Internship Experiences: The Students' Perspective
The best way to learn of the value of field/internship experiences offered by Immaculata University’s Departments of Sociology/Social Work and Psychology is to read of the students’ comments about their experiences listed directly below.
Colleen Marie Parkes (Enrolled in the Women's College majoring in Sociology/Social Work) reflects back on her student field experience and states:
"This past year I had the opportunity to be an intern at a treatment unit for juvenile delinquent young men. This experience was a large part of my college education. I was able to learn with "hands on" experience. My time spent at the facility was a learning experience for myself as well as the residents. Obtaining an internship at an undergraduate level is important in order to discover personal development and knowledge in the related fields. This aids in the decisions of future career plans. Overall, my experience was definitely worthwhile and beneficial in all aspects."
Kristy Suriano (Enrolled in the Women's College majoring in Psychology and Spanish) had this to say about her field internship experience:
"Having an internship is a worthwhile experience that has benefited me in many ways. I have learned many valuable lessons about dealing with other people and important issues that will be pertinent to my future profession. Being able to apply what I have learned in the classroom to real experiences has given me exposure to many of the situations that I will be encountering. As I came into contact with new people and worked with different supervisors, I have had the opportunity to make contacts and explore new options in the fields of Psychology and Spanish. In a society where mental health workers are needed so desperately, being accessible to different internship sites has only helped to enhance my understanding of human nature which will better enable me to properly assist others."
Judith Spann (Enrolled in the Women's College majoring in Sociology and Social Work) valued her field experience as a learning and growth process in her work with juvenile sex offenders. She reveals that:
"At the beginning of my field work experience I felt extremely apprehensive, unprepared, and stressed. My anticipation of potential problems in the field certainly out-weighed my classroom experience. As the days passed in the field, the gap between the classroom and my field experience slowly narrowed with the help of my instructors, peers, and the other mental health professionals. The field experience has helped me develop the necessary strategies to reduce my anxieties and be effective."
Susanne Collins (Enrolled in the College of LifeLong Learning majoring in Sociology and Social Work) utilized her field placement as an opportunity to work with a special population within a new treatment modality—Post Abortion Syndrome. She comments:
"My field placement enabled me to put a name and a face to all I was learning about Post Abortion Syndrome. The written word on this subject is very important; however it was the spoken word by the women I met through this field placement, that allowed me to enter into their experience, their dilemmas and their ‘before and after’ emotions, their pain and their own personal journey. Also, doing undergraduate fieldwork meant I didn't have to wait till graduate school to "get my hands wet" out in the field. "
Jennifer Wolfe (Enrolled in the Women's College majoring in Psychology) found her field internship to not only be educational, but also a stimulating, exciting learning experience. She writes:
"I am presently in my second semester at the Devereux Kanner Learning Center. I am working with mildly retarded, behavioral problem children, ages seven to seventeen. This experience has been an incredible experience for me. Everything that you learn in your Psychology courses come to life. The experience of an internship can not be taught in a classroom. To deal with and have one-on-one contact and experience with these children is an amazing educational experience. And besides gaining experience that you would otherwise not receive in a classroom, the internship also opens up the door to your future career."