Pathways Program – Center for First Generation Social Work Student Success

High School Students and Counselors

First-generation students who are attending a Rhode Island public high school as a junior or senior are eligible to participate in the Pathways Program. We will be recruiting through RI high schools, so interested students should speak to their school counselor and ask them to contact our Program Director, Stefan Battle, about their interest. Counselors who would like to recommend a student for the program, please reach out to us.

Email the Program Director

Non-High School Students

Although the Pathway program is focused on the recruitment of high school students, non-high school first-generation students can benefit and receive the opportunities and support from the program. Interested in getting your questions answered?

Email the Program Director

If you participate in Pathways you will commit to applying to the CCRI Department of Human Service area of study, Social Services – Social Work (SOWK) program. Although students recruited for Pathways are expected to begin their undergraduate experience at CCRI, you may choose to begin your undergraduate experience at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ in the BSW program. You will benefit from either the or the Hope Scholarship at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ.

Please Note: You are not able to use both scholarships.

During your academic experience in CCRI's Social Services – Social Work Associates Degree Program, you will take part in monthly Center support meetings and will be assigned a Fellow for a mentor relationship. The meetings and mentorship are intended to support and assist you as you navigate your social work academic program. More importantly, the group experience and mentor relationship will also support your social needs as a first-generation students.

Upon completion at CCRI, you will receive your Associate’s degree and commit to transferring to ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ’s School of Social Work Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program.

When transferring to ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ, you will be strongly encouraged to double major in the Africana Studies and BSW programs because many of your future clients may be from traditionally underrepresented populations. When you become a junior in the ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ BSW program, you may apply to participate in the BSW to Master of Social Work (MSW) accelerated program. If you are not accepted into the accelerated program, or if you would rather not pursue the accelerated track, you are then expected to apply to the MSW program.

More Details on Your Degree Pursuits at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ

While studying at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ, the expectation will continue for you to participate in the Center's monthly support group meetings and your mentor and mentee relationship. Enrolled in the Africana Studies and BSW Programs combined, you will learn the experiences, histories, and the social complexity of the people you will serve. Together, the two disciplines will support your intellectual thirst and commitment to giving back as a helping professional.

During your senior year at ÁñÁ«ÊÓƵ, you will be expected to do a research project with a Center Fellow or another member of the Center for First Generation Social Work Student Success team. You will be expected to fill out the necessary forms to conduct a research project through the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process. You will collect and analyze data, and compete a write-up of your findings. The final write-up of the research project will be published in the Center's twice yearly online journal - Storytelling: A Journal of Lived Experiences and Research. A Center for First Generation Social Work Student Success spring symposium will be held to showcase students' research in the spring of each academic year.