My CBU Story: Meet Emma Jerrott

Already a CBU Alumna, Emma Jerrott thought her classroom days were behind her. Having obtained her Bachelor of Arts Community Studies in 2014 before heading to NSCC where she earned her Advanced Diploma in Public Relations, Emma worked in various community-driven positions. That’s when she began to feel a strong pull toward the field of Social Work. When CBU announced the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) program in 2023, Emma eagerly enrolled and is now part of the first graduating cohort.

Proudly from Dominion, Emma spent many years coordinating for the Good Food Bus, an affordable fresh food market on wheels that travelled throughout Cape Breton. During her time with the bus, she worked with diverse populations and engaged in many tough conversations with vulnerable people, which was the basis for her ambition to pursue a BSW. “With my professional experience, I felt like I could fit the role of a Social Worker well, but I was missing the degree to qualify for the job,” she says. “Several times, people mentioned that I should consider applying for the new social work program at CBU, but I always said I was done with school and couldn’t picture myself in the classroom again as I was getting older and other aspects of my life were a priority. But after some thought, I finally took the chance on myself and applied. Now here I am, in the final stretch, and it has been the best decision I’ve ever made for myself.”

Throughout her second CBU journey, Emma enjoyed many aspects of the program, including the brilliant faculty and staff, the coursework, flexibility in the assignments, various learning and teaching styles and of course, getting to know her classmates. “Everyone in the cohort has so much passion for the field, and each person brings different perspectives and experiences to the classroom conversations,” she begins. “To me, we not only learn from our professors, but from those we’re sharing this experience with. I feel like I will be graduating from this program not only prepared, but also a better version of myself.”

Presently, Emma is employed locally in a role where she supports individuals and families by connecting them with services, navigating family dynamics and working creatively to ensure they have what they need and leave in a better situation than when they arrived. Several of Emma’s classmates also work in the same unit, allowing them to support each other as they transition from social work students to professionals. It is a special bond they are building as they go from classmates to colleagues.

Though she expects her answer to change over time, right now Emma says the most rewarding part about the job is figuring out what her style of social work looks like and how she can use her new skills to ensure everyone she works with feels respected. “I love that social work as a profession allows me to work authentically,” she begins. “I enjoy how every day looks different and provides a new challenge to empower the people I encounter. It’s tough but undeniably rewarding.”

When it comes to advice for future BSW students, Emma recommends stepping out of your comfort zone as often as possible throughout your journey. “The classroom will offer you ample opportunity to have tough conversations and navigate challenging assignments that will question the biases and understandings you came into the program with,” says Emma. “However, I believe the real opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone is when it comes to field placements. Everyone comes into the program with previous knowledge and experience, so it could be easy to take a placement where you know you will thrive. Instead, take a placement that you know very little about and that makes you nervous. This is your time to grow and learn from those who are already in the field, so why not take advantage of it?”

Congratulations to Emma and the entire Spring 2025 Graduating Class!