Katie S. doesn’t see her hometown the way others do. While Brockton, Massachusetts, is known for its challenges, her experience there shaped her worldview.

“Brockton is notorious for being one of the higher-crime cities in Massachusetts,” she says. “But that wasn’t my experience.”

Growing up in Brockton exposed Katie to a rich diversity of cultures — something she later realized set her apart.

“I got to be exposed to a lot of different cultures that I’ve learned a lot of my cohorts and even some of my coworkers did not get to experience,” Katie says. “I feel like I know cultures differently than they do.”

Rather than internalizing the city’s negative reputation, she wanted to challenge it.

“I wanted to help alleviate and uplift Brockton and the culture around it, versus just tearing it down,” she says.

That grounded perspective sparked her interest in social work. She had seen the impact of support systems in her community — even when her own family wasn’t directly involved.

“I saw all of the programs firsthand, and I wanted to help alleviate the already established biases that come with it.”

To make that kind of difference, she knew she’d need the right training and tools.

“Witnessing all of the activities involved made me want to steer more towards social work,” Katie explains. “And I thought that the best way to go about that would be getting the MSW degree.”

In her early twenties, Katie moved to Texas and got married. She had finished her undergraduate degree early, but by 2022, the relationship had ended.

“I had to move back home,” Katie shares.

She left her old life behind and returned to Brockton for a fresh start.

For the first time in a long time, she had to ask herself what she truly wanted. She leaned on her support system — her mom, her family, her friends — and realized how fortunate she was to have them.

“I knew a lot of people don’t have the luxury of depending on their parents after failing to launch into adulthood.”

It shifted something in her. Katie wanted to be the kind of steady presence others could turn to — especially those without someone to catch them when they fell. This was a turning point.

“This was my clean slate,” Katie says. “I needed to make something for myself. Up to that point, it was always for other people. But this one was like, alright, now I have to start building a name for myself in my adult life. So that was the real catalyst that drove me into social work.”

Before beginning the online Master of Social Work (MSW) program, Katie thought she’d return to the hospital setting she had worked in back in Texas.

“At the time, I was convinced that I didn’t like children and I was just going to work with the elderly.”

But then, someone she met through the program connected her to a new opportunity.

“One of them recommended me to the job I’m at now, which is at Youth Villages, and I work with high-risk families in their home.”

Her focus flipped overnight — from avoiding child-focused work to helping kids stay out of the system.

Today, she can’t imagine doing anything else.

“Since starting this job, I can’t picture myself not working with children anymore,” Katie says.

Katie considered several programs before deciding on Regis College for her online MSW. The difference came down to communication.

“Regis was so much more willing to give me information, to talk to me, to be available over the phone,” she says. “They really held my hand through the whole process and didn’t make me feel like I was a burden. They didn’t make me feel like I was taking up too much of their time.”

And for Katie, who was juggling both work and school, the fully online format at Regis made success possible.

At one point during the program, Katie needed to step away from her studies. Instead of seeing it as a problem, her professors made space for her.

“I had to take a break in January. And every professor was so accommodating.”

They understood that life isn’t linear.

“They were like, hey, real life happens,” Katie explains. “This is a master’s program. It’s not going to be cut and dry like you think. If you need to take a semester off, take a semester off and we'll be here.”

She adjusted her timeline, stayed on track, and continued feeling supported every step of the way. Katie credits her experienced professors with challenging her thinking and inspiring her to follow through on earning her master’s.

“My ultimate goal is to be a college instructor because of how much Regis meant to me developmentally,” Katie shares.

Before the program, Katie felt uncertain about her future. Now, she has a clear goal: to return to Brockton Public Schools and improve policy and student support.

“I hope to return to Brockton Public Schools to work on policies there,” Katie says. “I see where the lag is, because I’m working with the kids who get caught up in it.”

Her goal is to move upstream — not just reacting to family crises but helping rewrite the systems that produce them.

In her words: “To help the greater good instead of just the individuals in the moment.”

Katie is honest about the emotional weight of social work but believes her journey has been worth it.

“It’s an overwhelming process, but it’s worth it in the end if you put your head down and you stick to it.”

If you want to learn more about Regis College and our offerings, check out our online master’s degrees, doctorate degrees, and certificate programs.