Frances Loeb M.S.S. '22 will be traveling to Colombia this fall as part of the Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Program.
Loeb received a bachelor's in psychology from Johns Hopkins University in 2015. She says that working as a research fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health from 2015-2017 and as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Vanuatu from 2017-2019 prompted her to return to school to become a social worker.
"These experiences taught me that I found more meaning in supporting clients directly rather than in research (and it showed my strengths were also better suited toward direct practice). The emphasis on social justice, advocacy, and a systems approach to social work also fits with my values."
A native of nearby Wynnewood, Loeb says Bryn Mawr's Graduate School of Social Work was the perfect place for her to earn her M.S.S.
"I appreciate the collaborative and supportive culture of Bryn Mawr where professors treat students as colleagues. I also received so much support from Sarah Slates in Career Services and Ellie Stanford, the fellowship advisor at Bryn Mawr, in applying to Fulbright. I think that demonstrates the support students get at Bryn Mawr with the small liberal arts school culture, rather than a large research university where it sometimes feels like students must prove themselves and earn a professor's mentorship."
After completing the Fulbright fellowship, Loeb plans to help fill the shortage of Spanish-speaking social workers in Philadelphia. “Becoming part of my community in Colombia will improve my Spanish skills and further develop cultural competency that I can use in my social work practice.”
The Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research (GSSWSR) is distinctive for its dedication to fine teaching, individual attention, and high academic standards within a liberal arts tradition. Founded in 1915, the GSSWSR has always embraced scholarship, practice, and collaboration within social work and social welfare.