School of Social Work appoints Heidi Presslein as new Director of Field Instruction, honors contributions of outgoing director: MJ Gilbert.

For MJ Gilbert, practice sits at the heart of effective social work. As the outgoing Director of Field Instruction, Gilbert earned her MSW at the University in 1990, returning to campus in 2004 to join the field team.

“I moved to Minnesota in 1984,” says Gilbert. “The primary reason I moved was because (the state) had a well deserved reputation as being one of the few places in the United States, one of the few places in the world that was safer and more affirming for trans people. I came out here. I live in a city that was one of the first cities in the world to protect the civil and employment rights of trans people.”

Gilbert began her career as a clinical social worker and supervisor at Mental Health Resources before returning to campus (as field educator) in 2004. “To the best of my knowledge, I was the only trans social work educator in the country.” She says her years spent, steering the field practice experiences of MSW students, have been meaningful to her. “I have almost never felt tokenized in the School,” she says. “I have always felt my perspectives and voice have been respected and that builds a lot of loyalty for me, to the state, to this institution, and to the School that has given me an incredible career.”

Respect for and loyalty toward the School are sentiments echoed by Heidi Presslein, also an alumna of the Master of Social Work program. Presslein has been working as a field coordinator in the SSW since 2010. “I love working with the students. It might sound silly but it’s so hopeful. Things seem very possible. Change is happening. The interest in social justice issues, the ongoing learning, there are so many reasons why being in a community of academic social workers is exciting to me.”

Not to mention, adds Gilbert, the rigor of our social work program in particular. “We have a great field program,” she says, “one of the best in the country.”

Gilbert will remain at the helm of the program in the SSW through the summer, handing off to Presslein in the fall.