CPP Student Spotlight: Hawa Bangoura

By Brynne Irish

The College of Professional Programs is excited to recognize Hawa Bangoura for February’s Student Spotlight. Hawa is an undergraduate student in the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work (BASW) program.

Hawa will soon graduate from EWU with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Social Work and a minor in Psychology. She is currently interning with the nonprofit organization, Communities in Schools.

As Hawa grew up on the other side of the state in Federal Way, WA, she thought EWU was the perfect distance away from her family and hometown, not too far but still far enough for her to start her new journey. EWU was a top pick for Hawa, one because she was interested in seeing a different side of the state, but most importantly, she found that EWU had a good Social Work program which solidified her decision to attend EWU.

The Social Work program caught Hawa’s attention the most, and she decided to pursue this academic area of study because she felt that the social work field is very important but there are not enough social workers to do the work required. Hawa knew that she wanted to pursue a career where she would be helping others, and she believes that the real-world system is in need of more social workers. She expressed that “sometimes when people think of social workers, they may often think about the more negative side to it, such as taking children away from their home or how there is this narrative that social workers don’t get paid enough.” Hawa believes that this is what a lot of people can see or hear, and it steers them away from the social work field. She also mentioned that social workers can be present and helpful in many different settings, such as schools, hospitals, juvenile centers, and much more. However, “there just seems to be a lack of social workers when we need them and their support,” which is another valuable factor of why she is very passionate in contributing to improving the system.

Through her experience in EWU’s Social Work program, Hawa expressed how every faculty member and mentor in the program has been very helpful and has made it clear to the students that they have their best interest at heart, which Hawa found to be very reassuring.

Hawa is currently an intern with Communities in Schools, which is a nonprofit organization. For her internship, Hawa works at Sunset Elementary School in Airway Heights alongside the Student Support Coordinator there. She shared that in her role, she has learned how to do case management and how to help students who may be dealing with any behavioral issues. Additionally, Hawa and the Student Support Coordinator work with a caseload of kids with a big focus on social and emotional learning. One thing that had surprised Hawa during her time in the social work program was that when dealing with clients, “we aren’t necessarily telling them how to solve their problems, we actually help them solve their own problems instead of just doing it for them.”

One challenge Hawa expressed that she faced was adapting to the college lifestyle and learning to become more independent.

I managed to overcome this challenge because I have such an amazing good support system through my program, family, and friends.

While one of her greatest achievements is making it this far into college because “at the beginning, I was unsure of how far I would get, but I am so grateful and proud of what I have accomplished and how much I have grown through my college experience.”

If I had to give one piece of advice to others who may be interested in the social work program, I would say make sure you plan out how to manage your time as much as you can, while also making sure you take care of yourself by prioritizing your own self care.

Hawa also expressed that she would encourage other students to join any club that interests them because through EWU’s clubs you can build connections that can further help you when you’re done with college.

Lastly, Hawa shared that she plans to get her Master of Social Work (MSW) after finishing her bachelors degree. Five years from now she sees herself having her Master’s degree in Social Work and potentially leaving the state or remaining local.

The College of Professional Programs is honored to feature Hawa for all of her hard work, her passion for social work, and helping others!