Jennifer

I heard about Children’s Home Society & Family Services from a classmate at Gustavus Adolphus College who had recently shadowed social work professionals in the Post-Adoption Services department. As a psychology major, I had not quite considered an internship in social work, let alone adoption, but as soon as I heard of CHSFS I thought to myself, why not? So, I applied, interviewed, and interned with PAS for the summer of 2009.

Throughout my time at CHSFS I learned about domestic and international adoption, as well as the psychological implications of adoption. Most notably, I learned about the role of mental health professionals in the realm of adoption, whether that is through individual and family counseling, crisis support, or facilitating support groups.

In the PAS department, I helped to plan and carry out CHSFS Adoption Day Camp 2009. I brainstormed activities and games for large-group time, and created lesson plans for specific grade levels. Day Camp was the highlight of my summer as it was so fun to spend time with children who share one commonality: adoption.

While the projects that I completed throughout my internship were fun, I will remember the people of CHSFS the most. Every person I met, whether it was in a meeting or in the hallway, greeted me warmly and treated me like a fellow staff member. Unlike other internship opportunities, I was given both direction and freedom to work independently at the same time.

I recommend a CHSFS internship for undergraduate students who are looking to gain knowledge of social work and adoption, and who want to make a difference!

– Jennifer, Post-Adoption Services Education & Support Intern 2009