PARTNER SPOTLIGHT

NASW- NJ Members: Achieve Your Goals, Live Your Values, and Reshape Your Future With Walden University

Walden University’s online social work programs are designed to address some of the most pressing issues facing society today. They can help prepare NASW NJ members to work in a variety of roles delivering direct services to individuals, families, and communities—or providing leadership to programs and agencies.

The partnership between NASW- NJ and Walden will give students greater access to high-quality social work degree programs and allow them to benefit from exclusive tuition savings while pursuing their educational goals.

“We are honored to be partnering with NASW NJ,” said Dr. Lisa Moon, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Health at Walden. “Walden’s programs aim to equip the next generation of social workers with the skills they need to make an immense impact in their communities. Social change is at the heart of who we are and what we do, which aligns perfectly with the values shared with NASW.”

Walden’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) and Master of Social Work (MSW) programs are CSWEaccredited. This means our programs prepare NASWNJ members to be effective practitioners in the field of social work, and graduates have the academic preparation required to sit for licensure exams. Walden students learn ethical principles and critical thinking skills that are paramount to contemporary social work practice. The university also offers Doctor of Social Work (DSW) and PhD in Social Work programs.

How Walden Uses AI to Enhance the Learning Experience

What makes Walden stand out from other universities? It’s the use of innovation in the classroom. Walden social work programs feature video case studies and Skills Labs that present real-life scenarios, providing students with the opportunity to learn sought-after skills in a safe and supportive environment. Walden’s AI-powered tutor, Julian™, is built with Google Cloud’s AI and machine learning capabilities. It creates personalized experiences and knowledge mastery through various educational engagement activities.

“The Walden AI-powered tutor is part of our university’s mission to drive student success through innovation in higher education,” said Steven Tom, senior vice president and chief customer officer for Adtalem Global Education, the parent organization of Walden University. “The breakthrough cognitive tutor transforms learning and knowledge mastery through the power of AI, enabling a dynamic and engaging nature for instruction. As we continue to develop this tool, it will allow us to provide personalized instruction at scale to meet the needs and busy lives of adult learners.”

Complementing how students learn in faculty-led online courses, the Walden AI-powered tutor was developed to help students master concepts—not just review them—through on-demand learning activities. This technology engages students in dialogue via chat functionality, offers learning activities, evaluates student responses, and provides valuable feedback to students.

Social Change: The Heart of Walden’s Mission

In 1970, Walden’s founders Bernie and Rita Turner sought to build a learning community where knowledge could be applied to solve key societal challenges. Their vision: to empower students to make a difference by confronting those challenges where they live, in their professions, and on a global scale. Today, Walden is still deeply rooted in this commitment to promoting positive social change.

Walden students have access to the university’s Center for Social Change, a networking hub with three major goals: empowering changemakers, building community, and elevating social change outcomes. The center partners with stakeholders across the university and in the community to create and support social change initiatives.

Students at Walden don’t just learn about social change; they gain the skills and knowledge to put it into action. Since arriving in the United States from northern Iraq three decades ago, Dr. Mona Alnaeemi, who goes by Dr. Mona, has used her experience, talent, and Walden education to help ease the transition for other female Muslim refugees. For 13 years, Dr. Mona was a caseworker for Mosaic Family Services in Dallas, Texas, helping immigrant women gain the variety of skills they need to become selfsustaining. She continued that work as co-founder of the Dallas Institute for Immigrant Women. Language and employment, she said, are “the fundamental building blocks of independence.”

In 2018, Dr. Mona graduated from Walden with a PhD in Human Services, completing a dissertation titled Experiences of Kurdish/Middle Eastern Refugee Women Seeking Employment. “Refugee resettlement agencies provide services to help new refugees develop skills that will allow them to achieve selfsufficiency,” she wrote in her dissertation summary. “Prior research has indicated that leveraging skills and talents is not an easy process for refugee women, who face barriers and difficulties in the transition to a new culture.”

Throughout her life and career, Dr. Mona has embodied Walden’s mission of social change. “Social change is about learning from yesterday to build a better future,” she said. Her commitment to the greater good also means giving back to the community. In 2021, Dr. Mona was a Walden Outstanding Alumni Award nominee.

Become a Changemaker Like Dr. Mona

With Walden’s online social work programs, you can continue your education and become the highimpact changemaker you want to be. As a member of NASW- NJ, you may be eligible to receive 10% tuition savings on Walden’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW), Master of Social Work (MSW), PhD in Social Work, and Doctor of Social Work (DSW) programs.*

Learn more about our partner savings at WaldenU.edu/NASWNJ .

*A 10% tuition savings is available to eligible members of NASW NJ. Tuition savings are applicable to new tuition charges after the date the savings is awarded only and does not apply toward books, materials, and other supplies or fees needed for a course.

This offer cannot be used in combination with any other tuition savings benefit, unless otherwise noted. The tuition savings is a non-transferrable, non-cash offer, and in no event will the recipient receive a check or other disbursement of money pursuant to this tuition savings. Walden may change this tuition savings offer at any time, but such change will not affect the tuition savings for students who are currently enrolled at Walden and using it.

Accreditation

Walden University's Master of Social Work (MSW) and Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), a specialized accrediting body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). CSWE’s Commission on Accreditation is responsible for developing standards that define competent preparation for professional social workers and ensuring that social work programs meet these standards.

Note on Licensure

Walden University’s Master of Social Work (MSW) program meets the academic requirements to obtain the required credential to practice as licensed social workers in all states.

Walden University’s Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program meets the academic requirements to obtain the required credential to practice as a bachelor’s-level social worker in many states.

State licensing boards are responsible for regulating the practice of social work, and each state has its own academic, licensure, and certification requirements for practice as a social worker. Walden recommends that students consult the appropriate social work licensing board in the state in which they plan to practice to determine the specific academic requirements for licensure or other credentials. Walden enrollment specialists can provide information relating to the state-by-state requirements for licensure. However, it remains the individual’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all licensing requirements for the state in which he or she intends to practice. Walden makes no representations or guarantees that completion of its coursework or programs will permit an individual to achieve state licensure, authorization, endorsement, or other state licensure or credential.

Members Only Perks

With over 6,500 members in our New Jersey family, you are part of a larger family of social workers, a network of friends and colleagues who share your commitment to the profession and strengthening our community. While the chapter has many opportunities to connect on a broader level—from educational programs to advocacy events, there are also many great ways for you to connect with your colleagues locally or on a specific area of interest. Read on to learn some ways in which you as a member can build your connections, network and grow in smaller, more intimate spaces—and virtually!