Be the change: a profile on social work student Nikita Purdy

Fort Worth, TX

11/13/2009

By: Catie Jenschke, Schieffer School of Journalism

It’s easy to be passionate about helping people when you see children in run-down schools or less than fortunate homes, but it takes a person with a huge heart and a unique drive to do all the behind-the-scenes work to actually improves others’ lives. Through her preparation in TCU classes, leadership in the social work professional organization on campus and her incredible internships with two attorney generals, Nikita Purdy now has the knowledge and experience, in addition to her compassionate heart, to launch her toward her dream job as a senator.

Nikita interned with the U.S. Attorney General’s office in the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C during the summers of 2008 and 2009. Both summers were spent in the Executive Secretary’s Office for the Attorney General, or “ExecSec” as Nikita refers to the program. While mostly doing general administrative assistant duties, she did get the chance to send the FBI packages, file ‘top-secret’ papers, input White House mail and answer citizen phone calls. Nikita assured me though that nothing really secret passed through her hands, although she said it with a knowing smile.

The citizen phone calls were some of Nikita’s favorite daily office happenings. There were messages left almost every day from a woman who would list everything she ate that day and also a message left by another person about his/her current top 10 movies. But more importantly, Nikita was able to hear from citizens what they liked and disliked about Attorney General Eric Holder’s policies. She also compiled and mailed more than 4,000 Eagle Scout invitations for Mr. Holder.

Throughout her summer, Nikita most enjoyed being in what she referred to as a political celebrity environment.

“These people in this place make a different for the entire nation,” Nikita reminisced. And she wasn’t the only student in the Capitol gaining this great experience. There were interns from universities across the nation and students from all majors working in places like the FBI and National Security Administration.

Although she wasn’t able to glimpse either of the two attorney generals very often, she did see diversity in Washington D.C. employment that she has not seen elsewhere in the nation. Nikita was also greeted every morning by a security guard holding up his frog fingers and exclaiming “Go Frogs!” because he knew she attended TCU. Nikita also heard from Michael B. Mukasey, former attorney general, in a speech given to the interns during the summer of 2008 about the importance of being future U.S. leaders and using small things to make a big difference.

Outside of the office, Nikita experienced the ordeal that is the President traveling. She was on the street one time when it occurred and was not even allowed to walk while security was moving past her down the street. In addition, there was virtually not a single day without a protest, she said. Her favorite was a group of women declaring their dislike of Dick Cheney. These ladies got creative and carried around a life-size bobble head of the former Vice President of the U.S. However, most frequently the protests were about the war in Iraq, Nikita said, but there were never any violent people or guns.

One of the most rewarding parts of Nikita’s summer was seeing all the potential jobs for a social work student. For instance, Nikita found the job she aspires to in Washington D.C. as a policy and grant writer for Violence Against Women, where she would focus on writing proposals to Congress. But she hopes to get this job or a similar one after attending Catholic University of America for graduate school. Without her Washington D.C. internships, Nikita may have never been able to visit the campus and talk to the professors about the program and school, she said.

Back at TCU, Nikita is in her senior year and is currently serving as president of the TCU student chapter of the Student Association of Social Workers. After being in the organization for three years and serving as vice president last year, Nikita embarked on the fulfilling project of running this organization and helping veteran and new members connect and navigate through the process of earning a social work degree. Aside from learning the ropes of social work, members enjoy monthly dinners and movie nights together. Their emphasis rests on improving the TCU and Fort Worth communities, however.

Next semester they will be hosting a Child Labor for Chocolate event. Also, speakers such as Pat Gleason-Wynn, the Texas National Association of Social Workers president, and Seth Mobilio, the NASW Board student representative, have spoken at meetings this semester.

Although the social work department and major are small at TCU, with only 32 students total it’s a program with passion and potential, Nikita said. Social work majors and professors are a close-knit group united by the desire to make a difference in the community and the world, Nikita said.

In one of Nikita’s favorite, yet challenging, general practices class this semester, students were assigned to one of two projects: a neighborhood assessment or a community event. Nikita is part of the community event that will benefit the Samaritan House by recognizing two doctors who are pioneers in research for HIV/AIDS and are local to Fort Worth.

After three and a half semesters, two years in NASW-TCU leadership and two summers of internships, Nikita said she would never change her major. The students and professors of social work support each other no matter what and all desire to leave this world better than when they got here, Nikita said. Now that’s something to be passionate about.