2015 Social Work Graduates



From left to right:
   front row -    Jennifer Williams (cum laude), Joshua Yoder, Alexis Lee (cum laude), Mary Hitchcock
   middle row - Morgan Richter, Ashley Starcher, Kaitlyn McCreary, Jennifer Lindsay (magna cum laude)

   back row -    Prof. Nancy Udolph, Haley Mossing (cum laude), Chelsea LaPorte, Jereese Wilson, Kaitlynn Dolezal,
                        Casey Kelley, Prof. Michael Vimont

   not pictured - Heidi Howard

Congratulations, Class of 2015!

Ethnic Potluck Provides Opportunity to Share Experiences, Recognize Academic Achievements

 



Every April, senior-level students of the social work program hosts an ethnic potluck dinner for their fellow students.


The purpose, aside from eating a lot of great food and socializing, is to share their experiences as practicing social work interns in the “real world” of social work.

Fourteen soon-to-be graduating students presented their expertise to about 30 other social work students who will soon follow in their footsteps. 




Social Work Seniors

(all in blue for Child Assault Prevention Awareness!)

Social Work Outstanding Students

Congratulations to our outstanding social work students recognized by social work faculty. Every year, one student from each of the three classes, sophomore, junior, and senior are recognized for their academic, leadership, and mentoring achievements.

From right to left (Alison Bartholomew, sophomore; Jennifer Lindsay, senior; and Bailey Fullwiler, junior).



 

Congratulations, Seniors and Outstanding Students! 
For more information about AU's Social Work Program, check out our website.
For more information about Senior Field Experiences, view our Field Experience page.

Jennifer Lindsay, Intern at Appleseed

Jennifer Lindsay is an intern at Appleseed Community Mental Health Center.

Tell us a little bit about your internship placement.

For my social work internship, I have been placed at Appleseed Community Mental Health Center. It’s a not-for-profit mental health agency in Ashland that provides many different services like counseling, case management, pharmacological management services, school liaison services in the local schools, housing programs, rape crisis and domestic violence services and programs, and a crisis hotline. 

What are your job duties at your internship?  What sorts of activities have you been involved in?

Through my internship, I have had a variety of different duties on the youth side of Appleseed. Three days a week, I spend time doing case management (CPST). I currently have my own caseload of clients who I have been working with on a weekly basis. CPST services are provided to children who attend Appleseed and are having problems behaviorally, emotionally, or socially. These problems may occur at home, school, or in the community. CPST services vary from client to client, but services are always geared toward whatever will benefit and support the client and his or her family. I have also spent two days a week as a part of the school liaison piece of Appleseed. I spend two days in local schools working with students in the school setting and helping them alleviate barriers to their education, discuss things that are going on at home which may be affecting them in school, and assist students in some basic social skills and everyday needs.

How has Ashland University’s Social Work Program prepared you for your internship?

I feel like the Social Work Program at Ashland University has prepared me in countless ways for my internship, and my future as a social worker. All of the behavioral classes have given me a greater understanding for the needs that my clients have. Furthermore, I feel as though I was very well prepared through all of my classes in the Social Work Program to enter my internship. Learning things like human behavior, professionalism in the field, confidentiality, how to build a positive working relationship with clients, and social work competencies and ethics has been instrumental in guiding my behavior and conduct in my internship. I am so thankful for the ways that Ashland University’s Social Work Program not only prepared me for my internship, but also my future career.

What have you enjoyed most about your internship so far?

Throughout my internship, I have really loved building relationships with clients so that I can have a positive working relationship with them. It’s not always easy, but I really love getting to know my clients so that I can best serve them. It has been awesome getting to see their strengths and figuring out how to help them use those strengths. I have worked with some clients for long enough that I have been able to see the positive changes that they are making in their own lives, and that is extremely rewarding.

For more information about Appleseed Community Mental Health Center, please visit their website.

For more information about Ashland University’s Social Work Program, please visit their website.

Alexis Lee, Intern at Samaritan Hospital

Alexis Lee is an intern at Samaritan Hospital. Samaritan Hospital is an acute care facility focusing on treating people in the Ashland area. The mission of Samaritan Hospital is to take the lead in serving and supporting the patients in the surrounding areas they serve.

Tell us a little bit about your internship placement.

I work in the Social Service Department at Samaritan Hospital. This department is in charge of discharging patients, assessing needs, and making referrals to post care services.

What are your job duties at your internship?  What sorts of activities have you been involved in?

I am involved with the discharge planning process with patients. I have also been involved with preoperational classes and connecting patients to resources.

How has Ashland University’s Social Work Program prepared you for your internship? 

Ashland University prepared me for my internship by teaching me the basic skills and knowledge as well as communication skills needed to work in this field. I also feel that it taught me responsibility and time management. 

What have you enjoyed most about your internship so far?

I enjoy the fast pace and wide variety of people the hospital has exposed me to. 

For more information about Samaritan Hospital, please visit their website.

For more information about Ashland University’s Social Work Program, please visit their website.

Social Work Club Raises Funds for Easter Baskets for Associated Charities

In mid-March, the Social Work Club raised $178 by selling sweet treats for a great cause - making Easter baskets for children in the Ashland community.

Using the funds from the bake sale, Club members created and donated 23 Easter baskets.    

Social Work Club and Faculty Assemble the Baskets

The baskets included craft supplies, coloring books, puzzles, jump ropes, bubbles, stuffed animals, stickers, small games and, of course, Easter candy!

Social Work Club Members with Fully Assembled Baskets

From left to right: Jocelyn Bean, Jessie Ryder, Ellie Miller, Stephanie Julian, Logan Imber, and Mallory Serrano
Not pictured: Bailey Fullwiler

Great job, Social Work Club!

Morgan Richter, Intern at Harmony House

Morgan Richter is an intern at Harmony House Homeless Services.

Tell us a little bit about your internship placement.
 

Harmony House provides emergency housing, food, and support services to individuals and families who are homeless, while they work to gain maximum independence. Harmony House provides clients with weekly case management meetings, workshops, and job training activities. Harmony House also provides public transportation to help people in their job search.

What are your job duties at your internship?  What sorts of activities have you been involved in? 

My job duties at Harmony House include completing client intakes, case management, interacting with clients, facilitating job skills and life skills group meetings, and working with Harmony House children through the After-School Program. I have been involved with community activities such as the Point-in-Time Homeless Count and the annual Soup Supper/Silent Auction fundraiser.

How has Ashland University’s Social Work Program prepared you for your internship? 

Ashland University's Social Work Program has prepared me for my internship by teaching me the skills I need to engage in a client/professional relationship and how to handle situations in an agency setting. The program has also taught me about social work values and ethics and how to incorporate them into practice.

What have you enjoyed most about your internship so far?

Over the course of my internship I have most enjoyed my experience with getting to know the clients I work with, as well as working with the children. I feel so good at the end of the day knowing I have made a positive impact on the lives of others.

For more information about Harmony House, please visit their website.

For more information about Ashland University’s Social Work Program, please visit their website.

Jereese Wilson, Intern at Richland Newhope

Jereese Wilson is an intern at Richland Newhope – Richland County Board of Developmental Disabilities. This organization is dedicated to helping people with developmental disabilities to live, work, and participate in the community. Richland Newhope works with people and their families to enrich the lives of the developmentally disabled.

Tell us a little bit about your internship placement.

This semester I have had the unique experience of being able to work in three areas of the same agency. I am placed in the Service and Support Administration (SSA), Help Me Grow (HMG) at the Early Childhood Center, and also at two of the Richland Newhope Industry workshops on 4^th Street and on Longview Ave. Although these are only a few areas under the umbrella of the County Board, in my short time working in these various parts of the agency, it is clear that they really cater toward the needs of the individual person. They serve to support both children and adults through various programs, support services and funding sources.

What are your job duties at your internship?  What sorts of activities have you been involved in?

Since I have been involved in so many different parts of the agency, I have had the opportunity to have a variety of experiences. In the SSA building, I work alongside the Individual Consultants to help the individual create plans centered on their specific needs. I have had the opportunity to build a case load, go on home visits, plan meetings, and to research and provide services. Another activity that I am involved in in the SSA building is the Major Unusual Incidences (MUI) department. In this department I work with the Investigative agents to help investigate and track incidents involving Richland county residents who receive our services. For my macro project, I was able to work on the 2014 Major Unusual Incident Annual Review. It was essentially a 20 page report that compiled all of the data from last year. As a result of my work, I was able to help present some of the information with my supervisor. Although I was a bit nervous about sitting in a room full of supervisors and department heads, it was a great experience and I was so thankful to be a part of it.

In the HMG department I had the opportunity to work with the service coordinators. I was able to help interview potential parents of the program, with the help of my supervisors, using assessment forms and to provide input to the early intervention team. After eligibility was determined based on the initial assessment, I was able to follow the children as they progressed and provide additional information to the family that may be helpful to them. My supervisors made me feel comfortable with the assessment forms and how the system was organized. I was even able to complete some of the process on my own.

At the workshop, I was able to help individuals strive toward the goal of community employment. Richland Newhope is currently providing job training skills, new community employment opportunities, and job readiness programs to help individuals become more involved in the community. The adult services department has so much to offer individuals. Between helping with the community employment activities and learning more about the job readiness programs, I had the opportunities to get to know more about the individuals and the hard work they do in the workshop every day.

How has Ashland University’s Social Work Program prepared you for your internship?

The Social Work program at Ashland University has done an amazing job preparing me for my internship. In my undergraduate years, prior to my internship experience, I did not realize how much of each class that I would actually need to utilize. There really is a method and a clear thought behind every pre-requisite class that is required before entering into this program (even statistics!) and they were well worth it. I’m so thankful for the education I received from this program and for every professor who took the time to prepare me not only for my internship, but for my future in the social work profession.

What have you enjoyed most about your internship so far?

Honestly it is hard to pinpoint one specific thing that I have enjoyed so far because the whole experience has been wonderful. I love all of the information that I am gaining through this experience. I also love the fact that I am in an agency that is willing to accept some of my thoughts and ideas. Getting to work with the individuals, go to trainings with the staff, and learning the different programs and services offered to people in Richland County are things that can help me throughout my career. I am thankful for having the experience.

For more information about Richland Newhope, please visit their website.

For more information about Ashland University’s Social Work Department, please visit their website.