Samantha Woodby, Intern at the Richland County Youth and Family Council

For every senior Social Work major, the spring semester means the beginning of a semester-long field experience. Students complete a 500 hour internship placement at an agency supervised by a current Social Worker. This is an incredible opportunity for students to gain knowledge and experience about working in the field. 

Samantha Woodby and her supervisor from the
Richland County Youth and Family Council

Samantha Woodby shares her experiences at the Richland County Youth and Family Council with us in the first of twelve Internship Spotlights.

 - What are your job duties at your internship?  What kinds of activities have you been involved in at your agency?

I am interning with the Richland County Youth & Family Council. My duties at the Council vary on a day to day basis. One of my main responsibilities with the Council is to serve as the Service Coordinator. Currently, I am working on process evaluations for two different services that we offer at the Council, juvenile diversion and care management. My goal for this internship is to learn as much as I possibly can. I hope to get involved in as many community activities as I can while I’m here in hopes that this experience will help to prepare me for a future career.

 - How has Ashland University's Social Work program prepared you for your internship?

The professors in the Social Work Program at Ashland University have done a wonderful job of preparing me for my experience as an intern. I encounter situations each day that require the use of the skills I have been taught in the social work program. Some of the things that I have learned in the program at AU that I use regularly in my internship include interviewing and assessment skills, case management skills, human behavior theories, research skills, and most importantly, skills that allow me to build strong working relationships with the people I serve. I have come to find that the skills that I have learned in this program exceed those that are taught in other Bachelor level social work programs. As a student, I feel highly regarded and respected by many professionals in my community because I am coming from Ashland University.

 - What has been most enjoyable or valuable about your internship experience so far?

What I like most about my internship is that I have had the opportunity to gain experience in not just one, but several social service agencies in my community. The Youth & Family Council is a collaboration of many agencies in Richland County. I have been lucky enough to spend time in a few of these collaborating agencies. In doing so, I’ve been given the opportunity to network with several of my community’s leaders in the social work field and to learn about the field from various perspectives. In addition, this experience has allowed me to gather information regarding many of the resources that are available in my community. These are both valuable things that I will be able to take with me when I finish school and move into a Social Work career.