Amanda Rhodes

During my time in the Buder Center, I was given the almost constant opportunity to learn and grow as a social worker. Through my involvement in the American Indian Student Association, work on the Pow Wow Committee and practicum through the SAGE grant, I was able to learn about myself as an individual, social worker, and leader. I gained new skills and built relationships that will serve me throughout my career.

For the 23rd and 24th Annual Buder powwows, I served on the Dancing and Contesting
Committee. In this role I learned about various styles of dance as well as protocol of contesting during a Pow Wow. I got to work closely with the arena director and emcee to ensure that the dancing and contesting portion of the Pow Wow ran smoothly.  I worked closely with the Pow Wow co-chairs as well as my fellow committee members to ensure
a properly run and entertaining competition for dancers as well as spectators.

I also served as the secretary/treasurer of the American Indian Student Association.  This role also allowed me to build leadership and teamwork skills. I got to work closely with
the co-chairs and faculty sponsor to plan and implement events that reflect the mission of the student group. We were able to honor Native Americans and Indigenous peoples during our Indigenous Peoples Day candlelight vigil.  We honored the traditional foods and ways of Native Americans during our Native foods TGIT. Our group also helped to clean up the Cahokia Mounds Historic site and made Indian tacos to raise funds for the museum.

I also was honored to be a part of the Social Workers Advancing through Grounded
Education (SAGE) grant and did a practicum with another Buder alum at the Parents As
Teachers National Center. I made home visits to Native American families in the St. Louis region and tailored individual activities and home visits to reflect the culture, values, and familiar objects of individual families. I also was able to travel to South Dakota to see the Parents As Teachers programs at Wounded Knee School as well as Crazy Horse School. This gave me an opportunity to see first-hand how Parents As Teachers directly impacts
Native American families. This practicum experience allowed me to do work that was meaningful and impactful and gave me the opportunity to learn from other social workers working to better the lives of Native peoples in St. Louis and beyond.

The experiences I had and the relationships I built during my time at the Buder Center allowed me to leave the MSW program with new skills and knowledge about how best to utilize my education. It inspired me to continue on to bring about positive change. The people I met and with whom I built relationships provided me with encouragement and gave me a feeling that I chose the right field and that what I am doing matters. It has been a great experience that has helped to mold who I am as an individual and as a social worker.