How to Stay Connected and Get Involved
Alumni are an important part of FIFSW’s community. FIFSW’s active Alumni Association creates engaging events and networks to help graduates stay connected and support to each other professionally. FIFSW alumni also remain critical to the success of the Faculty as advisors, student mentors, field instructors, and guest speakers.
Below are 10 ways FIFSW alumni can stay connected and get involved.
1. Join the FIFSW Alumni Association
All graduates of the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work are members of the Alumni Association, which works to support students and each other, strengthen professional networks, advocate for sound social policy, and hold annual events to aid professional development and debate.
Email alumni.fifsw@utoronto.ca to learn more.
Join the FIFSW Alumni Association facebook group and follow @FIFSWalumni on twitter.
2. Participate in a committee, working group or consultation
Many alumni provide guidance and support to the Faculty through involvement in committees, working groups or consultations. Examples include committees focused on field instruction, admissions or diversity, equity and inclusion. If you are interested in learning more about opportunities to serve as a member of a committee, participate in work working groups or provide feedback on our programs or initiatives, please contact alumni.fifsw@utoronto.ca to let us know!
3. Become a field instructor
Field Instructors play a vital role in our students’ education and training by providing valuable guidance and insight over the course of a student’s practicum. Indeed, practicum is one of the most important elements in the education of future social workers. It’s where Master of Social Work students apply their in-class knowledge as they serve clients, organizations and communities. Under the supervision of Field Instructors, students are able to practice and develop their skills in real-world settings.
Interested in learning how you can become a Field Instructor after graduation? Visit FIFSW’s website to learn about the benefits of being a Field Instructor, and contact the Practicum Office to share your interest in contributing to the education of MSW students in this meaningful way.
4. Become a mentor
Alumni provide inspirational examples of what graduates accomplish. By sharing their experiences and answering questions, alumni can be an invaluable source of support to graduating students who are embarking on an important and exciting phase of their lives. Each year, FIFSW in collaboration with the Alumni Association organizes an annual Alumni Mentoring Program that matches graduating MSW students with social work professionals in the field.
5. Take part in FIFSW’s public events
From in-person lectures and webinars to meditation sessions and dialogues on instagram live, FIFSW, through its Alumni Association and faculty members, offers a plethora of public events. Upcoming events are posted on our events calendar and shared in our weekly Alumni Digest and monthly newsletter. FIFSW’s Alumni Association also surveys its membership annually to get feedback on the types of speakers it would like to see.
FIFSW’s annual lectures include the Distinguished Speakers Series, which brings a leading thinker to the Faculty to explore avant-garde issues, and the Janis Rotman Distinguished Lecture Series on Mental Wellness, which will feature a leading researcher, practitioner or educator who will speak on topics such as innovations in culturally attuned mental health service, social work’s role in addressing widening mental health disparities, the impact of community-based care and other contemporary concerns.
6. Subscribe to our newsletters
FIFSW sends out a weekly Alumni Digest focused on jobs, eventsand other opportunities. To subscribe to the listserv, email alumni.fifsw@utoronto.ca
Sent each month (with a break during the summer), FIFSW’s monthly newsletter shares innovations in research and practice, student and alumni profiles, upcoming events and more. To subscribe to the newsletter reach out to our Senior Communications Strategist Dale Duncan. And view past issues here.
7. Follow us on social media
FIFSW is on twitter, facebook and instagram. Follow us to learn about research, news and events — and stay up to date on the latest from your former professors, current students, and fellow alum.
8. Share your news with us
We want to hear from you! Are you working on a new initiative you would like to share? Have you recently published an article or been interviewed by the media? Would you like to promote a program of interest to social workers? Have you won an award? We’d love to feature your news with our community on social media, on our website and in our newsletter. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our Senior Communications Strategist Dale Duncan to let us know what you have been up to!
Click here to read recent alumni news.
9. Consider making a gift to support our students or research
Donations to FIFSW make an incredible difference to the success of our students, programs and research. Click here to learn about the various opportunities that exist to support our Faculty.
10. Update your address
Stay connected with us by ensuring your contact information is up-to-date. This will allow us to keep you informed of upcoming alumni events and other opportunities to stay connected with the Faculty. Click here to update your contact information.
Note: The University of Toronto respects your privacy. Personal information that you prvovide to the University is at all times protected in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.