15 Years of Mutual Schooling: Being a Research Advisor

ABSTRACT

This is a reflection piece exploring what being a research adviser has meant to me in the past 15 years. It goes without saying that conducting research and writing a thesis are important for social work students, but this article is about the ways in which it has been rewarding to me as a research adviser. It has kept me up-to-date on a multitude of issues and theories, given me access to a variety of underserved populations and increased my empathy and knowledge. In this article l will explore the work of two students—one from 2004 and a current student.

KEYWORDS:

• Research advisor
• thesis
• social work
• Smith College
• MSW
• islamophobia

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pearl Soloff

Pearl Soloff, PhD, MSW, has been a research adviser at Smith College School for Social Work since 2001. She obtained her PhD in social welfare from University of California at Berkeley and her MSW from Columbia University School of Social Work in New York.