These applied experiences allow students the opportunity to learn how the skills and abilities they develop in their Sociology courses can be put to use in the real world.  Completing a summer or semester internship also allows students to explore career areas and refine plans for work, education, and their goals beyond their years at Washington College.  Financial support for internship work may be available for students.

Aaliyah Herbert, '24, Sociology Major: Kent County Local Management Board

During my junior and senior year here at Washington College I had the opportunity to intern at the Kent County Local Management Board working with their Local Care Team. The Kent County Local Care Team brings agencies together like Social Services, Juvenile Services, the Health Department, Wraparound Maryland, Upper Shore Mediation, Mobile Crisis and so many more to provide resources and support to children and families with intense needs. Their goal is to help these families thrive at home and in their communities by developing a plan of action to help them move forward. This internship has been very enlightening to me as it has opened my mind up to the endless possibilities there are in the world of social work. Before I was so unsure about what population I wanted to work with when becoming a social worker but now it is ever so clear to me that I want to dedicate my career to servicing children and families. In doing this internship, I have been able to learn about so many different agencies that provide services to this population that I knew nothing about before. This experience has taught me not only how to effectively collaborate with diverse agencies but also the importance of comprehensive care for children and families facing intense needs. Being part of the Kent County Local Care Team has shown me the significance of addressing the challenges that these families encounter. It's not just about addressing one aspect of their lives but understanding the interconnectedness of various factors, including social, mental/physical health, educational, and behavioral aspects. This perspective has influenced my view on the role of a social worker in facilitating positive outcomes for those in need. In addition, this internship has strengthened my skills in communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. The collaborative nature of this experience has not only broadened my understanding of the social work field but has also provided me with practical skills that will be valuable in my future career. Seeing firsthand, the positive impact that these agencies can have on the lives of children and families has sparked my passion for this field. I now recognize the power of advocacy and the potential to be a voice for those who may not have one. The resilience and strength displayed by the families I've encountered during this internship have inspired me to commit myself to a career dedicated to making a meaningful difference in the lives of vulnerable populations. As I reflect on my time with the Kent County Local Management Board, I am grateful for the knowledge I gained and the clarity it has provided regarding my professional path. I am excited about the prospect of contributing to the well-being of children and families, and I am confident that the skills I obtained during this internship will serve as a solid foundation for my future career in social work.

 

Gabriella Scorsone, '23, Sociology Major: Internship with the Kent Family Center

I had the privilege of interning at the Kent Family Center here in Chestertown. I was able to work with a licensed social worker and with different families in the community. This experience allowed me to not only solidify my plans for a future career path but to also gain knowledge on how to interact with diverse families with different needs as a social worker. I learned how to complete paperwork forms such as LSPs (Life Skill Progression scale) and Family Partnership Agreements. I first sat in on a few meetings to get comfortable with how the paperwork process is done with the families and once I felt comfortable and formed a solid relationship with the families there, I was able to pull them aside individually and complete the paperwork independently. This not only taught me how to connect with clients but also built up my motivational interviewing skills. I also facilitated a social work group during the month of April called a Parent Café. This was a time when I got to choose a topic to present to the families and engage with them as a group. It was such a positive and empowering moment for me that I will never forget. Lastly, I was able to participate in community outreach events that allowed me to interact with the community and share all the great services that the family center provides. The most significant piece of advice I was given throughout this experience was the importance of forming bonds and connecting with the families I met. Without that foundation, I would have never been able to confidently speak in front of them as a group or even individually when doing paperwork. My internship at the Kent Family Center brought me out of my shell and I am grateful for it.

Jada Aristilde, ’21, Sociology major: Internship with the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Last semester I began my internship at the National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington DC. My internship was one of the many offered through the C.V. Starr Center Explore America Internships however, my specific internship was one of its kind. It was spawned by a collaboration between Washington College’s Starr Center and NMAAHC for a community curation of Kent County’s African American history.

Last semester, I ventured to NMAAHC every Monday on an accredited internship for sociology. My course work was based around 3 sociological ideologies: organizational processes, open systems framework, and visual sociology. I learned how to analyze, study and understand the inner and outer workings of museums through the sociological lens. By the end of the accredited internship, I was able to answer some of the most critical questions posed in the museum field today, like how location in both time and space affects a museum, how NMAAHC analyzes and approaches visual culture within their exhibits and the most commonly what the purpose of NMAACH is and what makes NMAAHC so unique. Through this internship, I was able to graze the surface of a plethora of sociological principals while gaining hands-on experience in sociological ethnography in one of the Smithsonian’s most prominent museums.

This fast-tracked learning experience was carefully shaped to fit my learning style and needs. It has left me with a new and improved transferrable skill set, substantial knowledge in museum studies and windows and doors of different available opportunities for possible careers in the museum, sociological and African American history fields.

Kayla Hamel ’17, Double major in Sociology and Psychology: Internship with Kent County Behavioral Health

“Through this experience, I am able to shadow a social worker and gain hands-on experience interacting with clients.  My supervisor is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, which is what I hope to one day be as I continue my academic career at the University of Maryland School of Social Work.  Being an intern at KCBH has allowed me to observe clinical techniques for treating a wide range of mental health disorders.  I am also able to interact with a diverse population of clients, as I travel to the middle schools to assist with school-based therapy, and I see a variety of ages, abilities, and diagnoses in the office.  Not only am I able to shadow my LCSW supervisor, but I am also able to sit in on sessions with nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and professional counselors.  This allows me to view the wide range of career opportunities in the field of mental health, and understand how each profession works together to become a team of support for the clients.  Through my internship at Kent County Behavioral Health, I have learned the exact nature of the job of a social worker, as well as the specific responsibilities of the career.  This experience has helped me to solidify my career goals and has better prepared me for the coursework I will encounter in graduate school.”