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Good Morning, Social Work 525 Students and Dr. Walsh. My name is Russell Smith. I am a huge baseball fan. I grew up watching the Yankees play the game in the Bronx, New York. I told someone that the bleacher seats used to cost a dollar and fifty cents a seat. I love the matchup of the Dodgers and Yankees for the 12th time. My World Series prediction is that the Yankees will prevail in Four Games, and we will send the Dodgers home early to enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday.

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I currently live in South Los Angeles near the USC campus. Traffic is crazy on Saturdays when 100,000 fans meet at the Stadium.

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Advocacy is one the strongest examples of assistance you can offer a person experiencing challenges. The advocacy of Social Work has biblical solid roots and a foundation in Jewish and Christian religions. The King James bible states the following scriptures in the book of Acts and Proverbs. Acts 30:35 — "In everything I've done, I have demonstrated to you how necessary it is to work on behalf of the weak and not exploit them." Proverbs 11:25 — "The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped."

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I have worked in Social Work for my entire professional career, over 30 years, with government agencies and non-profit organizations. My experience has been in the public health, criminal justice, mental health, and homeless services sectors. Knowledge is obtained by degrees, but wisdom is from experience and contemplation.

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Graduation is a Hop, Skip, and Jump away in May 2026. This journey has been enlightening and powerful. I look forward to studying for the LCSW examinations and pursuing a doctorate in education at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. This is another online program that helps me accomplish my goal of teaching as a university professor. The Veterans Administration and the California Department of Corrections are still viable options for me because of the need for Social Workers.