Social work major and public health minor looks forward to a career helping students
Photo by Ryan S. Brandenberg
Ella Hyde
Degree: BSW in social work, minor in public health
College: School of Social Work
Hometown: Warrington, Pennsylvania
Next Stop: Student advocacy
Why I chose Temple: “I chose to go to Temple four years ago because it’s only an hour from home. Then I went on the tour, and the campus was so lively, even during the summer. That was important to me because I knew I wanted to meet new people and join clubs, so campus life was a huge deciding point for me.”
Transformative Temple moment: “I started off in public health, and I definitely wanted to work in healthcare, but I wasn’t sure where. I transitioned into social work after my first year once I started volunteering at a local elementary school.
“I did Big Brothers/Big Sisters through Temple for about two years, and it really showed me a lot of the systemic issues that are going on in the city. Being involved with young people gave me a huge push and inspired me to want to do something more, especially with students. I wasn’t feeling super connected in my major at the time, and I was wondering what I could do within my major to connect more and help people. Social work was discussed as a chapter in one of my public health classes, and I knew I wanted to learn more. Immediately I was like, ‘I’m in the wrong major. That is what I want to do.’”
Social work and student orgs: My cohort is really tiny, but that’s something I like because we’ve all been able to connect and share experiences. I do think the activities I’ve done and experiences I’ve had at Temple have reaffirmed that this is what I’m supposed to do.
“I’ve been very involved in the Cherry Pantry since right after my first year and I’m also the president of the social work honors society at Temple, Alpha Delta Mu, and I help run the Swipe Out Hunger program. We’ve done a few meal swipe drives this semester, and it’s all been really fun to get involved in. It’s important to me that students know they can help other Owls.”
What’s next: “For the past year I’ve worked as a social work intern for the Crisis Assessment Response and Education (CARE) Team at the Christopher and Julie Barnett Essential Needs Hub, and working with them has given me a new perspective on social work and the diverse needs students face.
“I’m looking into positions that are more advocacy-focused. I’d really love to keep working on food initiatives on college campuses or in sustainable housing, but I’m open to a lot of different things.”
