by Hannah Hirl ‘19
Hometown: Oskaloosa, Iowa
Major: Sociology
This summer I am working as an intern for the Department of Human Services in Mahaska County. My goal is to better understand how various groups within the broad field of social work are related — and how each plays an important part in restoring and enhancing the wellbeing and social function of the clients we serve. I hope to go into mental health counseling in the future, but counseling is just one part of rehabilitation. I chose the Department of Human Services for this summer because of the important role they play in the community, and my internship has allowed me to see the process from another angle.
The social workers I work with are really good at their jobs, so I am learning from some of the best. It is really neat to be around a group that is so passionate about helping people. My internship has been true experiential learning for me. What I have learned this summer directly connects to the sociological concepts we have discussed so far in some of my courses. In my Intro to Social Work class this past semester, we learned the “why” of social work. When I get the chance to meet the clients that DHS serves, I am reminded of that.