When Jay J. made the choice to earn his online Master of Social Work (MSW) from Regis College, he became the only one in his family to receive a graduate degree.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in social work, Jay spent years working in community mental health, where he helped people deal with problems associated with mental illness, behavioral health diagnoses, and legal trouble, while also assisting the elderly population.

“I’ve always been drawn to marginalized communities,” Jay says. “I really just wanted to help people.”

When his employer offered to pay for a master’s program, Jay did some research and decided to attend Regis College. He says he chose Regis’s online MSW program based on its reputation and flexible course plan, which would allow him to take one to two classes every eight weeks while he continued to work full time.

Jay says he knew that the flexible course structure was exactly what he needed to advance in his career. As he attended class virtually, he was able to keep up with the requirements at his own self-motivated pace.

Despite his nervousness about returning to the classroom at age 40 and after 13 years in the workforce, Jay shared that the consistent support he felt from faculty and advisors motivated him throughout his degree program.

“I felt so supported by my professors,” he says. “They would get back to me at any time — set up office time for us to meet despite being in different parts of the world.”

A major snag hit when Jay was affected by a reduction in staff with his employer during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At the time I was earning my degree, the world was in a cruddy situation [with COVID]. I was working my way through that, had lost my job that I had for seven years, and was job hunting along with going to school,” Jay shares.

Facing a difficult decision, Jay decided to continue attending Regis College to finish his master’s degree while paying his own way through.

“I said no, we’re already in it,” he says. “We took a responsibility on, and we should finish that responsibility.”

Challenges in life like this one have helped Jay come up with a mantra: “Grit don’t quit.”

He continues, “It taught me to rely on my support system — whether that was other students, professors, my wife, my family members, my friends — and process these things as you’re going through it.”

Being the first member of his family to earn a master’s degree motivated him to continue his degree as well.

“I was the flag bearer for my family,” Jay says.

Even with the process of losing his job and finding a new one ongoing, Jay found joy by participating in social activities at Regis College. One of the most rewarding parts of his experience was becoming president of a diversity committee he founded in conjunction with the faculty.

“If you have a suggestion for Regis College, they are so open to it,” he says.

During his time at Regis College, Jay had two internships. The first one was set up by Regis, and the second one he set up himself. He believes that these opportunities gave him the right blend of book knowledge and real-world experience. “We could process what we were learning in real time,” he says.

Since completing his MSW, Jay has held a variety of roles. When he first graduated, he worked in child welfare with families that needed extra support. Then, he took a position as a therapist for a program that used group and individual therapy to support communication among parents and children, enabling better behavior and emotional regulation. From there, he started a role with the police department where he assisted on mental health emergencies.

Now, Jay is working toward clinical licensure through a role that’s in a traditional setting. He says taking on a variety of roles post-graduation is satisfying to his nature.

“I got into this field because I don’t like the humdrum, ‘every day’s the same,’” he says.

Alongside his professional development, Jay was able to gain skills in public speaking, which he was not confident in prior to earning his MSW.

“We had a specific course on leading groups,” Jay shares. “I probably would not have pursued leading group therapy. It’s not in my comfort zone, but since I had that educational background, I felt good going for it.”

Using the skills he gained at Regis College every day, Jay is making a difference in his community.

“Learning that clinical skill base and putting those in my tool belt was all worth it,” he says.

In advocating for his alma mater and the online MSW program to prospective students, Jay says, “Don’t be worried about the virtual aspect. You will build a community and feel supported. Jump in with both feet. It will be worth it 150%. When you get done, it’ll be one of the best things you’ve ever done.”

While Jay continues to explore different career avenues, he is confident that his MSW from Regis College has enabled him with the educational and practical tools he needs to succeed in any role he takes on.

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