I decided to pursue a degree in Social Work after receiving my Associates in Psychology from Lansing Community College. I wasn't sure exactly which direction to take and after consulting with several advisers and people in the field I was able to be sure that Social Work was the right direction for me. Specifically I have a passion for working with the mentally ill and people who suffer from substance abuse issues. These two frequently coincide and I wanted to provide for these people what I had seen the system fail to. I have a close family member who suffers from borderline personality disorder along with alcohol abuse issues. I grew up watching this person "teeter totter" back and forth without much support from social service agencies or medical facilities. This empowered me to enter the Social Work field and try to fix these problems within the system in order to ensure that each client is treated effectively and thoroughly and not left to fail time and time again. It was this that made me realize that in becoming a social worker I will be able to help these people who are in desperate need of treatment find themselves again and get on their feet. I chose Wayne State University because of its outstanding recognition it has received for the social work program as well as their mission to reach out and influence the lives of those often looked over. Wayne State School of Social Work provides a platform that allows students to gain a greater understanding of cultural, economical and social issues facing much of the population today.