SUNY Oswego senior Melissa Blok is completing a semester long internship at Morning Star Residential Care Center in Oswego, New York. Melissa will be receiving her Bachelor of Arts degree in human development this May 2020. Following graduation, she plans on attending graduate school to complete her Masters Degree in social work. While she is still deciding between graduate schools, Melissa is taking every possible step to acquaint herself with this field. At Morning Star Residential Care Center, she works closely with their social services director which has been extremely beneficial to her as she is able to become more accustomed with different experiences and responsibilities that she may encounter throughout her future career endeavors.
Blok begins her early morning shifts with an iced latte and a brief meeting with her director. “I am lucky enough to intern somewhere that has a community-like environment. Faculty are all extremely friendly with one another and treat each other with respect,” said Melissa when asked about their company culture. Her daily responsibilities vary but she regularly conducts mood assessment tests on the nursing home residents which requires asking a series of questions about their sleeping patterns, mood changes, etc. She then records their responses and if they acknowledge symptoms, she records the frequency of those symptoms. Melissa also spends a lot of her time checking in on residents who feel lonely or upset by speaking with them and allowing them to confide in her. “These are two very important tasks because a lot of responsibility is in my hands.”
This internship experience has provided Melissa with a new sense of determination regarding her future education and career path. Working in this environment further solidified her goals as she is looking forward to embarking on her journey of becoming a certified social worker. Blok shares, “This experience is a perfect stepping stone for my future career but the most valuable lesson that I have learned is that life is so short but so precious.”
*Editor’s note: Melissa’s internship has been suspended due to current events but she is thankful to have had such an informative experience.