Avila Now

November 1, 2017

Avila University Ranked in Top 5 Social Work Programs in Missouri

Avila "A" Logo
Avila Logo.

November 1, 2017) KANSAS CITY, MO – Zippia, a leader in career data gathering, has ranked Avila University as one of the top 5 social work programs in the state of Missouri.

Based on how colleges performed and in comparing them to one another, the researchers at Zippia gathered data from the Department of Education and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) to understand which social work departments offered the best career opportunities. Data such as mean career earnings, percentage of graduates actually working in the field and school performance were collected.

Lindee Petersen Wilson, MSW, LSCSW, is assistant professor of social work and director of field education at Avila and sees the ranking as an honor. “When I arrived at the University 15 years ago, the social work program already had a strong reputation in the community,” Petersen Wilson said.  “I believe that remains true today, as evidenced by this honor.  We have worked hard to provide the most current and helpful learning in the field of social work for our students. Because we are a smaller program, we can work with students to help them grow even beyond what they saw as their potential to help others and our world.”

Social Work is much more than the stereotyped image of a child welfare worker.  While child protection work is an important job that social workers hold, there are career opportunities with people of all ages, birth to death, and in almost any setting. 

“Social Work is one of the top career growth industries and will continue to be so for at least the next decade,” Petersen Wilson said. “As an undergraduate degree, the Avila B.S.W. offers students a lengthy internship and a broad spectrum of knowledge, skills, and values that support social justice, service, and the dignity and worth of all.”

For more information, see the Zippia article at https://www.zippia.com/social-work-major/#best-social-work-colleges-in-missouri.

Avila University, a Catholic University sponsored by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, is a values-based community of learning providing liberal arts, professional, undergraduate and graduate education to prepare students for responsible, lifelong contributions to the global community. Our approach to education brings out the best in our students, so they can bring out the best in others.

Go back to the top