Collegian T he Cameron University
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Monday, October 10, 2022
separate little thing,” Cox said. “So, we Photos by Brittney Payette do foster care and adoptions.” Cox said DHS is currently looking to hire and train more workers. “The only requirement for child welfare is that you have a Bachelor’s degree,” she said. “So, if you have a Bachelor’s degree, they will train you.” Cox said that being able to communicate with people is extremely important for her job. “If you’re able to talk to people, then this job may be for you.” Cox said she likes the flexibility her job offers. “One thing I do enjoy about this job is that you kind of set your own schedule,” she said. “You set your Brittney Payette schedule, so as long as you are working your hours, Managing Editor it doesn’t matter. And a lot of times we work from home now.” At 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 6 in Nance Boyer room Cox said she has always enjoyed school and 2005, the Communication, English and Foreign learning, and that she liked Cameron University. Languages department “I’ve made a lot of good hosted a Visiting friends when I attended Professionals event Cameron,” she said. “It did give “I’ve made a lot of good featuring Cameron alumna me just a love of learning. I friends when I attended Jennifer Cox. really enjoyed my time at Cox graduated Cameron,” she said. “It Cameron.” from Cameron with Cox said she wishes she did give me just a love of her bachelor’s degree had known about her current learning. I really enjoyed in English Education job sooner. in 1991. Cox said she my time at Cameron.” “I love this job,” Cox had been very involved said. “I can’t even say that -Jennifer Cox with organizations and enough. I have a heart for Child Welfare Specialist III events at Cameron such kids. I love to talk to as participating in the people. I help families Student Government get back together. Association. She later got her Master’s degree in I love working with parents. I Behavioral Science. love working with kids. I Cox said she has been with the Oklahoma love talking to people.” Department of Human Services (DHS) for almost Cox said she 10 years. appreciates how “I’m a resource specialist,” Cox said. “I’m the DHS encourages worker for a foster home. I advocate for them, their employees I support them [and] I make sure if they need to really practice services in the home they get those services.”
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self-care, especially since they recognize that jobs that involve child welfare can be stressful. “I do try to go walking and things like that,” Cox said. “You have to find whatever works for you. If your cup is empty, you can’t help other people. Do what you can.” Freshman Mechanical Engineering major Chance Hale was one of the attendees at the event. “My English teacher gave us the option of coming to get bonus points,” Hale said. “I had to jump on that. I love my points. I thought it was very informative.” Freshman Jesse Johnson, who is undecided about his major, said that one reason why he came was because he was curious about different career options available to him since he has not declared a major yet. “I think it’s useful to have professionals come in and talk to students about their jobs, for more insight,” Johnson said. “Talking to a person, I just value more.” For more information about future events hosted by the Communication, English, and Foreign Languages department contact the department chair Dr. Von Underwood at vonu@ cameron.edu. To learn more about what it is like to be a Child Welfare Specialist, visit the OKDHS’ YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/ OklahomaHuman Services. Oklahoma DHS offers benefits such as free child care, mileage reimbursement, 11 paid holidays, 15 days of paid vacation leave along with 15 days of of paid sick leave annually. For more information about joining Child Welfare Services, contact DHS’s career specialists at DHScareeers@okdhs.org.
Graphic courtesy of Tribune News Service
Cox said the majority of her job is a lot of writing things such as support plans for children placed in foster homes and annual updates. “I go out and I see people and I talk to them a little bit and then I just type, type, type, type it up.” Cox said she enjoys her job at DHS. “I’m a foster care worker, which is kind of a
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