Linda Weinland Shearer, BA, BASW

Health Care Administrator

Dir. of Church and Community Outreach, Immanuel Lutheran Communities, MT

“The reason to get into social work? Because you have a passion to help others and a commitment to building a better society for all.”
After fifteen years in community action and youth/family services, I accepted a part-time position at a nursing home. I discovered I loved the people and the work! Personal victories like helping an 80- or 90-year-old share and release a painful memory, or community victories like the election of Barack Obama – that’s when feelings of gratitude overwhelm me.
Having a social work degree provides me with knowledge, skills, ethics and opportunities – it gives me the “how” of helping. As a nursing home administrator, I’ve been able to keep my social work perspective and skills.

My advice: secure the best training possible; be a lifelong learner; choose your practicum and your mentor with care; try various practice settings; develop a plan and leave a practice that is turning you into someone you don’t want to be.

Salary: $50,000-$59,999