“So how many babies have you taken from their moms so far?”

As soon as I tell people I am studying to be a social worker, this question is not far behind. Along with the image of baby stealers, social work­ers can be painted as parole officers, heavy smokers or uptight white women controlling minorities.

These stereotypes of social workers don’t paint an accurate picture of the profession. Did you know, for example, that 60 percent of men­tal health therapists are social workers? Did you know that there are four powerful members of the Iowa legislature who are social workers?

Among thousands of other possibilities, you can find social workers lobbying on behalf of the underrepresented in Congress, setting up in-home care for a recent outpatient of a hospital, counseling college students, scheduling Bingo nights at the nursing home, designing a safe space for homeless youth, walking someone through a rape crisis situation at a hospital or just holding someone’s hand as he or she dies in hospice.

Above all, social workers are dedicated to empowering and advocating for those that society often ignores.

Since March is national social work month, I propose doing some­thing nice for the social workers in your community or the Wartburg campus. Join us in advocating for the oppressed in society. Encourage fair wages so we can continue to do our crucial work. Above all, take time out of your day to take note of how your life is different because of social workers, and say thank you.