University of Denver Spring 2025

Retiring an old stereotype For alumna Y esenia S ilva E strada (MSW ’ 17) , the stereotype of an overworked social worker coming to take your child away is both tired and limiting when describing the impact MSW s have made in the R ocky M ountain region. S ilva E strada, now the vice president of planning and chief of staff at Colorado M ountain College ( C M C ) , explains that many people mistakenly believe social workers only assist low - income clients as part of a system focused solely on poverty. In practice, social workers are where you wouldn’t expect, addressing complex issues at a bird’s eye view by coordinating services in the area or using systems thinking to address root causes. “ W e are all over the place. W e are in big organizations, we’re doing direct service to variety of different individuals, we’re also planning programs, and we’re directors of programs,” says S ilva E strada. “ W e’re in very different places and spaces creating change.”

For those who were born and raised in the area, the educational opportunity is especially meaningful. Cristina Andrade G uzman’s (MSW ’ 19) story has come full circle : S he was a patient at M ountain Family H ealth Centers and has worked there as a licensed clinical social worker for the past six years. “ G rowing up in this community, I always knew that I wanted to give back because my community gave back to me,” she says. It wasn’t until she started the program that she realized the immense gap her work would fi ll, especially for S panish - speaking clients, who make up 90% of her clientele. Andrade, who is bilingual in E nglish and S panish, is in high demand, and she’s risen to the occasion by working alongside medical and dental providers. T hough working with clients experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, chronic health issues, addiction and more can be draining, the reward for Andrade is witnessing the immediate impact her work has on her clients. “ Y ou can see clients learning positive coping skills to help with whatever they’re going through, and over time, they get better. T hat progress is what has kept me going,” she says. r work has on rclients. ou can see clients learning positive g coping skills r they’re gthrough, r time, yget tprogress whathas keptme