In the world, there is always a need for people with optimism, hope, strength, and a tenacious drive to learn who are willing to make a difference. Students who choose to earn a Bachelor of Science in Family Studies and Gerontology (FSG) degree often embody these characteristics and are fully aware of problems and issues in the world and are seeking the best practices, resources, and connections to help, assist, and serve to make a positive impact. A student’s educational focus can be associated with an issue or problem affecting our world, nation, state, community, family, and often specifically, the lives of individuals who are suffering. Frequently, this issue or problem has been experienced up close and personally by the student, and it therefore matters deeply. Sometimes, the process of overcoming has weathered the student in such a way that this student, when fully known, is quite extraordinary but not fully personally aware of it.
One of the privileges that we have is to come alongside students in the pursuit of a degree and enable them to clarify the professional path they have chosen. Some important reflective questions for students to ask themselves include:
In the FSG program, the entire lifespan is studied, and the students can clarify the characteristics of the population they are most interested in working with as part of their profession. They can also understand how that specific population of interest interfaces with members of the family and communities in normative and nonnormative ways, developmentally and in crisis. Every course research project becomes an opportunity to explore that population in the context of that specific course of study.
This question helps to clarify for the student what kind of role, for the benefit and support of others, is best for them when working with a population of interest. Examples of this include providing direct service, advocacy, connection, representation, training, education, assessment, enrichment, etc. Understanding this context will enable the student to narrow down the type of organization, agency, business, etc., that provides the kinds of jobs relating to how the student prefers to work with people.
In other words, how will this learning experience best complement what I already know about myself personally, while providing the experience of working with the population I want to work with within the context of the type of profession doing the work that I want to do, within an organization, agency, business, where I could see myself being professionally?
The practicum is a beautiful way to explore a new professional field. One practicum student, Abby, has long-term goals of earning a graduate degree in Counseling Psychology and eventually becoming a licensed professional counselor. However, between now and then, she was really hoping to diversify her background with related experience working with children with disabilities. When asked what she hoped to learn initially, she said, “I hope to learn skills that are specific to working with children and observe the therapeutic relationship,” but she ended up learning so much more. These practicum learning objectives guided her practicum experience as approved by Abby, the Agency Supervisor, and the Practicum Coordinator:
Abby’s practicum story is incredibly positive! She was offered a job with her practicum site and with the assistance of her Practicum Agency Supervisor, is now working on her RBT certification. In response to Abby’s own words, as written in her practicum reflections at the conclusion of the learning experience, I can’t help but smile because it is exactly what we hope will happen for our students when completing a practicum. In summary, this is the rest of her story:
What is the life story you would like to write? How can we assist you in bringing your story into existence and writing it? What are your action steps? First step: contact us today!