Bianca L. Edwards

Through challenging courses and an internship, Bianca Edwards '16 nurtured her love of working with students and their families.

Current Position: Community School Coordinator at Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center, Wyoming, MI

Describe the influence your social work professors have had on your experience at Calvin.

I honestly couldn't pick just one. Every professor in the Social Work Department made a huge mark toward who I am today professionally. Every Social Work professor I had gave me strength and confidence to do this work. They pushed me in ways I thought were not possible. And spent their own time and efforts to help me succeed. They were all role models for me in different ways. They all have a special part of my heart, honestly.

What opportunities did you find at Calvin to explore your interest in Social Work outside of the classroom?

My social work internship was at KSSN, so that helped me to see what kind of work I'd be doing. Obviously, I loved it all. As soon as I could, I applied for an opening at one of the sites and was ecstatic when i was hired in!

What would you want to tell someone starting their journey at Calvin?

I would tell them that you need to find faculty and staff that believe in you and that will invest in you. I couldn't have made it through Calvin without so many faculty and staff members that walked with me through the good and the bad. Also, to keep trying at all odds. God doesn't make mistakes. There is a reason you are at Calvin and you must fight to know what it is!

What is one thing that surprised you about Calvin?

One thing that surprised me about Calvin was how hard all the classes were. In high school, with minimal effort, I would get A's all the time. I was top 10 in my class! I underestimated Calvin just a little bit because there was no way that I'd be able to pass a class, a test, or assignment without doing so much extra work, and spending many many hours! It was good though! I learned so much and learned that I was capable of so much knowledge.

Describe what you are doing now and what you love about it.

I am a Community School Coordinator with Kent School Services Network. I work at Godfrey-Lee Early Childhood Center with grades Kinder to Second grade. I love what I do right now. I love meeting new families and building trust with parents and students. I love working with our administration team at the school and creating new ways to make the school run smoothly. I love working with families and reminding them that their child has a great opportunity to get a good education. I love when we as a school are able to remove barriers for our students to be able to just focus on academics and fun! I love being an asset to our school.