Ten Students Receive Clinical Practicum Fellowships through the Dr. Heidi Schaeffer Resilience, Hope, and Healing Fund
Monday, Dec 16, 2024
Cultivating real-world experience through clinical practicums is a crucial component in any social worker’s education. By working directly with clients, families, and community organizations, students gain firsthand insight into the challenges and nuances of their future careers.
That’s why we’re excited to announce that ten students at FAU’s College of Social Work and Criminal Justice (CoSWCJ) are receiving clinical practicum fellowships for the 2024-25 academic year through the generous support of the Dr. Heidi Schaeffer Resilience, Hope, and Healing Fund.
Heidi Schaeffer, M.D., national expert in human trafficking diagnosis and intervention, said she was inspired to fund the grant program by her experiences meeting students from the Sandler School.
“The student body at Sandler exemplifies a strong commitment to learning and passion to help those in need,” she said. “These students represent a breadth of diverse backgrounds, and many have overcome difficult personal struggles to now inspire others.”
Each student ― six this fall and four more this upcoming spring ― is receiving a $5,000 scholarship to perform clinical practicums at an organization in South Florida, opening up access for support in areas of most need.
“Our community is growing,” said Dr. Schaeffer, “and as such, so is the need for highly trained social workers.” These practicum opportunities maximize CoSWCJ’s community impact, fosters long-term engagement with organizations in the area, and promotes students’ pathways to career success after graduation.
This fall’s recipients were Jennie Isleno, James Noel, David Laconte, Angelica Torres, Hana Al-Hraki, and Cameron Godwin. Recipients for the spring include Tyler Anderson, Sandra Esperance, Eriana Teague, and Alaysia Harris.
At Work in the Community
While placements for the Spring ‘25 recipients haven’t yet been determined, here’s what this Fall’s recipients have been doing:
Jennie Isleno is advocating for victims, including children, adolescents, and adults, in the Victim Advocate Unit at the Office of the Florida State Attorney in Broward County.
James Noel works with delinquent children at the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice.
David Laconte supports adults with cognitive and developmental disabilities at The Habilitation Center in Boca Raton, which provides comprehensive, individually tailored vocational training, supported employment, and wrap-around services for its clients.
Angelica Torres is tackling issues related to family violence at the Palm Beach County Youth Services Department.
Hana Al-Hraki works with foster children and their family members during visitation sessions at ChildNet, a nonprofit Community Based Care (CBC) organization that protects abused, abandoned and neglected children in Broward and Palm Beach Counties.
Cameron Godwin works with families experiencing hunger and homelessness at House of Hope, a nonprofit agency that provides food, clothing, furniture, financial assistance, and case management services to Martin County residents in need.
These opportunities allow students to immerse themselves in diverse community settings, where they can observe and engage with the complexities of real-life social issues. Students cultivate critical skills such as active listening, empathy, and problem-solving, while learning to navigate ethical dilemmas and cultural sensitivities in practice.
Hoping to remove financial barriers to post-graduate education and encourage social work grads to stay in the area, Dr. Schaeffer said that “FAU’s MSW graduates are well-trained in approaches that prioritize the mental health of patients. Their students are receiving excellent education in the latest therapeutic modalities and are being exposed to a variety of clinical experiences which bolster their skills in evaluation and treatment. “
“The hope is these experts will stay here to practice professionally.”