Celeste Berardi earned her bachelor’s in social work and is finishing up her master’s in social work at Illinois State University’s School of Social Work. Berardi was originally drawn to Illinois State due to the family legacy of helping professionals that proceeded her like her parents, uncle, and grandmother.
In 2023, Berardi was given an opportunity to travel to the Illinois Association of School Social Workers (IASSW) conference in Springfield free of charge with the use of a couple volunteer hours during the conference. Berardi shared, “I really enjoyed it and the connections and experience I had there made me want to go back again this year.” Thankfully, Berardi was informed of a scholarship opportunity by CJ Hamilton, Director of M.S.W. Student Services. While attending the 2024 IASSW conference in Tinley Park, Berardi was selected as the winning recipient of this scholarship. During the conference, Berardi was able to meet the president of the IASSW and receive both the scholarship as well as two free years of membership to IASSW post-graduation.
In gratitude, Berardi shared, “Being able to be a part of the IASSW without having to pay the fees the first few years after graduation will set me up to be able to go further in that organization and make more connections without the financial burden, because it can get pretty expensive.”
As Berardi reflected on her experience as attendee of the conference, she shared, “They bring in a lot of professionals to speak and it’s always good to hear a variety of perspectives, maybe something that you don’t experience every day in your setting that could be helpful in the future.” Berardi believes that both being a member of IASSW and a participant of their conferences are great opportunities for professional development and nurtures applicable skills to both her education and professional practice.
“Schools are so important; They are the heart of many communities. … I believe in the value of public education.”
Celeste Berardi
As a soon-to-be school social worker, Berardi shares her passion for the field in stating, “Schools are so important; They are the heart of many communities. … I believe in the value of public education.” Although Berardi is driven by this, she acknowledges that it is through the support of the staff and professors at Illinois State’s School of Social Work that she has gotten to where she is today. Berardi added, “I want to just express my thanks to the School of Social Work faculty and staff who have supported me, Particularly Dr. Stipp, CJ, and Ingrid. They have really helped me on my journey, and they’ve opened my eyes to a lot of different opportunities and put me in it. They have helped me to get to a good place where I feel confident and hopeful for my future in the profession.”
