Abington faculty's new textbook guides human services majors through internships

ABINGTON, Pa. — A new textbook written by three Penn State Abington faculty will be used by human services students at Abington and at other Penn State campuses to guide them through the internship and career development and exploration processes. 

Rehabilitation and human services faculty Abigail Akande, Stacey Conway and Michael Lavetsky wrote "Experiential Learning and Internship for Undergraduates: A Workbook for Undergraduate Interns in the Human Services Field," published by Routledge, as a sequential guide for students.  

“The book provides a roadmap and framework for students embarking on their internship experience," Conway said. "Taking knowledge students have gained over their years of study and applying it in real-world settings always brings some trepidation as well as surprises. I hope that this book will help them feel confident and prepared as they enter this new experience.” 

Each chapter contains activities, case examples, self-reflective exercises and a review of core competencies. It includes an electronic version for students, faculty and academic internship supervisors. Students are encouraged to refer to it after their internships to explore the book’s topics and real-life scenarios more deeply. 

"Throughout the book, students are encouraged to engage in self-reflective practices that help to foster personal and professional growth and empathic client engagement," Akande said. "These are critical habits that will inform their professional work and are designed to establish a foundation for rapport building, cultural sensitivity and ethical practice throughout their careers.”

The authors wrote individual chapters informed by their own research and professional experiences, best-known and evidence-based practices, and knowledge from their teaching experiences and curriculum. 

At Abington, the book will be utilized in both "RHS 493: Professional Development and Internship Preparation," which is taken the semester prior to the required internship, and "RHS 495A: Internship," which is concurrent with the internship. 

“The text guides them through the process of applying to and selecting an internship site and provides ongoing support to the students as they put theory into practice during their actual internship experience,” Lavetsky said. 

Although faculty at Abington and other Penn State campuses plan to implement the textbook in their courses, Akande explained that it can also be useful in academic programs internationally. 

“Particularly in the global South where undergraduate rehabilitation or human services-type programs do not exist, books like these can supplement individual courses or independent studies in tangential fields or with students who have an interest in the field but no access to a standardized degree program,” said Akande, who examines human services issues through an international lens. 

The concept for the book developed when Lavetsky identified a gap in the availability of undergraduate textbooks to support interns in human services majors including psychology, counseling, social work, rehabilitation, public health and criminal justice. A senior editor at Routledge publishing invited him to submit a proposal, and 18 months later, the trio is celebrating the book's arrival in their mailboxes.  

The authors highlighted content from the a few of the chapters they authored: 

• "Case Management:" “This chapter is unique because, while case management itself is a specific job within human services, nearly every person working to serve others will find themselves doing some tasks that we could term case management,” Conway said. 

• "Multicultural Considerations for Diverse Populations:" “I constructed a theoretical perspective called the ‘culture funnel.’ Conceptually our cultural identities are formulated in a process similar to objects being sifted through a funnel. The smaller, or insignificant elements fall through, while the larger, more important elements remain, forming a unique individual who has accepted and rejected aspects of various cultural systems to formulate a distinct self,” Akande said. 

• "The Role of Legislation in the Provision of Human Services:" “I consolidated elements from my past publications to highlight the integral role that legislation has played in the creation and maintenance of resources in rehabilitation and human services. I often share the disinterest in politics that I had at their age with students until I engaged in research and realized the critical role that civic engagement in the legislative process has played in disability rights, healthcare access, the creation of the rehabilitation field in the United States, and their future as rehabilitation professionals. Especially in this election season, I encourage students to do their due diligence in understanding the implications of the decisions of their local and national leaders in our field,” Akande said. 

• "Selecting and Establishing an Internship Site, Supervision, Stress and Self-Care and Core Competencies for Bachelor’s Level Positions in the Human Services Field:" “While the content of those four chapters is quite diverse, I think the overarching theme and takeaway is the value of self-reflection. It’s important for students to identify their personal strengths and areas for growth and learn how they can continue to grow both professionally and personally in the field,” Lavetsky said. 

About Penn State Abington 

Penn State Abington provides an affordable, accessible and high-impact education resulting in the success of a diverse student body. It is committed to student success through innovative approaches to 21st-century public higher education within a world-class research university. With more than 3,100 students, Penn State Abington is a residential campus that offers baccalaureate degrees in 25 majors, accelerated master's degrees, undergraduate research, the Schreyer Honors College, NCAA Division III athletics and more.