Social Work

Master of Social Work program

The Master of Social Work program was awarded a $5.3 million grant from the California Office of Healthcare Access and Information (HCAI) to grow our program and keep MSW graduates working in California, and HCAI alumni are stepping into the world with degrees in hand and a lot less debt and stress thanks to $25,000 stipends that helped cover the cost of earning a master’s degree. In return, the graduates have committed to one year in a behavioral health setting, serving California’s most vulnerable populations.

Over the past few months, graduates accepted roles in settings as diverse as major hospitals, nonprofits, and even international organizations. In these impactful roles, HCAI-supported graduates are addressing mental health access, systemic inequality, child protection, housing insecurity, and more. What sets them apart is a deep understanding of both theory and practice — years of intensive coursework, internship placements, and community-based learning have prepared them to lead with empathy, strategy, and resilience.

Faculty, field instructors, and community partners have mentored this next generation of social work leaders whose success reflects the very best of what social work can be: bold, compassionate, and transformative.

Department of Recreation, Parks & Tourism (RPT)

Dozens of RPT students received departmental scholarships to recognize their outstanding leadership and achievement. We extend heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to making these opportunities possible, especially those who supported the Dr. Nina Roberts Memorial Scholarship campaign, which continues RPT professor Dr. Roberts’ inspiring legacy of education and advocacy for equitable access to parks and other natural spaces.

RPT alumni continue to be an essential part of the department’s story — mentoring students, serving on advisory boards, hosting mixers, guest speaking in our classrooms and sharing job opportunities through LinkedIn and emails.

We’re also grateful for our many partners who help bring learning to life, both on- and off-campus. Collaborations with Campus Recreation, Student Affairs, Outward Bound, California Park & Recreation Society (CPRS) and CalTravel continue to provide SFSU students with valuable hands-on experiences. Special thanks go to the San Francisco Recreation and Park Department and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy for offering meaningful, fully funded internships.

School of Nursing

Thanks to the generosity of donors, $138,000 was awarded to students across our nursing programs. This financial assistance helps offset the high cost of nursing education which includes scrubs, stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, books and electronic learning resources, and commuting and parking costs. Donor contributions are truly appreciated by our students, as expressed by one entry-level master’s student who said, “This isn’t just about financial support — it’s about hope, encouragement and the belief that I can succeed. I will carry this generosity with me as I move forward in my education and career, striving to make a meaningful impact in every way I can.”

“This isn’t just about financial support — it’s about hope, encouragement and the belief that I can succeed. I will carry this generosity with me as I move forward in my education and career, striving to make a meaningful impact in every way I can.” —SFSU Nursing student

The School of Nursing is also grateful for its growing partnership with California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC). Thanks to this collaboration, 16 SFSU pre-licensure students are able to complete their clinical training at CPMC, enabling the SoN to increase enrollment in its accelerated and traditional BSN programs. These placements have not only provided invaluable hands-on experience, but also the opportunity to interview for new graduate positions. Together, the SoN and CPMC are strengthening the nursing workforce, developing a robust nursing pipeline that’s reflective of a shared commitment to the future of compassionate, skilled care.

SFSU’s partnership with CPMC helped support a new five-month RN refresher course by providing clinical placements for the students. Sixteen licensed nurses, committed to returning to the bedside after being away from nursing for three to 19 years, were each supported by a dedicated CPMC preceptor. Thanks to this collaboration, participants are now eligible to apply for RN positions in Bay Area healthcare facilities. It’s a wonderful example of how our partnership is helping to meet the area’s nursing workforce needs.

After a decade of financially insecure and high-pressure work, Arredondo committed to pursuing an undergraduate degree. At that time, he had learned about an agency at the U.S./Mexico border that provides counseling to migrants who are incarcerated and separated from their families. That’s when his dream of becoming a social worker came into focus. “I want to be a role model and catalyst for change and embody the representation and services that were not available during my youth,” he said.

While at SFSU, Arredondo worked hard toward his dream. He led a qualitative study that highlighted the voices of the unhoused population in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District and presented the findings at the 2024 Social Work Social Development Joint World Conference.

He was awarded the Vincent Costantino University Scholarship and also won the highly competitive Willie L. Brown , Jr. Fellowship, which landed him an internship with San Francisco’s Human Services Agency. There he helped connect emancipated foster youth to a guaranteed-income pilot program, shadowed social workers in the family maintenance and family reunification department and assisted with biopsychosocial assessments.

“Education radically transformed my life,” Arredondo said. “It has not only given me meaning and hope for the future, but it is also healing old wounds. It has made me aware that I have always been capable.”

Arredondo is also involved in helping the communities he deeply cares for. For example, he interns at Manzanita SEED Elementary School, where he provides bilingual behavioral therapy in Spanish and English.

“It is with tremendous joy and great pride that I celebrate the outstanding achievements and extraordinary perseverance of this year’s Trustees’ Scholars,” said CSU Chancellor Mildred García. “Through the visionary generosity of our donors, the CSU is able to uplift and support these diverse students and truly outstanding scholars who have overcome educational and personal hardships in pursuit of a college degree that will not only transform their lives, but will also elevate their families and strengthen their communities.”