Bronco Spotlight: Earvean Diggs

Photo of Earvean Diggs

Master of Social Work, 2017

Current Job Title:

Social Worker – Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program 

Current Employer:

Department of Veteran Affairs

Describe your current job:

The role of a Social Worker in RRTP consists of serving in the capacity of a Case Manager on an interdisciplinary team who all have a common goal of serving the Veteran. While providing Case Management services, I assist Veterans who are experiencing a wide range of mental impairment, substance use, behavioral, physical, psychosocial and environmental problems. As a Case Manager, after conducting a biopsychical assessment, I assist our Veterans in identifying their strengths, needs, goals, support system as well as barriers to care. While serving our Veterans in a residential environment, the goal is to provide Veteran-centered services while equipping them with the necessary tools for community integration post-discharge. 

What is the most rewarding and the most challenging part of your job?

The most rewarding part of my job is serving our Veterans who once fought for the freedom of our country. Being raised by a Veteran and having Veterans in my family, enhances the passion that I have for working with this population. 

What experiences impacted the choice of your career path? 

Being raised by a Veteran and having Veterans in my family, I always knew as a child that I wanted to serve this population. I have had the first-hand experience of understanding how families are directly impacted when our Veterans do not receive the service that they are entitled to. In hindsight, learning from my own experience of being a family member supporting a Veteran, I know that the care they receive needs to be genuine and Veteran-centered. Therefore, serving in the capacity of a Social Worker, I am now able to provide services that I know my own family would have benefited from. 

What advice do you have for students looking for their career after college?  

  • Explore! Don’t settle and never be afraid of change. In most cases, being pushed outside of your comfort-zone promotes growth.
  • Serve the population that you are passionate about.
  • Give back to your community.
  • Advocate for yourself and on behalf of your clients.
  • Obtain a mentor and remain a student of life. 

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