october newsletter

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USC School of Social Work

October Newsletter October 3, 2011

Fellow Trojans, Welcome to the October Newsletter! Hope the semester is coming along great. We are almost at the midpoint of the semester and it is never too late to start getting involved. I want to invite all students to take interest in the opportunities available within the School of Social Work. There are many options for students, including committees, caucuses, honor societies, GPSS, and Student Org. monthly full board meetings just to name a few. You might be asking yourself, how will I benefit from getting involved? By getting involved you will meet new people and build new friendships, have the opportunity to make a DIFFERENCE, give back to the community, provide direction and leadership. In addition, you can gain skills in project management, budgeting/financial management, fundraising, communication, advocacy and community engagement. Feel free to attend meetings or events to inform yourself on the many possibilities. If you want to learn more about how to get involved feel free to contact me at ortizros@usc.edu. Fight On!

Jose Ortiz, Student Org Elections and Recruitment Chair

Welcome Message from your Elections and Recruitment Chair

In this Edition: Welcome Message

GPSS

Graduation Fundraiser

News from SDAC

Homecoming Update

Meet our Newest Student Org Reps!

Students Contributions…

AIDS Walk

News from OCAC

Universal Design

Career Development Update

Caucus Corner

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GPSS

We'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate and introduce our newest member of Student Org, Yael Adef. As the Foundation Year GPSS Representative, Yael will help to give a voice to the concerns of first year students within our program and represent our program to the university as a whole. Additionally, we would like to congratulate Jarad Cox, Shell-Sea Thompson, Helen Lim, and Kevin Anderson for being selected to represent our program as GPSS liaisons. These leaders will work alongside the two representatives from Student Org and are excited to begin!

Graduation Fundraiser!

Work out, release some stress, AND raise

money for graduation!!

Zumbathon

October 22, 2011 From 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Barrio Action Youth & Center

4927 Huntington Drive Los Angeles, CA 90032

Pre Sale Tickets $7.00 At the door $10.00

Come join us for some self-care!

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News from SDAC

San Diego Academic Center has a lot in store for the month of October. For those of you who RSVP's and were confirmed, the center is hosting a CASSW workshop on October 1st. Don't miss the chance to attend the open forum with the San Diego Academic Center Director on October 6th from 4pm-6pm (location TBD), to bring up academic center ideas, concerns, or questions to the director. Lunch with the Deans on October 15th from 1pm-3pm will be an opportunity for students at SDAC to meet and have lunch with the Deans and present information or questions about the center and the school at large. If you are a current student and want to assist in providing insight to those thinking about the program, SDAC is having a New Student Information Session at 5:30-7:30pm on October 19th. If you hold a caucus representative or other position at SDAC, please join us for the monthly leadership meeting on October 20th from 4pm-6pm in the large conference room. Additionally San Diego will be establishing a month of giving for the month of November. Please contact any of the caucuses if you happen to have ideas and otherwise more information will be coming out shortly. Congratulations 1st year representatives on all your work and we appreciate your efforts to get involved.

Homecoming Update!

Thank you to those who attended our first Homecoming Committee

Meeting!

Our next meetings will be: Thursday September 29th 11:30 am in MRF 204

Thursday October 20th 11:30 am...Rm TBD

Please come to see how you can get involved! If you would like to be added to the listserv please email Lorena Garcia lorena@usc.edu

Homecoming Committee has 100 tickets available to sell to students for ONLY

$50 (limited 2 tickets), they will be first come, first serve. Please be on the lookout for an email from Student Org and the Homecoming Committee on

how you can order your tickets and spirit packages.

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Meet our Newest Student Org Reps!

VAC Representative

Caryn Lindensmith

My name is Caryn Lindensmith and I am the newest Student Org VAC representative. I am a full-time student in the March cohort and am planning to do the mental health concentration. In 2006 I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Urban Studies from Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee. Since then I have worked in a Tennessee State senator’s office, a physical therapy clinic, and as an in-house substitute for a pre-kindergarten through eighth grade Montessori school. My current field placement is at an outpatient oncology center, working with patients and their families to resolve financial, emotional, and other concerns related to treatment. I live two hours north of Seattle, on Whidbey Island, where my husband is stationed with the U.S. Navy.

As a VAC representative, I will be working with the other representative, Julie Row, to help answer questions and resolve student concerns. We are also working on a number of projects to help facilitate and improve communication, as well as to improve understanding about the processes and procedures related to being a VAC student. It’s going to be a great year for the VAC! If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me at lindensm@usc.edu or Julie Row at jrow@usc.edu.

GPSS First Year Representative

Yael Adef

My name is Yael Adef and I am really excited to be your GPSS Foundation Year Representative! I am a part-time student in the three-year program and am planning in the COPA concentration. I currently work on campus as a Residence Coordinator in the Honors dorms and as a Writing Consultant at the Writing Center. I graduated from USC in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Psychology and then attended Emory University School of Law in Atlanta, Georgia. After receiving my JD in 2008, I began working at a national defense firm where I focused exclusively on employment defense litigation until I left my position to begin this program.

As your Foundation Year GPSS Representative, I will be working with Alana Copeland, the Concentration Year GPSS Representative along with the newly selected GPSS Senators to help answer questions and resolve student concerns. We are also working to integrate our program with the rest of the University and improve the quality of our student experience. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me at adef@usc.edu. Fight on!

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Students sharing with Students…

…Special thanks to Joel Gutierrez for his submission

What do Social Workers Make? (based on "What Teachers Make" by Taylor Mali)

by Regina Brett

Social workers, like most teachers, don't make much. Or do they?

What do they make? They make an infertile couple celebrate a lifetime of Mother's Days and Father's Days by helping them adopt a crack baby no one else wanted. They make a child fall asleep every night with out fear of this father's fist.

They make a homeless veteran feel at home in the world. They make a teenager decide to stop cutting herself.

They make a beaten woman find the courage to leave her abuser for good. They make a boy with Down's syndrome feel like the smartest kid on the

bus.

What do they make? They make a 10-year-old believe that he is loved and wanted,

regardless of long he lasts in the next foster home. They make a teen father count to 10 and leave the room

so he won't shake his newborn son. They make a man with schizophrenia see past his demons.

They make a rape victim talk about it for the first time in years. Than make an ex-convict put down the bottle and hold down a job.

What do they make? They make a couple communicate so well they decide not to get divorced.

They make a dying cancer patient make peace with her past, with her brief future, with her God.

They make the old man whose wife has Alzheimer's cherish the good times, when she still remembered him.

They make forgotten people feel cherished, ugly people feel beautiful, confused people feel understood, broken people feel whole.

What do they make? They make more than most people will ever make.

THEY MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

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News from OCAC

AIDS WALK

Join us in the Los Angeles AIDS Walk!!!

What: AIDS Walk LA Length: 10 kilometers / 6.2 miles When: Sunday October 16, 2011

Sign in starts at 8:30AM Where: West Hollywood Park

647 N. San Vicente Blvd. in West Hollywood How: Go to: http://www.aidswalk.net/losangeles

Go to register -> Join a team -> Search for our Team Name: USC School of Social Work or Team Number: 5166 or call: (213)201-9255

The highest fundraising caucus will win lunch for their next meeting!!!

(please e-mail quirarte@usc.edu once you register and include your full name and the caucus you are representing, if any)

If you have any questions e-mail Gabriela Quirarte at quirarte@usc.edu

OCAC held a Carnival Caucus on Sept 26th to inform students about the different caucuses available in Orange County. Causes tabled and informed students on their events and opportunities to get involved. Socializing and and raffle prices were part of the fun. Thank you to all the students leaders and first year students who attended the event. Please stay tuned for upcoming events. If you have any questions about anything please don't hesitate to contact your student org representatives Esby or Eric. Esby egarciac@usc.edu Eric ericpere@usc.edu

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On October 13th, USC School of Social Work Phi Alpha Honor Society and the Davis School of Gerontology will be co-hosting a brown bag on Universal Design in Hamovitch (MRF) at 11 am. Universal Design is a way to set up the environment so that it is accessible to all people without creating any cultural, linguistic, or physical barriers. We will have guest speaker Anna Nguyen, who is a research psychologist at

the Davis School of Gerontology to further explain this concept and how it affects social workers. Food will be provided for those who attend. RSVPs to phialpha@usc.edu would be greatly appreciated.

Learn about Universal Design with Phi Alpha and the USC Davis School of Gerontology

You are already well into the Fall semester & its never too early to start thinking about your career trajectory...You have already received information on some career resources offered at the School, USC & NASW... Those graduating next year will be invited to participate in the Alumni Mentor Program (AMP), offered by the Social Work Alumni Association, Professional Development Committee. One on one alumni mentoring is available to assist you transition from "student" to "professional"...Applications are due on October 21, 2011. The Kick-Off Reception in OCAC is November 9, 2011 & at UPC on November 16, 2011. (Sorry, AMP is only offered at UPC & OCAC this year...SDAC & VAC students can participate if you can attend either UPC or OCAC Kick-Offs.) A special presentation on "Non-Traditional Social Work Opportunities" will be held on November 3, 2011, 11:15 am-12:45 pm, UPC-HRC. Learn how to apply your transferrable skills to an organization that may not ordinarily hire social workers...Internships & jobs are offered at organizations such as: Warner Bros., Wells Fargo, etc. A workshop is scheduled for international students on "How to Improve Your Chances of Getting Hired" on November 15, 2011, 11:15 am-12:45 pm, MRF #204. Please RSVP to the career development email at sswcd@usc.edu by 11/10/11. Stay tuned for other upcoming career development activities in the Spring semester coming to an academic center near you!

It is never too early to start thinking about your career trajectory!

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Asian Pacific Islander Social Work Caucus Hello Trojans! Time is going by very quickly, isn't it? Can't believe it's already midterm season... Although you may be overwhelmed with various papers to write and presentations to make, make sure to make time for the API events that are coming up! Here's what in store for you! Tuesday, October 4th @ 11:30AM - API General Meeting & Elections Come join us for our 2nd general meeting of the month. In particular, this meeting will be devoted to elections. Please email us at apisowk@usc.edu if you are interested in running for a position. Candidates will be asked to give a brief speech at the meeting. If you are a student from one of the satellite campuses, you should email your speech to API by the time of the meeting to be eligible to run. Voting for those students will take place via email. The positions are: 1st Year Representatives (2) OC Representative SD Representative Skirball Representative VAC Representative Tuesday and Thursday, October 11th, 13th & 27th @ 11AM-1PM - API Apparel Sales Please support API by purchasing USC School of Social Work merchandise! Tuesday, October 25th @ 11:15AM-12:45 - Struggles of API Undocumented Students We will have speakers from various organizations such as ASPIRE to talk about the issues that undocumented API students face. We will also be selling our API merchandise before and after the event. The exact location is not confirmed, but will be announced via the API Facebook page and the Mid-Month Student Org Newsletter. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email us @ apisowk@usc.edu or contact us via Facebook (www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=15965963521 or http://www.facebook.com/pages/USC-Asian-Pacific-Islander-Social-Work-Caucus/233086460055223). Thank you! Black Social Work Caucus General Body Meetings Every 3rd Thursday of the Month in MRF 303, 11:30-12:30p BSWC Study Jam! October 6th, 8p-12a. Location TBA. BSWC El Paso Cantina Fundraiser, Thursday October 20th. 2402 Sepulveda Blvd. Torrance, Ca 90501 "Black Trojan" T-shirts available for $20! Contact fbalogun@usc.edu. Visit our facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/blacksocialworkcaucus.usc for updates and details on events and meetings.

Clinical Social Work Caucus Thank you all for attending the first CSWC Mixer of the year at Traddies! It was a great opportunity to connect and GET CLINICAL! We are planning many more fun and informative events for the year, including brown bags, field trips, fundraisers and BBQs. If you would like to learn more about the caucus and our activities, please be sure to join our next meeting! Next Meeting: Thursday, October 13, 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m ***Please check our Facebook page or your email for location.

Caucus Corner

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International Social Work Caucus The theme of International Social Work Caucus (ISWC) is Fostering Global Exchange THANK YOU everyone who came to ISWC Welcome Pot Luck /General Meeting. ISWC sent out an overview of the meeting, if you didn’t get it please contact usc.iswc@gmail.com. ISWC would like to Congratulate and Welcome our two new board members, who are going to be a great addition to our team this year. Welcome Lindsey Palmar for Skirball Rep. and Ilana Bar-Din Giannini for Student Org Rep. ISWC is looking forward to working with you. Orange County Academic Center (OCAC) is hosting a Brown Bag mixer for OCAC students interested in becoming involved in the International Social Work Caucus activities held in Orange County. Come and get to know others of similar interest and discuss ideas for future brown bags and events regarding international social work issues. When: October 18, 2011 – Time: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM – Where: Room 138 or Classroom F For more information, contact ISWC’s OC Representative – Melissa at bartlott@usc.edu The UPC event of the month is a Documentary Film Screening on Mental Health Practices in Bali. Please join in for this Brown Bag to learn more about the problems that the mentally ill face in Bali, Indonesia. When: October 20, 2011 – Time: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM – Where: SWC 106 – Smartroom For more information, contact Cassandra at cassanaa@usc.edu or usc.iswc@gmail.com Here is the info on the most awaited INTERNATIONAL TRIP during winter break. MSW students are welcome to join ISWC to volunteer with IFRE in Quetzaltenango, Guatemala from December 16 to December 23, 2011. Students will be given the opportunity to be involved in Orphanage projects, work with street children and kids at Risk and much more. Student’s stay will be with Host Families who are poor, clean, happy and caring. For more information or be a part of this amazing task group, please feel free to contact Louisiana Medina at louisiana.medina@gmail.com or usc.iswc@gmail.com. The ISWC Track Jackets are still for sale. The next deadline to submit your Track Jacket order is Thursday, October 20, 2011. ISWC will be tabling during Universal Break on Tuesday, October 18, 2011. Make sure to stop by with cash or check. Checks can be made payable to Taleen Askejian. With these Track Jackets ISWC supports Homeboy Industries because their mission and service in the community is very much in-line with the values of ISWC. The Track Jackets are made by American Apparel and echo ISWC’s philosophy. For shipping info or more information, please contact Taleen Askejian at askejian@usc.edu or usc.iswc@gmail.com. If you have already ordered your Track Jacket, please be on the lookout for an

e-mail from ISWC Mid-October so you can pick your Track Jacket. Good Luck everyone for Midterms Fight On! Latino/a Social Work Caucus Contact E-mail: latinosw@usc.edu Friend us on Facebook: USC Latino Social Work Caucus The LSWC Board hopes that everyone is taking time for self-care during this period of midterms!! We would like to thank everyone for the continuous support with the events we have had so far. October will be an awesome month full of exciting events including our Halloween party!! Continue to join and support in our upcoming events: 3rd General Meeting Tuesday, October 11, 2011- 11:15a.m.- 1p.m.- SWC 106 Join us for our 3rd general meeting of the year. Hear all the upcoming events and how you can become involved in the caucus. Domestic Violence Conference/ Panel at OC Campus

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Thursday, October 13, 2011- 11:00AM-1:00PM OC Reps are collaborating with the Part Time Caucus to create a conference discussing the Social Work implications with Domestic Violence. Mentor/Mentee Study Date Thursday, October, 13, 2011 – 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. RM TBD This event is aimed for all mentors and mentees. There will be an opportunity for students to study/write midterms at UPC with your assigned mentor/ mentee! Community Service Event: Day Laborer Project Saturday, October 15, 2011 – 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. LSWC will be providing food and men clothing to day laborers. Day laborers are recent immigrants from Central America and Mexico who do not have a permanent job. They are a vulnerable population in our communities with the lack of basic needs: shelter, food, and clothing. If you can provide men clothing such as jackets, t-shirts, and pants contact, Community Representative, Carla Osorio-osoriove@usc.edu OC Tamale Sale Tuesday, October 18, 2011- 11:30 a.m.-12:30pm OC Reps will be selling tamales at the OCAC. Come by and enjoy homemade tamales! Halloween Party Friday, October 28, 2011 – Doors open at 9:00 PM LSWC will be hosting a Halloween party at Club Belasco in Downtown LA. First 100 pre-sale tickets will cost $10!! Original pre-sale tickets will be $12. Buy them from any LSWC board member starting in OCTOBER!! Tickets will also be sold at the door for $15 until 11PM and after 11PM for $20. Dress up and enjoy the party! *Learn more about our events by attending our meetings, joining our mailing list, or “friend-ing” us on facebook! Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. -ADELANTE The Latina/o Social Work Caucus Men in Social Work Caucus • MSWC general meeting will be held on Tuesday October 11th at 11:30am in MRF room 320. • MSWC World Famous Chill by the Grill: For Men's Health Awareness on Thursday November 3rd at

11:00am at Gabilan Courtyard. Orange County Social Work Caucus Greetings from the O.C. Caucus! We would like to thank everyone who supported our Friends and Family Hockey Night at the Honda Center on September 21, 2011. Admission to the event included a game with the Anaheim Ducks versus the San Jose Sharks and USC versus UCLA. Following the Ducks and Sharks game, students were able to watch and cheer along with the USC band within the first twenty rows of the hockey ring! The night was an overall success and we thank everyone that supported us. On September 13, 2011 the O.C. Caucus hosted an ice-cream social for foundation and concentration year students at the OCAC Campus. Students received free ice-cream, mingled, and listened to a panel of guest speakers. The OC Caucus along with few other continuing students made up the panel and shared their experiences as a student, intern, and provided “survival” tips. Following the panel presentation, students mingled and socialized while enjoying their delicious treats! =] Sampling of Upcoming Events: 10/1/11: NAMI Walk @ Hunting Beach Pier-7:30am-12:00pm 10/27/11: Scary Movie Night @ OCAC –8:30pm-11:00pm

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Check out our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=206569199401542 Don't forget...if you would like to be part of the OCAC Newsletter, please submit your information by the THIRD Wednesday of every month! (mhour@USC.edu) :o) Part-time Caucus Part-time Caucus: Tailgate October 1st- Join us before the game. Mingle, Eat, Drink, Play (Game Starts @ 12:30 p.m.) General Meeting: October 22, 2011 @ OC Campus @ 3 p.m.

Rainbow Alliance Social Work Caucus Greetings from Rainbow Alliance! Here is what’s coming up for RAC in October.

• October 6th- Trans-posium event in partnership with the USC LGBT Resource Center, 11:00am Tutor Campus Center Room 450. Join us for a film and panel discussion on issues affecting the transgender community. Lunch will be provided!

• October 13th- Rainbow Alliance monthly meeting, 11:30am in MRF 338. • October 16th- AIDS Walk Los Angeles- Join RAC and the School of Social Work in registering for

AIDS Walk 2011! To register visit http://www.aidswalk.net/losangeles/participate/register. • If you are interested in joining one of the Rainbow Alliance Committees (Advocacy,

Fundraising, Social, Community Service) let us know. We will be discussing them more at our next meeting.

As always feel free to email uscra10@gmail.com with any questions! San Diego Caucus ELECTIONS Results will be announced this week. Thank you to all of you who ran for office. LAPTOP SALES Get you very own USC neoprene laptop sleeve for 15" and 14" laptops! Protect you investment and show TROJAN PRIDE! $35 and $30. MEAL DEAL FUNDRAISER! On the first and fourth Tuesday of each month, from 4PM to 6PM, save time and gas $ by eating right here at the center. For $5 you get an entree, chips, drink, and dessert. Next one October 4th, CHILI!! con carne and vegetarian! MIDTERM MAYHEM Join us at the center on THURSDAY, October 13 for some stress relieving activities... details will be posted on the student bulletin board.

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Any Ideas???

Have an idea about how to make the Newsletter even more spectacular?! Know of a great community service opportunity? Want to encourage the student body to learn about a specific organization? Want to bring our attention to a social justice issue? Let us know! We want your input! Send any ideas to swstuorg@usc.edu or find Maddison during her office hours (Tuesday 1-2).

Social Action Caucus • Our second general meeting will be on Tues Oct 11th in MRF 338 from 11:30 to 12:30. We hope

to see you all there! • We will be planning for our upcoming tailgate against Stanford, solidifying our service projects,

and finalizing our undergrad and first-year representative candidates. • SAC would like to invite everyone to join us in the AIDS Walk on October 16th, 2011. To find out

more information, please contact SAC! • Any questions, concerns, ideas, or passions, please let us know at uscmswSAC@gmail.com. • Remember: free high fives at every meeting!

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Email us: swstuorg@usc.edu

Find us on Facebook: http://www.facebook. com/UscStudentOrg

Contact Us: President Lorena Garcia lorena@usc.edu Office Hours: Th 4-5 Vice President Spencer Dunn spencerd@usc.edu Office Hours: Th 11-12 Secretary Maddison Gan maddisog@usc.edu Office Hours: T 1-2 Elections and Recruitment Jose Ortiz ortizros@usc.edu Office Hours: Th 10-11 Community Service Gabriela Quirarte quirarte@usc.edu Office Hours: T 11-12 Graduation Raquel Zamora raquelz@usc.edu Office Hours: Th 9-10 GPSS Rep (Concentration) Alana Copeland acopelan@usc.edu Office Hours: Th 5-6 GPSS Rep (Foundation) Yael Adef Adef@usc.edu

OCAC Rep Eric Perez ericpere@usc.edu Office Hours: T 11-12 OCAC Rep Esbe Garcia egarcia@usc.edu Office Hours: Th 4-5 SDAC Rep Mako Csapo csapo@usc.edu Office Hours: T 4-5 SDAC Rep Gena Truitt etruitt@usc.edu Office Hours: T 11-12 Skirball Rep Kristin Teti teti@usc.edu Office Hours: 2nd W 5:30-6:30 VAC Rep Julie Row jrow@usc.edu Office Hours: M 5 pm (PST) VAC Rep Caryn Lindensmith lindensm@usc.edu Office Hours: W 6 pm (PST)

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!

!

I <3 USC School of Social Work Shirt Order

Form

Tank- $20 (Please indicate quantity of each size) Small ____ Medium ____ Large ____ X-Large ____

Total $__________ Quantity total_________

T-shirt- $20 (Please indicate quantity of each size) Small ____ Medium ____ Large ____ X-Large ____

Total $______ Quantity total________

! 2 for $35 deal

Tank ____ T-shirt ____

Total $______ Quantity total________

Academic Center: UPC !OCAC !Skirball ! SDAC !VAC !

!I would like to be sent an email to pick up order at my academic center. __________________

(Preferred E-mail) ! Please mail to:

Name

Address, including city and zip code

Email Address Phone $ 5 for shipping cost ($10 shipping cost for 2 – 5 shirts)

Shipping total $__________

Total enclosed $_________

Check #_______________

Thank You

for your order!

Questions? Lorena Garcia* lorena@usc.edu * Michelle Osuna* mosuna@usc.edu

!"#$%#&'$(#&)*#)(%&+$,$-"#&./0!!

!"#$$%&$'&!$"()%&*$+,&!-./01-&

2+3)1(4)-($15&

1$2"&./0&&

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,--!./!01#2!"#/!

345!6'*&7&5+!86!9::;9<:1==!

!

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Official Academic Business Cards Order Form

$25 Business Cards Only $35 Business Cards + Card Holder $5 Shipping Cost

Please type or print:

Name:

MSW Candidate: 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 None (Yr of Graduation Optional)

Field Options: Tel Fax Cell Home Office E-mail Website (Must select one or two in each section / Duplicate allowed in each section)

Field Options (listed above) Write Tel #, E-mail, and/ or website here

Ex) Cell phone # 123- 456-7890 1)

2)

3)

4)

5)

Academic Center: UPC OCAC Skirball SDAC VAC

I would like to be sent an email to pick up order at my academic center. ______________________ (Preferred E-mail)

I would like to receive order via shipping. Mail to:___________________________

Address: __________________________________________________________________________________

*Shipping will cost $5 extra.

Please return form and payment to the Student Org. Office.

Please make checks payable to School of Social Work Student Organization.

If you have any questions, please contact

Michelle at mosuna@usc.edu or Spencer at spencerd@usc.edu.

Order total _______

Cash _______

Check # _______