About
Erin Butts, MSW is humbled and overjoyed to join Carroll College's MSW program as an Assistant Professor. Graduating from Carroll with an undergraduate degree in social work, she initially worked in the Helena area as an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer with numerous community-based non-profits while continuing to join with Carroll College faculty on service-learning projects. For Erin, returning to Carroll College illuminates the beautifully stated motto: Non Scholae Sed Vitae. Go Saints.
Her journey with social work continued as she traveled north to Fairbanks, AK where she worked with street-dependent and homeless youth, a school, and a parish. Here, young people and the wilds of Alaska were early teachers about suffering and resilience. Though it may be assumed the darkness with minimal light was most challenging, for her it was the long summer days where the sun does not rise nor set, and the stars do not shine in the night’s sky as we know and live in Montana. And uniquely Fairbanks, she lived in a cabin with no running water.
It was the stories of the young people that ignited Erin’s spirit to return home to Montana to attain her MSW at the School of Social work in Missoula, MT. Go Griz. Upon completing her MSW, Erin’s path was guided to work with the National Native Children’s Trauma Center as well as focusing on integrated school mental health, where she worked for the Montana Office of Public Instruction and most recently, Great Falls Public Schools.
At the end of the day, wake of each morning, and space in between, her most sacred jewel is being the mother to her son. He fills her soul with joy and will continue raising her each day, until her final breath of life.