Applied Learning in Social Work Education: A Scholarly Journal from the Simmons University School of Social Work

Episode 5: Unpaid practicum internships: Issues and answers

Host of The Conversation, Dr. Katharine Dill of Marist University, interviews Dr. Natalie Beck Aguilera of St. Edward’s University. The practice of requiring unpaid practicums in social work education runs counter to the profession’s belief in economic justice. In one study, 80% of students reported that their practicum had a negative impact on their financial situation. Stress associated with the resulting financial hardship has been found to compromise the learning experience, with a disparate impact on low-income students. Social work education programs can leverage multiple approaches to help students access the financial resources they need during their internships. 

Episode 5 References

• Dill, K., Aguilera, N. B., Graham, W. K., & Voss, T. (2023). Paid internships: A review of the literature. Field Educator 13(2). https://alswe.simmons.edu/article/paid-internships-a-review-of-the-literature/ 

About the Podcast

Applied Learning in Social Education’s podcast, The Conversation, is created and produced by Simmons University School of Social Work and Marist University for the benefit and enrichment of the social work education community, including field directors and instructors and social work faculty and students. Read Applied Learning in Social Work Education here: ⁠⁠https://alswe.simmons.edu/⁠⁠

Host: Katharine Dill, PhD, Marist University

Guest: Natalie Beck Aguilera, DSW, St. Edward’s University

Production Coordinator, Simmons University: Melissa Erlick

Production Coordinators, Marist University: Jaime Lynne Bishop and John Corry