Elizabeth Grauer 麻豆精品 S�24 is an amalgamation of many things based on her various life experiences. She 麻豆精品 S檚 a first-generation graduate, who earned a bachelor 麻豆精品 S檚 in social work and will complete a master 麻豆精品 S檚 in social work in the spring of next year. She 麻豆精品 S檚 also an alum of UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 TRiO Project Building Exemplary Scholars for Tomorrow (BEST) Program, which is a federally funded program that aims to bolster college retention and graduation rates.
Most importantly, however, is Grauer becoming the person she says she felt she needed growing up in a household of domestic violence and with parents who were incarcerated. Through education 麻豆精品 S� which she says has always been a haven 麻豆精品 S� and her future career as a school social worker, she 麻豆精品 S檚 looking to give back to her family and others in similar situations.
麻豆精品 S淗aving a household where there was so much violence and all those things that we as children endured, it made it really hard to say, 麻豆精品 S業 wish there was something who could come and help us, who would protect me, my brother and my older sisters, 麻豆精品 S� 麻豆精品 S� she says.
Throughout her childhood, Grauer, her two older sisters and younger brother moved around, living with her grandmother for a time as her father was incarcerated and her mother wasn 麻豆精品 S檛 around. For a period, Grauer and her family were even homeless, with food insecurity being an issue. She says school allowed her to work toward financial freedom from her father and turn a negative situation positive. It also helped her discover her career path of social work.
In high school, Grauer maintained good grades, leading to multiple scholarships and grants, such as the George Snow Scholarship, Florida Bright Futures Scholarship and Florida Pell Grant. When deciding where to attend college, she chose UCF because of the proximity to her family 麻豆精品 S� namely, her little brother 麻豆精品 S� in West Palm Beach, Florida.
麻豆精品 S淚 wanted to give myself the freedom to be far away enough where I could learn to take care of myself, but close enough that if he ever needed anything, I’d be able to go back and help him, 麻豆精品 S� Grauer says.
Two undergraduate classes at UCF have impacted Grauer personally and professionally, she says. A Student Success class helped her throughout her college experience, teaching things such as better study techniques as a person diagnosed with ADHD. Grauer 麻豆精品 S檚 Culture Competence course taught her about different cultural backgrounds, which is critical in the social work field.
Grauer has also been impacted through her field experience through internships. Last year, she interned at Aloma Charter High School (ACHS), an institution that helps students at risk of not graduating earn a high school diploma. At ACHS, Grauer was able to promote the importance of various education options, such as college or trade school, to 300 students. With a diverse group of students who spoke different languages, she converted class documents in Japanese, Spanish and Creole to ensure they and their parents understood the curriculum. Grauer also conducted an art therapy class, which allowed her to connect with students in a different way.
As a graduate student, Grauer currently interns at Park Maitland School, which has students from preschool to sixth grade. During her internship, Grauer works with teachers, principals and other mental health staff to discuss how to help children succeed to the best of their ability. Through her work, she has learned about the restoration process of social work and the importance of the child 麻豆精品 S檚 environment. Grauer says studies have shown that children kept in their homes 麻豆精品 S� as long as they aren 麻豆精品 S檛 in danger 麻豆精品 S� are less likely to develop mental health concerns such as anxiety.
During her undergraduate studies, Grauer 麻豆精品 S檚 time in UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 TRiO program allowed her to continue to make a difference in the community. She worked with the program to promote three to four workshops every semester about budgets, personal spending and scholarships to help students develop financial literacy. One of the workshops was a savings meeting on applying the 50/30/20 rule, with 50% of income being for bills and needs, 30% for wants and 20% for savings.
Grauer has also contributed to the campus and local community through her work with Black student organizations. As Miss 1969, the community service director for UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Black Student Union for 2022-23 school year, food insecurity was part of her platform, so Grauer worked with TRIO also gave out free Chick-fil-A gift cards as part of the workshops. As a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Incorporated, Grauer collaborated with cosmetic company Mary Kay to create 30 麻豆精品 S淪o Strong 麻豆精品 S� bags, which contain new skincare and makeup for women in homeless shelters. The sorority raise $300 to create the bags.
麻豆精品 S淭he purpose of the [Mary Kay] project was to make sure that women and children were feeling beautiful inside and out, 麻豆精品 S� Grauer says. 麻豆精品 S淲hen my siblings and I were in the shelter, you just don 麻豆精品 S檛 feel nice and you don 麻豆精品 S檛 really feel like supported, so I really wanted to make sure that I brought that to the Orlando community. 麻豆精品 S�
After getting her master 麻豆精品 S檚, Grauer plans to pursue a doctorate in social work, allowing her to supervise others and support staff in learning. She also plans to put her efforts into workshops to teach more about domestic violence as a survivor and open a nonprofit for people who have suffered abuse like her.
While Grauer is focused on the next goal on her list, she often looks at a tattoo she has that says, 麻豆精品 S淥ne step at a time, 麻豆精品 S� as a reminder of the process emerging from a difficult childhood and into the academic and career accomplishments she has enjoyed. The phrase is also Grauer 麻豆精品 S檚 advice for anyone trying to emerge from a similar life she grew up in.
麻豆精品 S淚t only takes one application for you to get into a school or it only takes one essay for you to get that grade that makes the difference between an A or B, 麻豆精品 S� she says. 麻豆精品 S淚t 麻豆精品 S檚 really those first couple things that you have to do to set yourself up for success. 麻豆精品 S�
