How Alpha Gamma Delta Influenced My Career Path

The following is an excerpt from a scholarship application letter to the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation. It details how I have integrated the Alpha Gamma Delta Purpose into my life and how it has influenced my career choice by mirroring it with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics. 

              "As Alpha Gams we are regularly told to “Live with Purpose.” I have taken this to heart and incorporated it into my current field of study and lifelong career goals. I am a social work graduate student at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. As most Americans are aware, my state, and Detroit in particular, has been hit very hard by the economic recession. In order to honor my home, I have chosen to be a change agent where I live. Homelessness, unemployment, sickness, hunger, and high crime rates are just a few of the social problems facing my home today. As a social worker, I will seek to soothe the pain of hunger, ease the burden of joblessness, advocate for healthcare for the sick and raise awareness of crime rates and homelessness. In addition to contributing to the world’s work in my community, I also seek to improve the health of my fellow Detroiters through individual therapy and advocacy.

The National Association of Social Workers has set forth a list of six core values that all social workers must adhere to. These core values include service, social justice, preserving the dignity and acknowledging the worth of the person, acknowledging the importance of human relationships and maintaining integrity and competence. Based on these core values, an entire Code of Ethics has been written. When I see these values and the Code of Ethics, I can see plainly the similarities between these documents and the Alpha Gamma Delta Purpose. 

Being a competent social worker involves gaining understanding and knowledge so that I might be of the most help to my clients. It also involves networking and cultivating acquaintances with colleagues so that I will be aware of resources in my community. Truth, sincerity and kindness are all necessary to developing and maintaining healthy and constructive client relationships. Surely when Emily Helen Butterfield wrote the Purpose, she had high hopes for her community. It is a happy coincidence that I, a sister of the Fraternity she helped to start, should be continuing to act on these values in her own home community of southeast Michigan long after her passing. The ideals set forth by the Alpha Gamma Delta Purpose and the NASW Code of Ethics are high indeed and must be realized to their fullest meaning in order to be an effective social worker and loyal sister." 

Do you have a "purpose," special Bible verse or other creed close to your heart that has shaped your course in life?

Fall Recipe: Savory Pumpkin Quinoa

I was introduced to quinoa recently. I have known about this "superfood," but I never actually tried it. What put me off is the amount of time it takes to prepare. I'm not one to regularly cook rice or other foods that take 20+minutes just to absorb water. Unfortunately, with quinoa there is the added step of rinsing before cooking. As I did not have a fine enough strainer, I ended up lining a regular colander with a kitchen towel and using that to rise in.

I had no idea what to do with the quinoa once I had made it (and I made a big batch so I could avoid the "long" cooking process). I added some Indian spices to the first small amount, and that was pretty good, but it was like adding a dry spice to plain rice - it lacked body. So, naturally, I got online and started searching. I had some leftover pure pumpkin from a candy-venture earlier that day so I searched for pumpkin quinoa recipes. What I found was a great hearty, healthy dish full of fall flavors.

Savory Pumpkin Quinoa

The original recipe from The Wannabe Chef can be found by following the above link. Here is my version (close to the original, but with a few tweaks)

1 cup cooked quinoa
1 onion, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 Tbs olive oil
1 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp each sage, rosemary, thyme

Heat the oil and add the diced onions and pepper until the onions are translucent and the pepper is cooked through and slightly charred.

Add the pumpkin, salt, herbs and quinoa to the pan. Mix thoroughly and allow everything to heat through.

Serve hot.

This is a great comfort food and it's great the next day. Filling and lasting lunch to take to work on gloomy days, too!

Summer Reading Challenge: Close, but Not Quite

Well, here it is. The last day of summer and I am part way through my 17th book. My own personal challenge was to read 20 books this summer (Memorial Day to Labor Day). While I know the first day of autumn isn't until September 22, my life is about to go crazy.
I will only have Sundays off in which to frantically cram in my homework. I already know that I have a group project in one class and I know my availability is far more severely limited than anyone else in the group. I'm feeling overwhelmed and stressed already.
I am disappointed that I did not reach my goal of 20 books this summer. I know I put in a fair effort towards reaching it, but I also know that my goal of 50 books this year is almost certainly not going to happen now. It was going to be a stretch even if I had made my goal.

Do you all have any goals you set for yourself during the year or season? Did you reach them?