Erin Wasicki
  • Pre-Social Work
  • Class of 2017
  • Vernon, CT

Eastern Student Erin Wasicki of Vernon Currently Engaged in Successful Internship

2016 Dec 5

A number of Eastern students commit to student internships as an on-site practical work experience with a company or organization that can provide them with firsthand knowledge of a career field. The internship is usually related to the student's major or is directly related to the student's career interest. They often complement the student's coursework, can incorporate skills and classroom experience into the workplace and assist the student in developing new abilities and skills.

Erin Wasicki '17 of Vernon is currently engaged in an internship with the Willimantic office of the State of Connecticut's Department of Children and Families (DCF). Wasicki's major is Social Work.

Wasicki said, "As an intern at DCF, I was first assigned to shadow a treatment worker. In that unit, we work in the homes of families with substantiated open cases and with families who have children placed in foster care and are working towards uniting families or with children being adopted. We work hand-in-hand with parents, children and foster parents in terms of moving towards the safest outcome for the children. We provide services for each family member, including foster parents. Each case is unique and treated with care. Everyone gives 100 percent of their effort."

Wasicki was recently assigned her first official case and is being shadowed by her assigned treatment worker. "I am now out on my own and being closely monitored as I move forward. I am doing all of the paperwork related to the case, as well as getting to know all of the family members and working with them. I am their key support person. I meet families, learn what does and doesn't work for them and assess their current status."

Wasicki added, "This internship has given me the opportunity to see how agencies operate. I have gained so much insight from the employees I have shadowed and continue to meet with them on a weekly basis. Learning about policies and being able to apply knowledge obtained from studies in my major has been a wonderful learning experience."

Wasicki initiated her internship the first week of September and will continue until the end of the academic year.