UC Clermont student gains real-world experience — without leaving home

When UC Clermont College social work student Angela McCann chose a career to help people, she never anticipated learning to do the job without leaving her house. But as the COVID-19 pandemic upended all business-as-usual last spring, McCann’s on-site summer practicum required to finish her associate degree was also cancelled.  

Enter social work professor Jill Gomez, who was determined to find solutions for her students — and ensure they graduated on time.  

“The social work practicum is combined with the seminar course, creating the capstone learning experience prior to graduating,” Gomez said. “The required practicum assists students with linking the knowledge and practice skills they acquired in the classroom to a real-world experience. It also helps in developing a scope of practice as they transition UC’s bachelor’s degree program in social work, and some students land jobs with their practicum organizations after graduation.”  

Typically, Gomez places 8-10 students with local organizations in the community, where they spend approximately 16 hours each utilizing their newly learned social work skills. While licensed social workers have offered telehealth services for years, COVID restrictions on face-to-face interactions further moved many social work functions online. The state of Ohio also passed legislation to allow social workers and other behavioral specialists to provide billable services through a secure media platform, enabling mental health patients to continue to meet virtually with their social worker/therapist from home.  

Most social workers work in behavioral health, Gomez said, and they are in high demand — the field was predicted to experience a 16% growth rate from 2016-2026, more than double the 7% employment growth projected for all occupations by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Before the pandemic, UC Clermont already offered about 90% of its social work curriculum online.  

To tap into virtual practicum experiences, though, Gomez worked with UC Clermont’s EXCITE Center — which helps students find and prepare for jobs and internships — to locate community organizations that were open to having students work remotely. For McCann’s placement, Gomez turned to former mentee Melissa Cole, Prevention Team leader, counselor and tobacco treatment specialist with Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services at the Clermont Recovery Center in Batavia. 

“Angela is our eighth UC Clermont practicum student, but our first virtual,” said Cole. “Although prevention is a very hands-on field, and a virtual experience can’t do it complete justice, Angela was a huge help in planning and facilitating a virtual summer camp series for our clients. She did a fantastic job.” 

McCann said the experience was invaluable, even from a distance.  

“I’ve really enjoyed the experience of working with and building relationships with social work professionals who share the same passion that I have for helping people,” McCann said. “Although I haven't been able to attend my practicum physically, we have been able to virtually connect through Zoom meetings which have been a huge help. I’m unbelievably grateful for this experience and to Dr. Gomez for working so hard to find a placement for all of her students this semester, especially because this was the last class I needed to graduate and start my bachelor's degree this fall.” 

The innovative plan kept McCann on track — she graduated with her associate degree this summer and is enrolled at UC’s College of Allied Health Sciences this fall to finish her bachelor’s degree in social work — with plans to eventually complete a master’s degree as well. And when she begins work as a licensed social worker some day, she will apply the lessons she’s learned along her unique path to get there.  

“Watching the incredible staff of Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health/Clermont Recovery Center quickly adapt to the current pandemic and finding alternate ways to ensure that they are still able to connect with and serve their client population has been such a rewarding experience,” McCann said. “This experience has shown me how resilient I am, as well as how resilient social workers are in general. I look forward to serving those in need.”