Alison Bartholomew, Intern with Christian Children's Home of Ohio

Alison Bartholomew is an intern at Christian Children’s Home of Ohio (CCHO). The goal of the home is to provide a safe and stable environment to children who were abused, neglected and abandoned. CCHO also provides residential care that helps provide for the emotional, physical, recreational, and spiritual needs of every child.

Describe your responsibilities and highlights of your internship.

        I am a clinical therapist intern in the children's residential center. I love working to help children in need. I have one-on-one therapy sessions with boys ages six through twelve each day and help them process various traumatic experiences they have endured.  I also help run a group session each week where we discuss ways to be resilient.  I make it a goal to show these boys each day how much they are loved and valued as well as help them grow mentally stronger each and every day, and that is a responsibility I do not take lightly. I love going to work each day, and I hope I can make half the impact on these their lives as they make on mine every single day.  

How did your internship help prepare you for your future career?

     This internship has shown me that I absolutely want to work with children. This internship has shown me the ups and downs of social work, and has shown me the importance of empathy and optimism when trying to empower clients.  It has prepared me by exposing me to the vast amounts of hurting children in our society who desperately need proper care. Being at Christian Children’s Home of Ohio has prepared me immensely for my future career, and I cannot wait to get started after graduation!

What advice do you have for other students about the internship process/experience?

          In order to help other students looking for an internship experience, I would recommend not limiting yourself to specific agencies or populations.  Over the previous summer, I chose to have an internship at a nursing home to gain some extra experience.  Going into the internship, I did not know that I would like working with older adults, but it turned out to be a really amazing summer where I met some incredible people and improved my social work skills immensely. For those students looking for internships, I would recommend utilizing career services on campus. I found them to be very helpful in this process.

For more information about Christina Children’s Home of Ohio click here

All social work students undergo a 500-hour internship in their senior year, during which they put into practice the skills they have learned throughout their time at Ashland University while gaining valuable experiences to prepare them for employment or graduate studies after graduation.  For more information about Ashland University’s Social Work Program, please visit our website.