Alondra Delgadillo has spent her career at Sierra Community House helping clients navigate crisis, trauma, and instability. In March 2024, she decided to add one more challenge to her plate: a Master of Social Work degree, completed while working full time and raising her son.
We sat down with Alondra to talk about that demanding season of her life, what her MSW training taught her about trauma-informed care, and what’s next now that she’s earned her degree.
Q: You earned your MSW while working full time at Sierra Community House. What made you decide to take that on, and what did that season of your life actually look like day to day?
I always knew I wanted to continue my education. In March 2024, I made the decision to pursue my MSW, and eventually I began the program while continuing to work full-time at Sierra Community House. That season of my life was incredibly demanding. My days were filled with balancing a full-time job, parenting, two six-month internships, and weekly coursework.
Despite the challenges, I stayed focused on my goal and kept moving forward. The most difficult part was deciding to keep going after experiencing an unexpected loss that completely altered what I thought my future would look like. There were days when showing up felt incredibly hard, both personally and professionally.
At the same time, the trauma-informed coursework I was learning through my MSW helped me navigate my own grief and better understand the healing process. It gave me tools and perspectives that not only supported me through a difficult period in my life but also strengthened my ability to support others facing their own challenges. Looking back, that experience reinforced my resilience, commitment to social work, and belief in the power of showing up for people, even during life’s most difficult moments.
Q: Social work education puts a lot of emphasis on systems — how they’re supposed to work and how they often fail. What does that gap look like from where you sit at SCH?
At SCH, I see the gap as systemic barriers that make it harder for clients to access services. Language differences and cultural barriers can make it challenging to navigate healthcare, housing, and social service systems. Many clients need support in understanding available resources or overcoming obstacles that prevent them from getting help. This is why advocacy is such an important part of our work—we help bridge those gaps and ensure clients have a fair opportunity to access the services and support they need.
Q: Your clients are often navigating crisis, trauma, or instability. How did your MSW training change the way you show up for them — or did it deepen something you already knew?
My MSW education made me much more aware of trauma-informed care. It helped me understand how trauma can affect the way people interact with services and navigate challenges. As a result, I’m more intentional about creating safety, building trust, and meeting clients where they are. It strengthened skills I already valued, like empathy and active listening, while giving me a deeper understanding of how to support clients in a way that is empowering and responsive to their experiences.
Q: SCH’s work spans hunger relief, victim services, legal support, and community health. How does a social work lens help you see the connections across those programs that others might miss?
This social work lens deepened my understanding of all our programs at SCH. It made me more aware of how trauma can shape a person’s experiences, behaviors, relationships, and responses to service, regardless of the services they are receiving. While I always valued compassion and client-centered practice, my MSW education gave me a stronger framework for providing care that promotes trust, empowerment, and healing through a holistic approach.
Q: What was the hardest part of juggling graduate school and full-time community service work — and who or what kept you going?
Being a young mom while working full-time and completing graduate school was definitely the hardest part. Balancing all of those responsibilities requires a lot of sacrifice and discipline. What kept me going was my son. He was my motivation every day and inspired me to keep pushing forward, even when things felt overwhelming. I wanted to create a better future for both of us, and that goal helped me stay focused and persevere.
Q: Social work is often described as emotionally demanding work. How do you take care of yourself while also pouring so much into this community?
For me, self-care is about spending time with my family and being near the water. Family keeps me grounded and provides a strong support system, while sitting by a lake, river, or other source of water helps me relax and clear my mind. Those moments help me recharge so I can continue showing up for my clients and community with energy, compassion, and focus.
Q: What’s one concept or framework from your MSW program that genuinely changed how you think about your work?
Learning Cognitive Behavior Therapy skills and emotion regulation techniques had a big impact on how I approach my work. It helped me see how closely thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are connected, and how empowering it can be when clients learn skills to better manage their emotions. These concepts have not only changed the way I support clients navigating challenges but also in building resilience. “Your emotions matter”
Q: What would you want donors, volunteers, or neighbors who support SCH to understand about the people this organization serves?
I would want supporters of SCH to know that many of the people we serve have faced difficult life circumstances, including food insecurity, violence, trauma, and mental health challenges. Despite these hardships, they demonstrate incredible strength and resilience. Our role is to advocate for them, connect them to resources, and help them build on their strengths. The support of donors, volunteers, and community members makes a real difference by helping individuals and families move toward greater stability, hope, and self-sufficiency.
Q: Now that you have your MSW, what’s the next chapter — and how does this degree open doors you couldn’t reach before?
Now that I have my MSW, my next chapter is to register for an Associate Clinical Social Work license and continue developing my clinical skills. This degree has opened doors to opportunities that weren’t available to me before, particularly in clinical practice and professional advancement. It gives me the ability to take on new challenges, expand my impact, and continue serving my community at a higher level while working toward my long-term career goals in social work.
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