5 APSU students receive DCS scholarship/stipend
This fall, five Austin Peay State University students were awarded the Department of Childrens Services (DCS) Scholarship/Stipend Award.The recipients are Casey Sheffer, Spring Hill, Lisa Helle, Pleasant View, Britney Bailey, Greenback, Ada Vega, Hopkinsville, Ky., and Lisa Evergin, New York City.
The awards were presented by APSU alumnus and social work major, Tennessee Rep. Joe Pitts, and Professor of Social Work Glenn Carter, who is director of the DCS/Social Work Grant at APSU.
This fall, five Austin Peay State University students were awarded the Department of Children's Services (DCS) Scholarship/Stipend Award.
The recipients are Casey Sheffer, Spring Hill, Lisa Helle, Pleasant View, Britney Bailey, Greenback, Ada Vega, Hopkinsville, Ky., and Lisa Evergin, New York City.
The awards were presented by APSU alumnus and social work major, Tennessee Rep. Joe Pitts, and Professor of Social Work Glenn Carter, who is director of the DCS/Social Work Grant at APSU.
APSU awards at least 10 scholarships over a two-year period. To be eligible, students must be majoring in social work with three or four semesters remaining prior to graduation.
Each DCS Scholarship/Stipend Award recipient receives paid tuition and more than $3,200 per semester for books, supplies, etc. In return for the award, recipients must take two child welfare classes and complete an internship with DCS their final semester.
According to Carter, students who complete these requirements are guaranteed a job with DCS within three months of graduating, and they will receive a $4,000 increase in starting pay. By July 2008, these students' starting income with DCS will be more than $35,000 annually.
Carter said, 鈥淭his program really is a win/win situation as social work students are benefiting from the scholarships and increase in starting pay, while DCS is receiving well-prepared social workers that are needed so badly.鈥
He pointed out that social work students who did not receive a DCS scholarship can become certified child welfare workers by taking the two child welfare classes and doing an internship with DCS. Carter said, 鈥淒CS has created a special register of only certified child welfare workers to make it easier to hire these specially prepared students.鈥
APSU's partnership program with DCS has existed a relatively short time, according to Carter. 鈥淟ast semester, we had so many students sign up for the first child welfare course that we had to split the class into two sections and hire another DCS supervisor to teach the second section,鈥 Carter said. 鈥淲e're offering two sections again this spring semester to accommodate the large number of students interested in the program.鈥
For more information about the DCS Scholarship/Stipend Award or APSU's social work program, contact Carter by telephone at (931) 221-7730 or by e-mail at carterg@apsu.edu. -- Dennie B. Burke