The Social Work Club: Internship Panel

By: Honor Tamminga

Photographed by: Yolanda Diaz

On Mar. 31, George Fox University’s (GFU) Social Work Club hosted an internship panel. The event was open to all, but targeted towards those pursuing a career in social work.

Five social work interns, all GFU students, discussed their experiences at various internships and answered questions to inform the audience about what a social work internship might look like. The internships ranged from working with incarcerated youth to working with unhoused adults or with families in their homes. Three of the interns were working with youth. One of the five was focused on macrowork, which involves trying to solve larger problems within systems, while the other four were involved in individual cases.

Though the audience was small, the interns and listeners alike valued the experience. The interns shared useful information for any who might be looking forward to applying for an internship. They talked about what their interviews entailed, what the various internship environments were like, and how they balanced their school life with their responsibilities as interns. A few of the students from the audience are already looking forward to their future internships, and they asked their own questions.

Apart from being purely informative, the internship panel was also inspiring. Even as someone outside of the world of social work, I was uplifted by the stories the interns told from their separate experiences. They related how they had formed deep and meaningful relationships with both their colleagues and the other groups of people they were working with. One of the girls, who was working with incarcerated youth, related how a lot of her internship consisted of just hanging out with a bunch of funny, fun-loving teenagers. Another girl talked about how she was helping a little boy overcome his anger management issues. Each spoke in a way that conveyed their dedication to their various roles and the people they were serving.

As a Christian university, GFU has a lot to say about calling and vocation. The interns reminded listeners that what they end up doing matters, and they have the power to make an impact on people’s lives as they find their own internships and then later, launch into their own careers.

Chayse Miller was one of the interns that spoke during the panel. She is also an officer of the Social Work Club. Throughout the evening, she offered helpful advice to social work students about setting boundaries in internships and using the resources provided by her program. She also shared the joys of working closely with families as an intern.

The Social Work Club is aimed at bringing social work students into a community with one another, Miller said, but also bringing them into the larger community in Newberg. The club has done events, such as one in partnership with Coffee Cottage, to help students engage with the community.

Though the internship panel was geared towards a specific audience, the larger goal was to develop in students a better understanding of an investment in social work and in people's lives through internship.