Walter Aitu

I chose to get my Master of Social Work degree at Florida State because of the recommendation from friends and alumni. I was motivated to pursue a graduate degree because I wanted to gain theoretical knowledge to support and improve my life experiences; in turn, my research in Social Work aims to improve human development. To that end, I’ve interned with House of Hope in Stuart, Florida, and will be interning with the Biloxi VA hospital. As a career, I’d like to work with active-duty military personnel to prepare them for life after the military. I’d also like to return to Fiji to help slow the development of capitalism there.

I am a veteran; it was an honor to travel to defend human freedom, and I gained many valuable skills that have helped me in my graduate program, such as discipline, respect, and loyalty. My time in the military imparted a hunger for knowledge to make sense of human experiences. To undergraduate students considering graduate education, I’d say, after graduating, get a job and get some life experience. When you find that passion and drive in life, return for that graduate degree.