individual also provide many valuable life experiences,  that yields an earned  wisdom  that cannot be put into words. I have endured some difficult life experiences; divorce, depression, job loss, and cancer of a child. Each of these life events provide a unique experience that are helpful when dealing with others in similar situations.

    My career interests are to work in the areas of family and individual counseling. I would want to provide an avenue for people to learn how to help themselves. I want to be able to aid a person to understand the causes of emotional distress, develop and assist ways to resolve a troubling personal situation, and connect the person in need with appropriate community resources. I desire to help people make positive changes in their lives. I want  to help them  write a “comeback story” from a difficult situation or time in their life.

    During my time as a graduate social worker, I would continue to be a Spiritual Care Companion and look for other volunteer opportunities to help others. I am always an advocate for those in need. I think the goals of the profession are to help individuals, groups, and communities lead better lives by helping people learn to deal with their problems and hopefully find solutions to overcome their problems and struggles. 

    I think a current social work issue is the cutting or reducing of government  funding to many of our social service agencies. Nassau County and New York State are in the midst of severe government budgeting financial crisis. Many social service agencies that provide many valuable programs to families and youth have to terminate these programs due to lack of funding. I believe that these funds need to be restored to these social service agencies. I will and am fighting for the restoration of these funds. One way that I am involved by writing to my elected governmental officials.

    I believe that providing needed social service programs are vital to our society.They help those who are most in need, and provide the life skills and tools that will hopefully lead to successful and productive lives for those who are in current need. I am biased because I was helped by one of those agencies whose funds are now being reduced or cut. 

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I only attended for two semesters before I discovered that the program wasn't for me, it was a great learning experience. My essay still holds true as to who I am. 👍