Through the school's practicum program, graduate students spend at least 1,000 hours each on a social justice community project. In the St. Louis region, students pair up with school, church and community leaders as well as health providers and other professionals at more than 400 local agencies. That translates to nearly a quarter million hours of volunteer service each academic year to the benefit of the region. With help from MasterCard, students will be encouraged specifically to develop semester-long field projects helping families escape poverty through job training and other assistance. Supported projects will include a job-training and language program for new immigrants and a transitional program for recovering addicts.
Beaumont students use IDAs to save money for college tuition and expenses.
The initial phase of the project was funded by a grant from the Maternal and Child Health Division of the National Institutes of Health. Additionally, the MasterCard grant will support the work of the school's alumni. While the school's graduates pursue careers throughout the world, a number of alumni remain in the St. Louis area as the top leadership and front-line service staff at many of the region's social service agencies. The MasterCard grant will encourage this pattern by providing scholarships to social work students who agree to seek social work jobs in St. Louis after graduation. The MasterCard grant is part of the company's ongoing support of St. Louis regional youths and education through a variety of projects.