SPS Social Work student wins international Best Student award
Media
Image
Content
Social Work student Ivellisse Velez has won the International Consortium for Social Development (ICSD) Best Student award.
The ICSD is an organisation of practitioners, scholars and students in the human services, which includes The University of Edinburgh as a member. 2023 was the inaugural year of the ICSD Best Student award, and members were invited to submit nominations.
Ivellisse, a graduate of the Master of Social Work at the School of Social and Political Science (SPS), was nominated for the award after receiving the highest mark among the 2021-2023 SPS cohort for her international social work placement. Ivellisse completed the 70-day placement at Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, India.
Speaking about the experience, Ivellisse said: “(International placement experiences) have taught me that discomfort can lead to growth and a deeper understanding of oneself. When we are willing to put our guards down and practice humility in situations which may feel confusing or not meet our initial expectations, a depth and richness arise in which we must become more vulnerable and reveal our humanity in order to connect with others. When this mutual recognition of our shared humanity exists, social work practice can begin.”
You can watch a video of Ivellisse speaking more about this experience here.
Congratulations, Ivellisse!