Rhode Island College Professor of Social Work Jayashree Nimmagadda announced on Apr. 6 that a new initiative is underway to introduce high school students to the social work profession using case-based learning activities.
The effort aims to address the shortage of social workers in Rhode Island by engaging students early and providing them with authentic experiences related to the field. The program gives students insight into real-world scenarios and ethical dilemmas that social workers encounter, encouraging them to consider social work as a future career.
“Students are presented with a real-world social work scenario and asked to identify the presenting concerns, explore solutions and consider ethical dilemmas. This gives them an authentic glimpse into the profession and invites them to step into the role of a social worker,” said Nimmagadda.
The activity was developed by Assistant Professors Estrellita Moronta and Joise Garzon. Garzon recently presented it to 30 high schoolers at Village Green Charter School, with another session scheduled for Juanita Sanchez High School. During these sessions, Garzon began with a mini-lecture about effective qualities in social workers and described various career opportunities available in the field before leading students through interactive case studies.
Garzon followed up each activity with a debriefing session designed to foster reflection, critical thinking, and application of key concepts. “The majority of students were surprised by how much they could do with a social work degree,” said Garzon. “One student’s takeaway was that ‘being a social worker is more than just a job.’”
Garzon also shared that one staff member present decided after attending the presentation that she wanted to pursue graduate studies in social work instead of her original plan. The interactive presentation was first offered during summer 2025 as part of the Onward We Learn Program for high schoolers, alongside other outreach efforts such as participating in career days and discussing mental health topics through programs like College Visions.
“Rhode Island faces a shortage of social workers,” said Nimmagadda. “If we want to build the future, we have to start at the high school level. By giving them knowledge and interactive learning, we hope that they will consider social work as a career.”
