Library

The social work faculty has been reviewing Calvin's social work holdings and adding to them over the past several years. We have now either acquired or have on order the most recent editions of all social welfare policy and social casework titles listed in the standard reference, Books for College Libraries , and the titles listed in the council on Social Work Education's publication, Building the Undergraduate Social Work Library: An Annotated Bibliography. We also have several major journals in social work including Families in Society, Public Welfare, Social Work, Social Work and Christianity, Social Work Research and Abstracts, as well as others in social problems and social research. Calvin's library is also a partial depository of U.S. government documents holding some 100,000 items.

Faculty members review new titles in their areas of expertise and place orders to keep our holdings up-to-date.

When using the library, remember that there are library personnel willing to assist you. Ms. Diane Vander Pol is the librarian who is particularly trained to respond to the questions of social work majors, although any library employee is willing to meet with you about specific papers or projects.

Computer Services

The Computer Center offers several services to students. The Information Technology Center (ITC) lab is located on the first floor of the library and offers PC and Macintosh computers attached to the college network. Other computer labs on campus include PC's and terminals attached to the network in residence halls, a Sun and MAC classroom in North Hall, an English classroom in the Fine Arts Center, as well as others, including one in the department (Spoelhof Center, room 208). The social work program gives instruction in computer use in its social science statistics and research design courses, and encourages its students to develop and use Microsoft Office and PowerPoint skills for their writing assignments and projects in social work courses. The social work list serv is also available to majors through KnightVision.

The Broene Center

The Broene Center offers a range professional counseling services for students. Counselors are available by appointment or by daily walk-in times. The latter are posted on the entrance to the Broene Center .

Career Development

The Career Development staff provides assistance for students searching for careers by helping them recognize their own resources and talents and by exploring with them the variety of careers available to them. The career resources area includes a variety of career information resources including a computerized informational system.

Student Academic Services

Student Academic Services (SAS) offers services designed to help students become more effective at learning. It offers review courses in English and mathematics as well as a course which assists students in developing study skills and adjusting to college-level work. Tutoring by trained upper-class students is available in many courses free of charge for any student whose professor agrees that it could be helpful.

Minority Student Services

Calvin College is striving to become a genuinely multicultural Christian academic community and one in which a cross-cultural community is celebrated. The Dean of Multicultural Student Development provides programs and support services to help minority students adjust to Calvin's campus culture and achieve their educational goals. The Dean also serves as a link between Calvin College and local, ethnic-minority communities. Minority students who have questions, ideas, or concerns are encouraged to contact the Dean at (526-8702).

Rhetoric Center

This service offers tutors to assist students in their preparations of term papers. Students at any level of writing experience are welcome to come for services. The office is in Library 207 and open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. during both fall and spring semesters.

Graduate School Information

The SW Program collects information from several graduate schools of social work in Michigan, more widely in the U.S., and in Canada. This material is on file in the social work student lounge (Spoelhof Center 200) and may be reviewed there. An informational audiotape on graduate education in social work is also available in the lounge. Each October, assigned faculty conduct an informational meeting about graduate education in social work which describes types of programming, admissions information, and resources available to help with decision making. Lastly, students are encouraged to consult with their social work advisor about graduate schools.

Career Information

Information about social work careers is provided in various courses throughout the social work major. Students individually may meet about careers with their social work advisor. The social work practicum faculty works with the Office of Career Development to help B.S.W. seniors prepare professional resumes and make them available to potential employers at college-sponsored job fairs. Lastly, a listing of open positions in social work is kept at the Office of Career Development.