To graduate from an accredited program with a Bachelor of Social Work degree, a junior and senior internship must be completed. For my senior internship, consisting of 500 hours, I interned at the Virginia Department of Social Services in the Office of Family Violence (VDSS-OFV) in Glen Allen, Virginia. There, my role involved participation in “listening sessions” to improve DOW outcome surveys, notetaking, presenting in statewide meetings, providing technical assistance to agencies, and assessing performance through writing evaluations. My role also included attending site visits with my direct supervisor to analyze overall agency performance throughout a three-year time period.

This experience was endlessly enlightening to me. This position has shown me the vital importance of good communication in agencies, or this well-oiled machine could never function. It has also grown my confidence, allowing me to walk into interviews and meetings with my head held high. I would not be the same person I am without the experiences I had at VDSS-OFV.