Welcome to my Capstone

Step 1: The Plan

As I complete my journey as a Master of Social Work student (grad as of April 2025) at the University of Calgary, our final assignment is categorized as a capstone project. Of all the assignments we have had over these past two years, this one has me the most excited. Not only is this the marking of the end of this two year intensive program, it’s also an opportunity to sink into the integration process and explore my creative expression to demonstrate what I have learned, how I have changed, and where I am headed. 

As students we have a few parameters to guide us in this final project. We each need to have a 20 minute presentation prepared for our class to showcase what we have created, and we must include aspects of our choosing from previous assignments to highlight the journey we have been on. But that’s it. What we present and how we synthesize our learning is up for our own creative interpretation. 

As someone who enjoys writing, sharing and engaging with others in the learning and integration process, I have decided to create a few elements for my capstone. I will have the journey written out here on my website, a bit of a step-by-step process that can be shared publicly for those who are interested. I am also inspired to create a piece of art. There was a five-year period of my life (in my early to mid-twenties) where I created around 100 paintings and sold a couple dozen in local cafes. A theme that has emerged in this capstone process has been a “coming home” with new skills and perspectives, and recognizing how that is re-informing and reshaping my foundation. Coming back to paint on canvas symbolizes another layer of this, and I am envisioning this art piece will represent my learnings and tell a story of where I have been and what I think I know now.