Last week, the Student Services department hosted the first Internship Fair for all current MSW students seeking internships. Practical experience, or fieldwork, is built into the MSW social work curriculum. All fieldwork experiences are credit-bearing internships, which offer students an opportunity to integrate and apply their academic knowledge in a real-world setting and prepare them for the responsibility of beginning professional practice. Loyola has over 300 partnerships with agencies in Chicago and the larger Metropolitan area, which gives students access to a wide range of client populations and settings.  Typically, students must work with the appropriate Internship Coordinator to complete the application process to secure an internship. To start this process, students must submit an application for fieldwork with the School of Social Work Student Services Office. This is the first year, students could attend the fair to apply and interview for a position at one time.

As part of the Internship Fair, Internship Coordinator, Vanessa Farias, co-facilitated the “Prepare for the Fair” workshop with Catherine Archer, Career Advisor at the Career Development Center. The purpose of this workshop was to help students develop and practice their elevator pitches in preparation for the Internship Fair. The workshop reviewed ways students can highlight their transferrable skills, work experience and professional achievements in a concise, cohesive and conversational manner. Students were ready to go into the Internship Fair more prepared and with more confidence!