Community of Learners

This article utilizes an empowerment framework to provide a reflection from social work professors on how they met the challenges of a Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program. The program began with student orientation and learning at a scholarship-intensive retreat designed to prepare students for academic rigor and enforce the importance of a cohort community. The authors present information about how the cohort empowered themselves and each other through nurturing community experiences and relationships. Furthermore, authors share their individual experiences as members of the DSW cohort community. This article will provide insights for structuring social work programs on building a supportive community within the graduate program whether it be in-person, online, or hybrid.