Community Development Emphasis

Over the past several years, the Consensus Organizing Center has explored strengthening the existing two social work curriculums, administrative and clinical, at San Diego State University. These efforts led to the development of the Community Development (CD) focus, which provides deeper educational experiences for MSW students more interested in macro (rather than individual/clinical) practice.

The interest behind this effort occurred because of the students. During their final year, many students request internship placements with more involvement with residents and grass roots organizations versus in a social service agency. The distinction between the two administrative tracks brings more opportunity for students to be out in the community and allows them to apply their classroom learning in practical community settings. Additionally, the CD courses are available at times which do not conflict with the direct practice schedule, so students in all concentrations may take the CD courses as electives. This option produces well rounded social workers who are more capable of being successful in any setting.

The CD program offers nontraditional placements within the San Diego community, such as at libraries, neighborhood associations, environmental agencies, and theatres. Typical administrative placements in the past have included much larger organizations, such as county offices, hospitals, and large, established social service agencies.

In the CD track, students are evaluated based on their ability to develop community projects that benefit residents and further the missions of the organizations with whom they are interning.

2011-2012 Community Development Interns

Carl Deertz Jr., BSW	Carl Deertz Jr. earned his Social Work Bachelor’s degree in 2009 from San Diego State University. During his undergraduate field experience Carl interned as a BSW intern at Eldorado Care Center, a skilled nursing facility, providing case management and group therapy to adults and older adults. Carl has been a Patient Care Volunteer for San Diego Hospice and is currently a Foster Youth Mentor. Currently Carl is in the Advanced Standing Program working towards his Master’s degree in Community Development. Carl was recently involved in the Safety initiative in City Heights where he went out in the community and worked with residents to address safety concerns in their community. He is currently interning at STAR/PAL which works with underserved youth in educational, recreational and athletic programs. Projects that Carl has been working on at STAR/PAL include program evaluation, volunteer orientation, grant writing, and updating STAR/PAL’s board manual.
Eric Luciano, BSW	Eric Luciano is a master’s of social work student with an emphasis in community development and administration.  He began his work in the social arena as an outreach worker for homeless youth while volunteering his time to inmates in juvenile hall as a counselor.  Prior to entering graduate school, he was accepted into a one year fellowship as a Price Community Builder in City Heights where he was able to apply and experience the success of using the Consensus Organizing model.  Eric’s long-term passion has been supporting father involvement in all aspects of their child’s life.  He volunteers his time and resources to a grassroots agency changing the attitudes of dads in our community and is conducting a study on the challenges that men are confronted with in public services.
Ericka Korb	Ericka Korb completed her bachelors in psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2001.  Three years after graduating she joined the Army as a Mental Health Specialist.  She returned to school in 2009 to obtain her masters degree in Social Work and became extensively involved with the Student Veterans Organization on campus. While there she has been Chair of the Mental Health Committee and President. Currently she is the military liaison between the athletic department and the military community both on and off campus.  During a class on community organizing, she wrote a paper on a peer mentor network within the military health care system for returning wounded, ill and injured Marines, which then developed into her internship in the final year of her program.  She hopes to continue to take the success of her internship to other military locations and assist them in implementing the mentoring network.
Esperanza Baza, BSW	Esperanza Baza earned her Bachelor's in Social Work at San Diego State University (SDSU) in 2009.  She is currently an Administration/Community Development intern  at the Consensus Organizing Center working towards  her  Master's in Social Work from SDSU. As a former Price Community Builder Fellow, Esperanza had the opportunity to work in the community of City Heights with Mid-City Community Advocacy Network supporting residents in promoting community participation in leadership, ownership and decision making. She gained experience in grassroots community organizing assisting City Height's residents in recruitment and in advocating for institutional and social change. Esperanza continues to be involved in the City Heights community through the Safety Initiative, focusing on the coordination of the Parent Patrol Program at Monroe Clark Middle School. Her work involves engaging parents and community members to be active participants in the overall safety of their community.
Hieu Bui, BSW	Hieu Bui, BSW, is a current graduate student in the Advanced Standing Program at San Diego State University (SDSU). Since 2008, she has been involved with the Consensus Organizing Center in a wide capacity, gaining valuable experience that guided her to make her decision to pursue a career in administrative social work. Upon graduating from SDSU in May 2010, when she obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Social Work, Hieu began her year-long fellowship with the prestigious Price Community Builder program where she worked with refugee and immigrant students in City Heights as a Program Coordinator. Hieu is currently a Community Development Intern at the Consensus Organizing Center, working in City Heights on the Safety Initiative. Hieu will graduate in May 2012 with her Masters Degree in Administrative Social Work, and she hopes to embark on career path leading her to engagement with displaced communities as a community organizer and program designer.
Tess Banko, BSW	Tess Banko is a native of California, and currently resides in Spring Valley. She graduated from San Diego State in May of 2011 with her bachelor’s degree in Social Work, and was accepted into the Advanced Standing graduate program in the Administration and Community Development track. Tess is excited to be working with the people and communities of San Diego as a Consensus Organizing Center intern, and has been placed at Monterey Heights School in Lemon Grove. There, she will be working to engage parents, students, faculty, staff, and the community through a variety of campus projects. These include a school uniform initiative, working with the community garden on campus, and a campus physical education initiative.
Ubah Ahmed, BSW	Ubah Ahmed is passionate about fostering an environment of opportunity to underserved and diverse populations. As an immigrant from Somalia, Ubah is aware of the educational, employment and assimilation challenges faced by diverse and underserved populations. In 2010, she was one of five recipients of the Price Community Builders Fellowship Program. Through the fellowship, Ubah worked in the City Heights Community Development Corporation, a community based agency in the City Heights neighborhood. Ubah is a candidate for a Master’s degree in Social Work Administration and Community Development at San Diego State University. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work. Currently, she is interning with Consensus Organizing Center and presently involves in City Heights community working different projects such as the Safety Initiative and City Heights on Patrol (CHOP).
Saima Bahramzi, BSW	Saima Bahramzi is in her final year of Master’s degree in Community Development and Administrative Social Work at San Diego State University (SDSU). She is currently interning with the Consensus Organizing Center. Saima holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work from SDSU and has been involved in community organizing and community development programs since 2008. She has passion and commitment for the work she does. She was born in Afghanistan. Besides English she speaks three languages (Pashto, Farsi, and Urdu). Sensing a need in the San Diego Afghan community she organized several families and started self-help organization to serve emergency financial assistance to the Afghan community. Saima will be the first female in her family that will be graduating with her Master’s degree in May 2012.

Email Jessica Robinson for more information.