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.

2013-14 Academic Year Sees Record Number of Social Work Majors

The social work program announced today that the number of majors to the program broke an all-time record at Ashland University. Fifty-seven (57) students are now declared majors for the professional degree. This exceeded the previous high number of 49 majors reported in 2007 and 2008. If current trends continue there should be over 60 majors next year. A record number of prospective freshman have declared social work as their major for next year, which should exceed the number of graduating seniors (12) this year. The graph below shows the trend in the number of students majoring in social work since 1999 (from the Office of Institutional Research).

Welcome Back!

The spring semester at Ashland University has begun and internships are underway for senior Social Work majors. The Department of Social Work and Family Studies would like to welcome back all students as well as the department’s adjunct faculty (Professor Fox, Professor Gibson, Professor Kuo, and Professor Opper). Good luck to all students with their semester’s coursework and to our seniors in their field placements!

For more information about the senior field experience at Ashland University, click here.

Center for Nonviolence Hosts Mediation Skills Program

Next semester, Ashland’s Center for Nonviolence is hosting a two day workshop on mediation skills. The program runs from February 7th through the 8th and goes from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM both days and would be a very valuable opportunity to build conflict resolution skills for any student who wishes to attend. There are two free spots open that are reserved for AU students. To apply for one of these scholarships to attend the program, click here. The application requires two faculty recommendations as well as a one page essay on resolving conflict and a personal interview. Applications are due by January 10th and any questions may be directed to vtelego@ashland.edu.

AU Social Work Students Visit the Good Shepherd Nursing Home

Social work students in the Practice 1 class have an opportunity to practice their skills developed in the course with residents at the Good Shepherd Nursing Home. They meet with their assigned resident seven times during the semester. Students obtain needed practice in developing their skills, while residents get the undivided attention of a social

work student.

As a way to celebrate the conclusion of this practice activity, everyone got together on November 22nd at the nursing home for food and drink. As one student described it, “this was not only a chance to practice skills, but was also an opportunity to forge relationship building skills.” Another student stated, “although I won’t be seeing my resident as often as I did this semester, I do plan on seeing him next semester to see how he is doing.” A resident at the nursing home described her experience as being fantastic because “it allowed me to tell stories that by now everyone else in my life are bored with.”

New Awareness Month Activity for the Social Work Club

Yesterday, the Social Work Club met to make ribbons for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. At the most recent meeting, the club voted on doing small projects like this each month in order to raise awareness for different issues. For breast cancer awareness, the group gathered to make ribbons as well as write down facts about breast cancer. One in eight women in their lifetime will be diagnosed with breast cancer. For more information about breast health and early detection, visit the American Cancer Society’s website.

For more information about Social Work Club, please contact ahiggins@ashland.edu or hfalter@ashland.edu.

The Cleveland Urban Plunge

For the past 25 years, the Cleveland Urban Plunge has been a tradition in the Social Work department. Senior Social Work majors devote a Saturday in the fall semester to learning more about urban life and the struggles that come with it. Though previously held over an entire weekend, the shortened Urban Plunge still has a lot to offer students. 

A first-hand look at poverty and homelessness can be incredibly powerful. “This trip has enabled me to understand myself and how I react to certain situations,” said senior Hillary Falter, “I definitely went out of my comfort zone, but I believe it changed me for the better and I am more thankful for what I have.”

When asked about the most memorable moment of the trip, Jennifer Tenbrook talked about a man she had met on the trip named Ray. He had been homeless since 2005, when he moved to Cleveland after Hurricane Katrina. “Even though he has been homeless for 8 years, he was still very happy and outgoing, as though nothing could possibly bring him down.”

Hillary also commented on the positive attitudes of people she met on the trip. “Despite the situations these individuals have encountered, they did not fail to stay positive-- how powerful is that?”

For more information about the Social Work and Family Studies Department, visit our website.