When most people think of social work, they picture therapists, case managers or child welfare professionals. For recent Boise State University Master of Social Work graduate Kristi Spalding, the work begins much earlier, before people ever need those services.
Spalding discovered her passion for macro social work, a practice focused on changing systems, policies and communities to prevent problems before they happen.
“There’s a story about people falling into a stream,” Spalding said. “Micro social work is helping people once they’re already in the water. Macro social work is walking upstream to figure out why they’re falling in and working to stop it from happening in the first place.”
That perspective shaped her graduate experience and led her to two unique field placements with Idaho State Senator Melissa Wintrow and Idaho Voices for Children, where she gained firsthand experience in policy development, advocacy and legislative work.
While interning with Wintrow, Spalding saw how legislation takes shape behind the scenes. One of her favorite experiences was researching data and helping craft messages around proposed legislation.
“As someone looking in from outside the Legislature, it can sometimes feel like facts aren’t always part of the conversation,” she said. “It was meaningful to be able to bring research, data and evidence into those discussions whenever possible.”
Her second placement with Idaho Voices for Children showed her another side of policy work by focusing on community advocacy. During the legislative session, she helped organize grassroots outreach to child care providers across Idaho, encouraging them to contact their elected officials about proposed legislation.
“Talking with dozens of daycare providers taught me how to communicate policy in a way that made sense to people who don’t work in politics,” Spalding said. “It was about helping them understand why their voices mattered.”
Together, the experiences reinforced that social work extends far beyond direct practice.
“Social work doesn’t just have to be providing therapy or case management,” she said. “It can and should happen at higher levels that impact entire communities.”
Advice for future social workers
Spalding hopes more students recognize just how flexible a social work degree can be.
“I had a professor challenge us to find an area where social workers didn’t currently exist but could make a difference,” she said. “That completely changed how I viewed my career options.”
Her own research focused on expanding the role of social workers in public policy, a passion she continues to carry with her.
“My advice is to find your passion, find your population and know that your education can take you almost anywhere,” she said. “You’re not limited by the stereotypes of what social workers do.”
In addition to her coursework, Spalding credits Boise State’s interdisciplinary opportunities with helping prepare her for macro practice. She participated for six semesters in the School of Public Service’s Housing Opportunities for All VIP course, where students partnered with community organizations to solve real-world challenges through research, data analysis and presentations.
She also encourages students interested in macro practice to begin building relationships early.
“The best thing I ever did was make connections with people already doing the work,” she said. “Reach out to professors, ask for introductions or even cold email someone whose work interests you. Those conversations can open doors you didn’t know existed.”
After graduating, Spalding has intentionally taken time to rest before beginning her career. She has been enjoying home renovation projects and recently launched a small business making handcrafted bolo ties while exploring future opportunities in policy and advocacy.
Looking back, she wishes she had spent less time worrying about being a nontraditional student and more time getting to know her classmates.
“As far as being a nontraditional student, I was nervous about being in my 30’s and going back to school. I was scared that I would be the only person who was a parent or that the people in my cohort would be closer in age to my kids than they were to me. I was afraid of sticking out and not being able to relate to my peers. Thankfully, none of those fears ended up coming to fruition and I made some great friends in my cohort! Honestly, I reached the end of the program wishing we had more time together,” she said.
Reflecting on her Boise State experience, Spalding said the program gave her both perspective and purpose.
“It was an eye-opening experience to the injustices of the world,” she said, “and the motivation to get out there and make change.”