With a “deep passion for community and inclusion,” Amanda Castro knew she wanted to pursue macro-level social work early on. As a community-focused social worker, Castro has been working as an advocate for the San Diego South Bay community to provide safe spaces for youth, build community trust, increase access to resources for families, and help youth who have been impacted by the criminal justice system find pathways towards careers in which they have interest and passion.
Castro was initially drawn to social work because of its versatility and applicability to various fields. Empathy, social justice, human dignity, and integrity are guiding values for Castro, both personally and professionally. “At the heart of social work is respect and dignity of the person,” she said. “The values and ethics that I learned and practiced during my time as an MSW student…have become a part of who I am, guiding me in the work, and giving me different perspectives in order to best serve my community.”
Castro’s Online MSW Experience
With her interest in macro-level social work, Castro found USC’s online MSW program to be a perfect fit. “USC provides a quality education in Integrative Social Work, [and] I felt confident that I would be able to take in all aspects of social work from micro to macro and incorporate them into my career as a community-focused social worker,” she said. She also appreciated the flexibility the virtual program offers her to take classes from anywhere and manage her time more efficiently.
“I learned so much about individual client interventions [during my time in the Virtual Practicum class], and I gained some experience in micro-level (individual) social work that I have used in my practicum as a macro social worker,” she said. The Virtual Practicum class is a mandatory course for all online MSW students before they begin their community-based placement work. For 12 out of 15 weeks of the semester, students have a simulated client and practice skills such as motivational interviewing and problem-solving therapy. Castro shared, “Projects like these were a really great way to build relationships with my peers and gain great feedback from the professors.”
She values the relationships and connections she’s been able to build in the program. “I found that the best way to connect was to really engage and be vocal during class,” she said. Group projects and break-out rooms allowed her to “connect with my peers and feel like we were in a community together- even if we were residing states away from each other.”
Social Change and Innovation in Action
The Social Change and Innovation track in USC’s online MSW initially drew Castro to the program. She was interested in community-centered nonprofit work and wanted to learn more about the mental health aspect of systemic issues as well as learn strategies and techniques that would benefit her community. In her research, she found Social Change and Innovation and its focus on macro-level social work. “I could learn about mental health on an individual level and begin applying it to the community and larger systems in play,” she said. “Once I began the online MSW program…I knew that I was in the right place for the career path that was meant for me.”
In her practicum site, she had the opportunity to put her knowledge and skills to the test and gain real-world experience in community-based services. Castro’s practicum placement, a nonprofit organization in the South Bay of San Diego called A Reason To Survive (ARTS), allowed her to develop skills such as grant writing and programming to uplift young people to become confident, compassionate, and courageous community builders through the transformative power of creativity.
She is most proud of her work coordinating the Juvenile Diversion Initiative (JDI) in partnership with the National Conflict Resolution Center and the District Attorney’s Office of San Diego. The county-wide program prioritizes diversion options for systems-involved youth instead of filing criminal charges. ARTS offers pro-social, skills-building workshops for youth in the JDI program that focus on creativity and various art practices. “Through the coordination of JDI, I have learned that there is a lot of power in a supportive community,” she said.
Continuing Community Programming in the South Bay
Castro graduated in May 2025 and hopes to serve as a community-focused social worker in the South Bay of San Diego. She wants to be involved with programs that address the systemic needs of people in the South Bay. “I have resided in the South Bay of San Diego for my whole life, and I plan to build my career here in the South Bay as well,” she said. “[I want] to address the needs of [my] community through responsive and adaptable nonprofit programs.”
For individuals considering the online MSW at USC, Castro had some advice. “Make the most of your experiences in school and your practicum placement. Be active in your learning experiences and build relationships with your peers, preceptors, and supervisor. It will be challenging at times, but you are worth the time and effort it takes to get an MSW.”
Learn more about the Online Master of Social Work (MSW) today.