Testimonials

Here are some testimonials from those involved in the Type 73 Certification Program.

Leticia Villarreal Sosa, PhD 

As assistant professor at Dominican, I have the responsibility of making sure that students in the school social work program are introduced to the newest research and practice models in school social work. School social work is a growing specialization both in the U.S. and internationally and students at Dominican will learn to think about their role as a school social worker in much broader sense. As social workers, we have many strengths and skills that can be utilized at all levels of practice, including school organizations. 
I have my PhD from the University of Chicago, SSA where I conducted research on Mexican origin youth over the transition to high school. I addressed issues of social identity, the impact of gang violence on the students, and school failure and dropout. I plan on continuing my research with an emphasis on marginalized children in the school setting. Prior to coming to Dominican University, I was a school social worker for over 10 years. I worked in suburban and urban settings and with children from early childhood to high school age. 
I bring a unique combination of practice experience, depth of understanding in both clinical and policy interventions, and a continued research agenda focused on the needs of children in the school context and the role of school social workers. In addition to my practice and research experience, I am actively involved with local and national organizations of school social workers. Currently, we are working on a project to develop a national model of school social work. I am excited to continually update the curriculum at Dominican to make sure that students in our school social work program are receiving all of the latest information on practice interventions and policies impacting our work in the schools. I am committed to making sure school social workers see the many strengths they bring to a school organization and to help others outside of the profession see the impact we can have on children and schools.
 
Matt Landa
In addition to being an adjunct professor at Dominican, I’m also the social worker for the Morton Alternative School for J. Sterling Morton High School District 201. Part of the public school system, it’s for students who have been expelled or placed out of area high schools because of disciplinary problems.

As a school social worker, you get great opportunities for intervention. You have access to the students on a daily basis, plus access to their parents, teachers and the community.  I find this job to be incredibly rewarding. I had one student, for example, who was expelled from his home school for carrying a weapon. At first, he was very resistant. I worked together with his family and teachers to provide him the support he needed to succeed.  He graduated last January and is now a private first class in the Marines. Without this school, he would have failed. I still keep in contact with him.

As a professor at Dominican, I try to bring my experience as a school social worker with me into the graduate school classroom. Working in a school is very different than working in a community counseling setting. You need to understand the barriers and the benefits. At Dominican, we think globally and that distinguishes us from the other area schools. We look at issues from a much broader perspective. We take advantage of research that has been done in other countries. There is a great body of knowledge from Scandinavian and Asian countries on bullying, for example. At Dominican, we are using this information by applying it to domestic situations. I find my work both at the high school and at Dominican to be exceptionally fulfilling.

Sylvia Romero, PhD, MSW, C-CSSWS

I am an adjunct professor at Dominican University, Graduate School of Social Work. 
I received my Ph.D. from Barry University, School of Social Work. My passion and area of expertise is childhood bereavement. I completed my dissertation on “The Utilization of Interventions by Parentally Bereaved Children: The Impact on Symptoms of Psychopathology”. My areas of research include: the impact of parental death on childhood bereavement; bereavement groups; group work; ethnic variations of death and dying; issues related to immigrants and other minority groups; cultural diversity; truancy (drop-out rates of Latino students); and school social work. 
 
I have over 23 years of school social work experience working with culturally diverse populations in Illinois and Florida. I have had the pleasure to work with elementary and secondary school students from the ages of three to 21.  I currently work at Frederick School for Community Consolidated School District #46. I have also worked as a direct practitioner, consultant, community organizer, community leader, and community service provider. I have served in national, state, and local executive boards. I am currently serving on a national executive board as the President Elect for the Association of Latino Social Work Educators. 
 
I am a passionate social worker and I share my rich clinical experience and enthusiasm with the students in the classroom. The global focus of Dominican adds the perfect balance to social work education. I challenge each student to be the best that they can be. Education for me has been a lifelong journey, and I continue to learn from the students that I teach and work with.  School social workers make a positive impact in the lives of students, families, and communities. I am proud to teach at Dominican!
 
 

 

Apply