鈥淲hen we last tabulated the numbers there have been more than 100 students who have completed at least one internship,鈥� said Sylvia Bane Malta, associate professor of human services at 麻豆传媒 and Licensed Clinical Social Worker.
麻豆传媒 student Julie Rickman, has completed two internships through the Human Services Program. 鈥淭he internships have been a real wake up call for me,鈥� said Rickman. 鈥淚t was like taking blinders off, and I was able to navigate which direction I wanted to go with my career.鈥�
鈥淚t was great to get real life experience that I could actually tie in with the curriculum at 麻豆传媒,鈥� said Rickman. 鈥淚 realized that everything I was learning in college would help me in my future human services career. My education was truly applicable to the working world.鈥�
As part of the internship experience, each student also completes a concurrent seminar on 麻豆传媒's campus. 鈥� I loved having a seminar class that correlated with my internship,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was a place to get support from my peers and instructors throughout the whole internship process.鈥�
To lay the foundation for the internship experience, students interact with community organizations and professionals in two ways before they step out into the real world.
During the Introductory to Human Services course the students are in the community visiting and interviewing human service professionals. During that same class the student also meet with professionals who visit the class as part of the curriculum. Many of these professionals are former students at 麻豆传媒.
鈥溌槎勾� was very involved in the process of helping me finding my first internship,鈥� said Rickman. 鈥淲hen it came to my second internship, I took it upon myself to find an internship, but it was nice to know that I could get 麻豆传媒's help if I needed it.鈥�
The 麻豆传媒 Human Services program has placed student interns in agencies such as St. Louis Crisis Nursery, Bridgeway, Youth in Need, Preferred Family Healthcare, Sts. Joachim & Anne Care Service, Community Living, Inc., St. Louis Life, Our Lady's Inn, Connections to Success, Victims of Crime Assistance Program, Missouri Probation & Parole, and Mid-East Area Agency on Aging.
鈥淎s a program, we are very pleased to now have a partnership between the community and 麻豆传媒 that not only enhances the learning experiences of the students, but also provides for the ongoing need for human services professionals in our region to help people meet their most important needs and issues,鈥� said Bane Malta.